(above) The History Day event featured a brass ensemble. From left, Curtis Metcalf, Marcus and Alexandria Venables, and Mjr Kevin Metcalf

In August, more than 150 people gathered on Manitoulin Island, Ont., to learn about The Salvation Army’s ties to the Empress of Ireland, a Canadian ocean liner that sank in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914, taking with it more than 130 Salvationists.

The regal ship was a reliable one, having made 95 transatlantic crossings between Canada and Europe before its tragic sinking. The ship was bound for Liverpool, England, carrying 161 Salvation Army personnel and their families to the International Salvation Army Congress in London, England. A westbound Norwegian coal carrier, SS Storstad, collided with the Empress on its starboard side, sinking it in just 14 minutes. Of the 1,477 people on board, just 465 passengers and crew survived. Among the 133 Salvationists lost were the territorial commander, the chief secretary and 29 of the 41 Canadian Staff Band members.

History Day in Kagawong took place at the Old Mill Heritage Centre in Kagawong, Ont., a museum featuring the Empress of Ireland’s story. Historian David Saint-Pierre told the story of the Empress while Major Ron Millar, director of The Salvation Army’s archives, spoke of the Army’s connection to the worst peacetime marine disaster in Canadian history.

“The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to the museum curator, Rick Nelson, and the Old Mill Heritage Centre for honouring the Salvationists lost in the sinking of the Empress of Ireland. This extraordinary exhibit is a wonderful tribute to those who live on in our memory,” says Glenn van Gulik, divisional secretary for public relations, Ontario Division.

This story is from: