Canada

and was in the boarding party that was sent across to investigate the fire on board the French ship. As they approached they could see the Captain frantically waving to them to turn around, that the ship was going to blow up. They turned but it was too late, the explosion killed most of them. Apparently Joe was alive when taken ashore but died shortly afterwards of shock.

Royal Navy cruisers in port sent some of the first organized rescue parties ashore. HMS Highflyer, along with the armed merchant cruisers HMS Changuinola, HMS Knight Templar and HMS Calgarian, sent boats ashore with rescue parties and medical personnel and soon began to take wounded aboard.