Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE BANK DURING THE WAR 367During the year, one of the directors, Mr. J. W. Flavelle, wascreated a baronet for his notable services during the war aschairman of the Imperial Munitions Board. Another pleasingevent was the conferring of knighthood on the general manager,Mr. John Aird, among the King's birthday honours in June.Not only by his associates, but by the community generally,the honour was regarded as well bestowed and worthilyearned by reason of the counsel and aid he gave the CanadianGovernment in its war finance.As the year was drawing to a close the whole world wasshocked by the catastrophe at Halifax, when through anexplosion on a French munitions ship, a large part of Halifaxwas levelled to the ground and hundreds of people werekilled. The office of the bank in that city was only slightlydamaged, and was not rendered uninhabitable, while themembers of the staff fortunately escaped without serious injury.Canadians will probably never again experience such agamut of varied emotions as the year 1918 provided. OnNew Year's Day no one could foresee that before a cycle oftwelve months had run its course the arms of the Allieswould be completely victorious. For nearly three monthsthe outlook was so puzzling that experts differed as to whetherthe enemy would attempt a last and desperate dash for victory,or whether he would seek the way out in a draw, to whichmany persons in a war-weary world seemed ready to assent.The problem was solved when on the coming of spring Germanytook the gambler's chance, launching an offensive whichbrought her within such narrow range of victory that forthree months or more the people of all Allied countriesexperienced many hours when it seemed as though all theirsacrifices would be in vain. There followed on that darkperiod three months of cumulative victories and ever-soaringhopes, that culminated during November in the completecollapse of the Central Empires. On November 11, the armisticewas signed, and though the formal ratification of peacewas yet far away, the bloodshed was over. It is a remarkable