British Armed Trawler, WW1.
Many thanks to Kerr Anderson who sent me these photos. He also provided identification of Robert Forbes in these crew photos of HMCS Niobe.
Kerr says in several emails (contents consolidated) " I have been building my wife's family tree and had been told that her maternal grandfather, Robert Forbes, was in Halifax at the time of the explosion. Today I found a document from the UK National Archives listing the ships in which he served and it shows he served in HMCS Niobe between 25-8-17 and 3-2-19. He was rated as a "Second Hand" . . . . He was originally a deckhand on a trawler out of Aberdeen. In January 1915 he was a trawl fisherman (from a birth certificate). April 22 1915 - he enlisted in the RNR; April 25 1915 - Stephen Furness - I'm assuming an armed trawler; March 9 1916 - HMT Denny Duff - an armed trawler; June 2 1917 - Thalia; July 23 1917 - HMT Jackdaw - an armed trawler. . . . . The Furness and Thalia were "parent ships for auxiliary patrol" vessels -- i.e. armed trawlers. The Thalia replaced the Furness in 1916 in the Cromarty Firth just north of Inverness or out of Peterhead (just north of Aberdeen). . . . . I guess that means for sure the Jackdaw is how he got to Halifax. . . . . I also found the definition for "Second Hand" rating -- in the small crew of a trawler he was second-in-command. "
Center man in the middle row (black cap) is Robert Forbes. Unknown ship, but possibly HMT Jackdaw.
Robert Forbes. Location and time are unknown.
CPO Roy is at left. Unknown ship and location.