Titanic

Something a little different today. Rather than an article about the sinking of the Titanic, you get an article about one of the crew. It's from "The Western Times", (an English paper), dated 26 Apr 1912:

(see below for a transcript of the article)

Devon Wireless Operator

When all the world was clamouring for wireless messages from the "Olympic" last week, few were aware that they were being sent by a Devonian and a Topsham man. Yet such was the case. Mr. E.J.Moore, whose home is at Monmouth-street, Topsham, is principal operator on the "Olympic," and he took the "S.O.S." message from the "Titanic." He was educated at St. John's Hospital School, Exeter, and was a friend of Mr. Harry Dyer, of Exeter, the young engineer of the "Titanic" who is missing.

Titanic

From "The San Francisco Call," 24 Apr 1912:

Titanic

From the Baltimore American, dated 16 Apr 1912, comes the following front page:

Titanic

Again, with more stories and articles from around the world in the days following the sinking of the Unsinkable Titanic.

This is from the El Paso Herald, (Texas, USA), 16 Apr 1912:

I like this entry, as it takes into account just the truths, not hopeful wishes, not fragmentary comments that are more "chinese whispers" than truth.

It states, categorically, that the Titanic did not carry enough boats. It also states a better idea of survivor numbers and numbers of those missing, presumed lost.

It puts to bed the idea, once and for all, that the Titanic was anything more than another passenger liner, albeit the largest and most magnificent in the world at the time. She was a ship who met a tragic end, with a huge loss of life. Because of this, she goes into the history books. If she had made her maiden voyage safely, and continued to sail in the years after, she would most likely have been converted into a war ship of some sort in WW1, and then either become another casualty of that war (or the war that followed) or broken up for scrap in the decades afterwards.

It is the sad truth of a ship's life.

Titanic

From "The World" (evening edition), 15 Apr 1912:

If you read carefully, you will find headlines and comments that state that "All passengers of the Titanic were taken to safety by 2.30am...", and that, of the Titanic herself - "She cannot sink... - absolutely no fear is entertained for the safety of the passengers..."

Having read a few of these articles over the preceding days, it seems that no one is exactly sure just how many people were on the Titanic when she hit the iceberg, how many survived, how many died, and how many are officially reported missing (bodies never found).

As for the Titanic being towed slowly to the nearest safe harbour.....

Titanic

Continuing with my Titanic coverage, I add this rare film:



If you double click the video, and open it in full screen, you can see the video properly.

Titanic

Continuing on yesterday's post, here's another newspaper article published in the days following the sinking of the Titanic.

This one comes from the New York Herald, dated 16 April 1912:

Titanic

It's coming up to 100 years since the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage in 1912. Everywhere you turn, there seems to be Titanic-related stuff going on. In the newspapers, on TV, on Radio, in Magazines, at the Movies - the list goes on.

So who am I to not join in? :-)

I've always found ships and the sea interesting, and wrecks both frightening and fascinating, but I think I like the history behind (or stories behind) those ships more.

In honour of all those who died and survived on the Titanic, I would like to offer up an article I found in my travels. It comes from an English paper, "The Western Times", dated 19 April 1912 - four days after the Titanic went down (15 April 1912).

For all my Irish Ancestors....