Ironing out the wrinkle in Harold Bride's "thrilling" first account of the sinking of the Titanic.
Titanic's junior wireless operator Harold Bride gave four accounts of his experiences as the Titanic sank.
In the first, given to a reporter from the New York Times immediately after the rescue ship Carpathia docked in New York, Bride said he helped get a collapsible lifeboat off the roof of the officers' quarters to the top deck of the sinking ship. But the details that he gave showed that he had actually helped with two collapsibles. First, with the last starboard boat, Col. A. And later with the last port boat, Col. B which he found on the boat deck and which he thought was the same boat he saw dropped off the roof.
Bride testified at the U.S. Senate Inquiry and the British Board of Trade inquiry, and at both he said he assisted with only one collapsible lifeboat. In his official written report to the Marconi company he repeated his story of helping with one lifeboat and never mentioned another. In these 3 cases his description clearly matched Col. B.
That discrepancy---2 boats in his newspaper interview and only one in his official reports--- remained dormant for years, with next to no mention by any authors or researchers.
My interest was piqued when, during an exchange on Encyclopedia Titanica someone asked me " So the ship sunk at 1:50/1:55 a.m. Right?!"
The question appeared unrelated to the discussion at the time, but I answered 2:20 a.m. and that was that. What I didn't realize until years later was that the question was a trap that I had inadvertently avoided.
The question had been intended to expose my "ignorance" for saying that the difference in times between New York and the Titanic was an hour and 33 minutes, something attested by three of Titanic's surviving officers at the official Titanic inquiries. (The fourth wasn't asked.)This would mean that the last CQD message, recorded at 11:55 p.m. New York time, was heard at 1:28 a.m. Titanic time.
But proponents of a contrived time difference of 2 hours 2 minutes argue that the last distress message was at 1:55 a.m. Titanic time which, they say, is the only time that fits Bride's accounts of what happened in the final moments before the Titanic sank (at what everyone agrees was 2:20 a.m). It also means that abiding by the 1:33 time difference means the Titanic would have sunk almost half an hour earlier i.e. "at 1:50/1:55 a.m. Right?/".
Once I realized the intent of the odd question, I decided to take a close look at Bride's first story, having no doubt that his account of helping with two lifeboats could be fitted easily into the one-hour-33-minute narrative.
A few weeks later, I was flummoxed.
I had gone through every tool in the tool chest--- a detailed timeline, check; weigh every word in Bride's newspaper interview to see if there could be any misinterpretation, check; overlay the four versions to find similarities and try to resolve the contradictions, check. Nothing worked.
Were they right? Was I wrong? I was preparing to leave the issue unresolved until I remembered an aphorism familiar to all reporters: 'if you don't ask the right questions, you don't get the right answers.'
So what question hadn't I asked? For days that was just as perplexing---but the answer came from another adage. You can't see the forest for the trees.
What question didn't I ask? What was going on aboard the Titanic in those final moments before it sank!
I had my solution.
Let's pick up the story where the two accounts (two lifeboats or one) agree. (All times are based on the 1 hour 33 minute difference between New York and the Titanic. Inquiry transcripts are edited to remove unnecessary repetitive questioning or irrelevant responses before providing answers.)
Shortly after 1 a.m. on April 15, 1912. The Titanic will slip under the waves in slightly more than an hour.
Senior Wireless Operator Jack Phillips just returned to the Marconi room after a taking a few minutes to see what was going on outside.
(US. Senate Inquiry)
Senator Smith: Did Mr. Phillips return from the deck?
Mr. Bride: Yes, sir.
Senator Smith: What did he say to you then?
Mr. Bride: Mr. Phillips told me that things looked very queer outside.
Mr. Bride: He told us he thought it was time we put on our lifebelts.
***************************
(British Inquiry)
16548. Did he tell you what he had found out? - Yes.
16549. What did he say? - He told me the forward well deck was awash.
16550. Did he tell you anything else?
- He told me, as far as I remember, that they were putting the women and children in the boats and clearing off
********************************************
11:35 p.m. New York time 1:08 a.m.Titanic Time
Titanic replies to the Olympic "We are putting the women off in boats."
**************************************************
(Bride's report to the Marconi Company)
Mr. Phillips told me the forward well deck was under water, and we got our lifebelts out and tied on each other, after putting on additional clothing.
*************************************************
(New York Times interview)
I remembered that every member of the crew had a special lifebelt and ought to know where it was. I remembered mine was under my bunk. I went and got it...
I remembered I had some boots and I put those on and an extra jacket...I saw Phillips standing out there sending away, giving the Carpathia details of just how we were doing.
*******************************************************************************
(British Inquiry)
16532. - The Captain kept in communication with us; we either went to him or he came to us.
16533. What about?
- He came in and told us at one time she would not last very long, and he informed us when the engine room was flooded.
*************************************************
(British Inquiry, using the 1:33 time comparison)
11.41pm New York Time (1:14 a.m. Titanic Time). [recorded by the Mount Temple] M.G.Y. (the Titanic) says C.Q.D. engine room flooded.
11:45 p.m. New York Time, 1:18 a.m. Titanic Time. Baltic hears Titanic say "engine room getting flooded"
***********************************************
The order was given to abandon the boiler rooms.
Greaser Frederick Scott at the British Inquiry:
5640. And did you get an order to go up on deck?
- Yes, the engineer came down and told everybody to go out of the engine room.
5707. - It was 20 minutes past 1 when I left the engine room.
******************************************************
(British Inquiry)
11:50 p.m. New York Time. (1:23 a.m. Titanic Time) Ypiranga says: “MGY sagt was von "flooded"!” (Translation: MGY says something about "flooded")
***************************************************
1:25 a.m. Titanic Time. The firing of rockets is stopped to free up men to help with the last lifeboats.
George Rowe testimony at the Senate Inquiry:
I ... was firing the distress signals until about five and twenty minutes after 1. At that time they were getting out the starboard collapsible boats. The chief officer, Wilde, wanted a sailor. I asked Capt. Smith if I should fire any more, and he said "No; get into that boat." (i.e. Collapsible C)
*********************************************
1:28 a.m. Titanic Time Last message heard from Titanic.
(Mersey report)
11.55 p.m. New York Time/1:28 a.m. Titanic Time [Olympic says] Sable Island calling me with traffic. Told him to stand by for a while, as having urgent communication with Titanic.
(New York Times interview)
Bride: We picked up the Olympic and told her we were sinking by the head and were about all down. As Phillips was sending the message I strapped his lifebelt to his back. I had already put on his overcoat.
*****************
Wireless operator of the Carpathia, Harold Cottam, testimony at the Senate Inquiry:
Mr. COTTAM.I was in communication at regular intervals the whole of the time until the last communication gained with the Titanic.
Senator SMITH.What was said in that message?
Mr. COTTAM.He told him to come at once; that he was head down. And he sent his position.
*****************************************************
Seaman Samuel Hemming and steward Edward Brown here provided a vital missing piece of the puzzle.
(British Inquiry) Edward Brown
10523. Was it (Collapsible C) then lowered down to the water?
- As far as I can say. I saw it going over the side from the boat deck.
10526. After you had finished with that boat where did you next go to?
- We turned our attention to another collapsible boat that was on top of the Officers' house on the same side of the ship.
10527. That was a boat which lay on the top of the Officers' quarters?- Yes.
10528. You tried to get that boat down to the deck?- Yes.
**********************************
(Senate Inquiry)
Mr. HEMMING.
After I had finished with the lamps, sir, when I made my last journey they were turning out the port collapsible boat (Col. D...ed) . I went and assisted Mr. Lightoller to get it out.
After the boat was out I went on top of the officer's house and helped to clear away the port collapsible boat on that house (Col.B...ed). After that I went over to the starboard side. The starboard collapsible boat had just been lowered. (Col. C...ed.)
Senator SMITH.
Do you mean lowered or pushed off?
Mr. HEMMING.
Lowered. She was away from the ship.
Senator SMITH.Then what?
Mr. HEMMING..." I passed the block up to the officers' house, and Mr. Moody, the sixth officer, said: "We don't want the block. We will leave the boat on deck"...
So, according to the evidence, when Hemming arrived at Collapsible A, the starboard collapsible, C, was already off the ship. Albert Pearcey, pantryman, left in Collapsible C. In his testimony to the British Inquiry he provided a time for the launch of C.
10456. Can you give us any idea of how long it was after you had started rowing away from the "Titanic" before she sank?- No, I cannot. It was 20 minutes to two when we came away from her.
10460. How do you remember it was 20 minutes to two?- Because I looked at the time.
10461. That is what I wanted to know. Where did you look at the time?- One of the passengers had the time.
10462. And it was 20 minutes to 2?- Yes.
In summary, this evidence shows that Hemming would have arrived at Collapsible A after 1:40 a.m. when Collapsible C was already in the water, and some of the men who launched Col. C, including Moody, had already transferred their attention to Collapsible A where Bride saw a dozen men only moments later.
Now, what's important to understand is that the distance from the Marconi room to Collapsible A on the roof of the officers' quarters was only about two car lengths.
Forest meet trees.
What would you do if you heard people walking and talking on the roof of your house?
Of course. You would go out to see what the hell was going on.
And so, in the Titanic's wireless room (as Bride told the New York Times reporter)...
"I wondered if I could get him (Phillips) into his boots. He suggested with a sort of laugh that I look out and see if all the people were off in the boats or if any boats were left, or how things are." (emphasis mine)
"I saw a collapsible boat near a funnel and went out to it. Twelve men were trying to boost it down to the boat deck. They were having an awful time. It was the last boat left. I looked at it longingly for a few minutes. Then I gave them a hand and over she went. They all started to scramble in on the boat deck and I walked back to Phillips. I said the last raft had gone."
The mistake everyone makes is to assume that Bride left the wireless room immediately after the last heard distress message.
That "last message" was at 1:28 a.m. Collapsible C left the ship roughly 12 minutes later at 1:40 a.m. That's when Bride saw men on the roof trying to boost the collapsible lifeboat to the boat deck. But men, like Moody, were already working on the roof clearing Col. A.
Steward Edward Brown testified to the British Inquiry "I suppose it took us about 10 or 12 minutes" to get Collapsible A down.
That means Bride would have returned to the wireless room around 1:50 a.m. (1:40 plus 10).
And then?
(New York Times):
They all started to scramble in on the boat deck, and I walked back to Phillips. I said the last raft had gone.
(British Inquiry):
16773. When you returned to the Marconi room on the last occasion did anything unusual occur?
- We had a lady inside there who was in a fainting condition, sitting down in a chair.
(Senate Inquiry):
2702. - The officers' quarters were situated together with the Marconi cabin, the officers' rooms, and other places, and the people were running around through these cabins. We had a woman in our cabin who had fainted.
2703. - And we were giving her a glass of water there and a chair. We set her down on a chair, which she wanted badly, and then her husband took her away again.
(Senate Inquiry):
Mr. Bride: "On Mr.Phillips request I started to gather up his spare money and put on another coat, and made general preparations for leaving the ship."
Senator Smith: "How did you expect to leave the ship?
Mr. Bride: "We had to wait until the captain told us, first."
(Bride's report to the Marconi company, April 27, 1912) :
‘Again Mr. Phillips called “CQD” and “SOS” and for nearly five minutes got no reply, and then both the Carpathia and the Frankfurt called.
‘Just at this moment the captain came into the cabin and said, “You can do nothing more; look out for yourselves.”
(New York Times) :
Then came the Captain's voice: "Men you have done your full duty. You can do no more. Abandon your cabin. Now it's every man for himself. You look out for yourselves. I release you. That's the way of it at this kind of a time. Every man for himself."
The Bride timeline puts the Captain's appearance within a few minutes of 2 a.m. Bride returns to the wireless room at 1:50 a.m., He and Phillips helped the woman who fainted, Phillips then sends distress messages for 5 minutes, and stops when the Captain comes in.
That's about the time Collapsible D was launched. It was the last lifeboat to be filled with passengers and lowered and that gives credence to the time when the Captain went about the ship giving crewmen permission to save themselves.
Bride, British Inquiry:
2690. You had to wait until the captain told you?
- Yes, sir. He came along in a very short period afterwards and told us we had better look out for ourselves.
2691. You waited until the captain told you that you could leave the ship?
- Yes, sir.
2692. How long was that before the ship disappeared?
- I should say it was just about a quarter of an hour.
2693. About 15 minutes?
- About 15 minutes.
If the Titanic sank at 2:20 am., 15 minutes earlier would be 2:05 a.m,. But Bride was swept off the boat deck by a wave about five minutes before the Titanic broke in two and "disappeared"; if he was referencing that time, then he means the Captain gave the 'every man for himself'' order about 2 a.m.,exactly what the evidence from Bride demonstrates!
(It also pinpoints when the infamous Titanic reply to the ship Frankfurt, You Are A Fool (YAAF)was sent. It was not heard by any of the ships listening intently for messages from the Titanic. Titanic's signal was just too weak. They could hear other ships, but other ships couldn't hear them.)
(British Inquiry)
16559. Do you remember whether at that time you were called up?
- Yes; Mr. Phillips took the 'phones when the Captain had gone away and he started in to work again.
(British Inquiry)
16564. Did he then communicate with the "Carpathia"?- Yes.
16565. To the best of your recollection, what was it he said?
- To the best of my recollection he told the "Carpathia" the way we were abandoning the ship, or words to that effect.
16566. After that did you do anything further? Did you try to call any further ships?
- Mr. Phillips called once or twice more, but the power was failing us and I do not think we were getting a spark, as there were no replies.
(New York Times interview):
"I looked out. The boat deck was awash. Phillips clung on sending and sending. He clung on for about ten minutes, or maybe fifteen minutes, after the Captain had released him. The water was then coming into our cabin."
"While he worked something happened I hate to tell about. I was back in my room getting Phillips' money for him, and as I looked out the door I saw a stoker, or somebody from below decks, leaning over Phillips from behind. He was too busy to notice what the man was doing. the man was slipping the lifebelt off Phillips back.
In all of his accounts, Bride said he fought with the stoker--- alone in one account, with Phillips in another. The man was rendered unconscious and left on the floor to perish in the sinking.
Senate Inquiry:
Mr. BRIDE. The motor and alternator that was working with our wireless set were running when we left the cabin, 10 minutes before the ship went down. (i.e. 2:10 a.m.)
(New York Times interview, April 19, 1912)
Phillips ran aft and that was the last I ever saw of him alive. I went to the place I had seen the collapsible boat on the boat deck, and to my surprise I saw the boat and the men still trying to push it off. ..I went up to them and was just lending a hand when a large wave came awash of the deck. The big wave carried the boat off...and I went off with it."
In the following three accounts. Bride made no mention of the first collapsible he helped down. He spoke only of another boat, only minutes before the Titanic sank.
(Senate Inquiry, Day two, April 21, 1912)
Senator SMITH.
Do you know whether there was any (lifeboat) on the ship at that time?
Mr. BRIDE.
There were no big lifeboats on the ship at that time. There was a collapsible boat on the top deck at the side of the forward funnel.
Senator SMITH. You mean over the officers' quarters?
Mr. BRIDE. Over the officers' cabin, sir.
Senator SMITH. What was done with it?
Mr. BRIDE. It was pushed over on to the boat deck.
Senator SMITH. What was done then with it?
Mr. BRIDE. Went over the side.
Senator SMITH. You never saw it?
Mr. BRIDE. Yes; I went over with it.
Senator SMITH. Which side of the boat was that on, port or starboard?
Mr. BRIDE. ...It went straight over the port side, sir.
Senator SMITH. It went straight over the port side?
Mr. BRIDE. It was on the port side of the forward funnel. We pushed it on the port side of the boat deck, and it went over the port side of the Titanic.
Senator SMITH. You all scrambled in?
Mr. BRIDE.
We did not scramble in. We scrambled down on to A deck and were going to launch it properly.
Senator SMITH.
Mr. BRIDE. It was washed overboard before we had time to launch it.
***************************
((Bride's report to the Marconi company, April 27, 1912) :
Leaving the cabin, we climbed on top of the house comprising the officers' quarters and our own, and here I saw the last of Mr. Phillips, for he disappeared walking aft. I now assisted in pushing off a collapsible lifeboat, which was on the port side of the forward funnel, onto the boat deck.
Then followed a general scramble down on the boat deck, but no sooner had we got there than the sea washed over. I managed to catch hold of the boat we had previously fixed up and was swept overboard with her.
********************************
(British Inquiry, May 4, 1912) :
16571. Did you and Philips leave?
- Yes, we left the cabin.
16572. What did you do?
- We climbed up on top of the Marconi cabin and the Officers' quarters.
16576. After you got on to the roof, what did you do?
- They were trying to fix up a collapsible boat that was up there, and I went to help them.
16581. - It got swept off.
The testimony of crew members proves that Bride's account of helping to lower Collapsible A was true. His subsequent stories of helping push down Collapsible B do not preclude his assisting with Collapsible A.
The only confusion comes from his initial belief that the boat in which he was saved was the same boat he helped get off the roof before the Captain's visit.
But the equally important result of proving Bride's full story is how it destroys the contention that the Titanic's last heard distress message was at 1:57 a.m. as proponents of the 2:02 time difference postulate despite all the evidence to the contrary.
-30-
