Commander C. H. Lightoller died at his home at Twickenham yesterday at the age of 78. He was for many years with the White Star Line and was second officer in the Titanic when on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic in 1912 she struck and iceberg and sank. He had previously been shipwrecked at the age of 17 while serving his apprenticeship in sail.

During the 1914-18 war he served in the Royal navy and during the 1939-45 war, though unable to get back to active service, he skippered crews ferrying vessels for the Admiralty. At the time of Dunkirk he took his 60ft motor-yacht Sundowner to assist in the evacuation and brought back 130 men in on trip. His only surviving son, Lieutenant-Colonel R. T. Lightoller, was at Dunkirk, but was not aware until later that his father had been there.

Commander Lightoller was the author of a volume of reminiscences entitled The Titanic and other Ships.