Don't think so Johnathan.
According to Lightoller, he went round the port and starboard sides of the boat deck and saw to it that the crew were uncovering boats. He then went to the port side and stayed there for the duration. He said he received the order to load boats from Captain Smith while they were still uncovering boat number 4 on the port side. If so, then he must have returned to number 4 and made her ready; swung her out and lowered her to A deck.
He then left 4 without filling her with people and went to to number 6 to swing
it out and lower it ready for embarkation.
After, he went to boat number 8 and repeated the procedure.
According to
Table 2 Launch Times Re-Examined., Boat 8 was the first boat Lightoller launched full of people. It was the first boat to be launched on the port side and the fourth boat to be launched. According to the same source, boat number 7 was the very first boat to be launched and this was 20 minutes before 8.
In fact, the first three boats to launch were all on the starboard side; they were 7, 5 and 3.
However it is obvious that there had not been a general order given to fill boats when the first or second boats were launched because 3rd Officer Pitman had to go Captain Smith to get an order to fill number 5 with people. This from Day 13 of the British Inquiry:
15001. And after you had got out to the level of the boat deck, what did you do with regard to passengers?
- Mr. Ismay remarked to me to get it [lifeboat number 5]
filled with women and children, to which I replied, "I will await the Commander's orders." I then went to the bridge, and I saw Captain Smith, and I told him what Mr. Ismay had said. He said, "Carry on."
From the foregoing, it seems that if Lightoller got the order to embark lifeboats while they were still getting them ready,then he either lied or disobeyed that order by delaying its execution for at least 20 minutes. On the other hand, he may just have received the order while number 8 was being prepared... not number 4. In that case, he simply had a slip of memory.
It seems to me also that Lightoller more or less fell into taking charge of the evacuation from the uncovering of the boats to the heave-hoing of Collapsible A from the roof of the Officer's (?) quarters.
No Jonathan. Lightoller went round both sides of the boat deck to ensure that the hands were at work uncovering all the boats on both sides. He then went to the forward end of the port side of the boat deck and stayed there until boat 6 was made ready and lowered to the boat deck edge. After that, he went aft to help Moody with 12, 14 and 10 before returning forward to launch number 4.
As for the collapsibles: he did no more than did Murdoch and Moody. When "B" and "A" were being released, Murdoch would have been in overall charge.
But what has resonated for the past few days is that those who survived the sinking and were able to stand on the upended Collapsible B until they were transferred to another lifeboat, owed their lives to Lightoller.
Sorry to be a kill-joy again, Johnathan but if 5th Officer Lowe had not rigged the sail on number 14 and spotted these guys standing on the upturned boat, Lightoller would have been just another casualty.
So my question is why wasn't he honoured w/an MBE or an OBE? It beggars belief.
99.9% of
Titanic's crew behaved in a heroic manner... placing themselves in harms way to save those less able than they were. Principal of these being
Titanic's engineers of whom very little mention is made, yet to a man, sacrificed that which is most dear to all of us on behalf of others.
If any crew member had to be singled-out for any award, my choice would have been 5th Officer Lowe... the man who organised survivor distribution between boats in pitch darkness then sailed among the wreckage looking for living survivors. Following that he towed a helpless boat full of people while under sail in a lifeboat, broke off to save Lightoller et al then tow his boat load down to
Carpathia. A fine bit of seamanship.
Jim C.
