Speed After Collision

[Rob Lawes]

That makes more sense.

 

[Aaron_2016]

There are a number of odd things about that statement that don't stack up.

Firstly, no one on watch would run up on deck and leave their place of duty with expecting to get into trouble.

Secondly, numerous sources talk about boiler room 4 being dry at floor plate level for far later in the sinking than the estimated timings of the watch change in the statement above.

It begs the question where was Dymond?

Dymond in his account said "he went back to the stokehold" which suggests to me that he was down there and was about to go off duty. I recall another surviving fireman who said he was talking in the corridor with another mate as they both waited to go off duty when they felt the collision. Cavell was also in boiler room 4 and he said the shock was so tremendous that an avalanche of coal surrounded him inside the coal bunker and the lights in the boiler room immediately went out. I think the firemen would have instinctively left their posts and said "to hell with this" and there may have been a sense 'taking it easy' as their shift was coming to an end and the next watch was taking over. Perhaps there was an overlap were too many people were crowding the boiler room as one group arrived before the previous group had left. The closing of the watertight doors was possibly another signal to 'clear out of here'.

About 100 firemen were seen rushing on deck soon after the collision. Major Peuchen said:

"I might say that I was rather surprised that the sailors were not at their stations.......When I came on deck first, on this upper deck, there were, it seems to me, about 100 stokers came up with their dunnage bags, and they seemed to crowd this whole deck in front of the boats. One of the officers, I do not know which one, but a very powerful one, came along and drove these men right off that deck. It was a splendid act."

Q - Off the boat deck?
A - Off the boat deck. He drove them, every man, like a lot of sheep, right off the deck.
Q - Where did they go?
A - I do not know. He drove them right ahead of him, and they disappeared. I do not know where they went, but it was a splendid act. They did not put up any resistance. I admired him for it.


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[Ioannis Georgiou]

Dymond is listed on the 12 to 4 watch. The part in the newspapers about "he went back to the stokehold" is a mistake. There is no mention he was below at the stokehold during the collision only that " he had just looked at his watch, which indicated twenty minutes to midnight, when he suddenly heard a rasping sound."

>>Perhaps there was an overlap were too many people were crowding the boiler room as one group arrived before the previous group had left.<<

From others of the 12 to 4 watch we know they were in their quarters mainly sleeping in their bunks. There is no account which supports that.

>>About 100 firemen were seen rushing on deck soon after the collision.<<

Which was the off duty stokers, greasers & trimmers of the 12 to 4 and 4 to 8 watch.

 

[Tina A.]

I like where your heads are at guys.

It's all very interesting food for thought.

Could you tell me if there is anywhere I can view the mechanics of how titanic drops anchor?? Thanks in advance!!