Encyclopedia Titanica

Titanic Collapsible Lifeboat B

Titanic survivors in collapsible B

Titanic collapsible lifeboat B. This collapsible boat was never launched as such from the Titanic. When boat D had departed from the port side, the crew tried to fasten boat B to the davits, but somehow it fell from the roof of the officers' quarters and fell down to the boat deck, on its back, shortly before the sea washed over that area. The crew who had been trying to get the boat in working order simply crawled up on the overturned boat. One of those who had been there looking after the boat was Second Officer Lightoller. Together with the crew near him, he climbed onto the boat. Soon, the boat's keel was full of people.

Trimmer James McGann was one of those who helped with boat B. He said he saw the Captain jumping at the same time, but lost sight of him after that. Wireless Operator Harold Bride found refuge on the upturned collapsible boat; he also claimed to having seen the Captain jump when boat B got into the water. Fireman Harry Senior also made a comment to this effect. Colonel Gracie, a first class passenger, would later write a book about his experiences. He thought most of those on the boat were crewmembers and so did Lightoller and others. On the other hand, numerous men passengers would later claim to having been on it. Estimates as to the number of people on it vary; there may have been upward of 30 people, mainly crewmen, on it to begin with, but some of the initial survivors died during the night; a number of two or three is mentioned. It seems likely about 25 people were rescued from boat B when the crew of boats 4 and 12 heard officer Lightoller's whistle calling for them and they subsequently came over and collected those on it.

Lifeboat summary by Peter Engberg-Klarström

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Name	Age	Class/Dept	Ticket	Joined	Job	Boat [Body]
BARKWORTH, Mr Algernon Henry	47	1st Class Passenger	27042 £30	Southampton	Justice of the Peace	B
BRIDE, Mr Harold Sydney	22	Victualling Crew		Belfast	Assistant Telegraphist	B
COLLINS, Mr John	17	Victualling Crew		Southampton	Scullion	B
DALY, Mr Eugene Patrick	29	3rd Class Passenger	382651 £7 15s	Queenstown	Farm Labourer	B^*
DANIELS, Mr Sidney Edward	18	Victualling Crew		Southampton	Third class steward	B^*
DORKINGS, Mr Edward Arthur	18	3rd Class Passenger	10482 £8 1s	Southampton	Groom	B^*
FITZPATRICK, Mr Cecil William	21	Engineering Crew		Southampton	Mess Steward	B
GRACIE, Colonel Archibald	53	1st Class Passenger	113780 £28 10s	Southampton	Writer	B
HEBB, Mr William Albert Thomas	22	Engineering Crew		Southampton	Trimmer	B
HURST, Mr Walter	23	Engineering Crew		Southampton	Fireman	B
JOUGHIN, Mr Charles John	33	Victualling Crew		Belfast	Chief Baker	B
LIGHTOLLER, Mr Charles Herbert
LINDSAY, Mr Charles William
MAYNARD, Mr Isaac Hiram
MCGANN, Mr James
O'CONNOR, Mr John
O'KEEFFE, Mr Patrick
PRANGNELL, Mr George Alexander
SENIOR, Mr Harry
SNOW, Mr Eustace Philip
SUNDERLAND, Mr Victor Francis
THAYER, Mr John Borland
WHITELEY, Mr Thomas Arthur

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