Charles Lightoller, Second Officer of RMS Titanic was Also a Hero on the Beaches of Dunkirk

Charles Lightoller, Second Officer of RMS Titanic was Also a Hero on the Beaches of Dunkirk

Larry Holzwarth - November 7, 2019

Charles Lightoller, Second Officer of RMS Titanic was Also a Hero on the Beaches of Dunkirk
Shipyard workers stream from Harland and Wolfe with Titanic looming in the background, still on the way in 1911. Wikimedia

4. Titanic’s sea trials led to changes among its officers

When Lightoller reported to Titanic the ship was facing an improbably tight schedule. On April 1, 1912, the vessel was only nine days away from its scheduled departure on its maiden voyage, and yet the ship, the largest ever built up to the time, had not conducted its sea trials. Titanic was put to sea for the first time on April 2, operating in Belfast Lough and the Irish Sea, returning to its moorings that evening. Over the course of a single day, the ship was evaluated by its builders, crew, and representatives of White Star. It was determined to be seaworthy and accepted by White Star Line that evening. One of the issues which disturbed Captain Smith was the performance of the officers, none of whom were familiar with the ship.

Henry Wilde, then of Olympic, was ordered to remain in Southampton, rather than depart in Olympic on April 3, as he was scheduled. When Titanic arrived at Southampton on April 4, Wilde went aboard as chief officer, demoting Murdoch and Lightoller to first and second officer respectively. Former second officer David Blair was dismissed from the crew. Blair was the only of Titanic’s officers familiar with the new design of the lifeboat davits installed, the others had been aboard an insufficient amount of time to be acquainted with them, and they had not been tested during the total of twelve hours of sea trials conducted by the ship and White Star Line.

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