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The Sinking of the Titanic: Eyewitness Accounts from Survivors
“I ran out on the deck and then I could see ice. It was a veritable sea of ice and the boat was rocking over it. I should say that parts of the iceberg were eighty feet high, but it had been broken into sections, probably by our ship.” “There fell on the ear the most appalling noise that ever human ear listened to — the cries of hundreds of our fellow-beings struggling in the icy-cold water, crying for help with a cry that we knew could not be answered.” First published in 1912, Jay Henry Mowbray’s Sinking of the Titanic was hugely influential in the aftermath of the maritime disaster, recording the harrowing, first-hand accounts of the survivors - from sailors, to stewards, to passengers – throughout the ordeal, from when the iceberg first hit to when the Carpathia eventually arrived, and honoring those who were lost on that fateful night in 1912. Mowbray’s text even follows the survivors when they make it back to land - a lesser-known, riveting aspect of the tragic saga that deals with the investigation and the hearings that took place in the US and UK in the months that followed. The swiftness of the publication of Mowbray’s text, the sheer number of first-hand witness accounts therein and the intensity of the chaos and fear that their accounts convey makes for a unique compilation which, together with new notes, maps, images and expert introductory material in this new, updated edition, will fascinate, educate and deeply move contemporary readers as much today as the original publication would have back in 1912.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 24, 2023
“When the order that every man should take his post, as the vessel was sinking, was sent through the Titanic,” said Hardy, “there were eleven men on duty in the hold. “The twenty others, without the least hesitancy, came hurrying to their posts beside the engines and dynamos. They must have known as well as Captain Smith that the Titanic was going down, for when they arrived in the engine room the water was rising over the floor. There was nothing for them to do but to keep the dynamos running.
“Not one of them moved to quit their posts and not one would have dared to, even they had been willing, in the face of the stern men who had chosen to die there. Yet they could be of no use, for the Titanic was
going down then.
“The water was rising about them when I looked down from a gallery. I saw the little circle of Chief Engineer Bell and sixteen of his men standing there in the water with their lips moving in prayer. I pray that I may never
see the like of it again; it was real heroism.”
This was a heart-breaking collection of accounts from survivors as well as the crew and passengers of the Carpathia which rushed to the aid of the sinking Titanic and covers the time from the collision to the survivors reaching New York and the investigations that followed. I was amazed by the calmness of the men when women and children were prioritized for boarding, the courage of the engine men and electricians who willingly went to their deaths to give the people on board the best chances of surviving and sheer heart-break of families being separated due to the quick sinking and insufficient response to the incident, by other ships in the vicinity to the shortage of lifeboats and trained personnel to man them. There were illustrations which made it clear why passengers were more comfortable staying on the "unsinkable" Titanic than being lowered 70 feet off the side in tiny lifeboats which were not properly equipped, whilst being dressed in flimsy nightwear. Some of the reforms that arose from the hearings post the tragedy, left me in awe that this was not law before
Although at times, it felt slightly repetitive, this was expected as it was a collection of stories from the survivors who naturally had their own versions of what had happened and this was well put together and followed a clear timeline. This updated version opens with expert introductions and includes notes which clarify/correct certain accounts as they appear in the book.
This is well worth a read, even if non-fiction isn't your normal genre to gain insights into one of the worst maritime disasters in history
“Not one of them moved to quit their posts and not one would have dared to, even they had been willing, in the face of the stern men who had chosen to die there. Yet they could be of no use, for the Titanic was
going down then.
“The water was rising about them when I looked down from a gallery. I saw the little circle of Chief Engineer Bell and sixteen of his men standing there in the water with their lips moving in prayer. I pray that I may never
see the like of it again; it was real heroism.”
This was a heart-breaking collection of accounts from survivors as well as the crew and passengers of the Carpathia which rushed to the aid of the sinking Titanic and covers the time from the collision to the survivors reaching New York and the investigations that followed. I was amazed by the calmness of the men when women and children were prioritized for boarding, the courage of the engine men and electricians who willingly went to their deaths to give the people on board the best chances of surviving and sheer heart-break of families being separated due to the quick sinking and insufficient response to the incident, by other ships in the vicinity to the shortage of lifeboats and trained personnel to man them. There were illustrations which made it clear why passengers were more comfortable staying on the "unsinkable" Titanic than being lowered 70 feet off the side in tiny lifeboats which were not properly equipped, whilst being dressed in flimsy nightwear. Some of the reforms that arose from the hearings post the tragedy, left me in awe that this was not law before
Although at times, it felt slightly repetitive, this was expected as it was a collection of stories from the survivors who naturally had their own versions of what had happened and this was well put together and followed a clear timeline. This updated version opens with expert introductions and includes notes which clarify/correct certain accounts as they appear in the book.
This is well worth a read, even if non-fiction isn't your normal genre to gain insights into one of the worst maritime disasters in history
April 15, 2023
Princess Fuzzypants here: How apt to be reviewing a book on the sinking of the Titanic on the anniversary of the disaster. What makes this book so intriguing is this is an account almost right after the fact, filled with testimony of the survivors and others involved in the rescue including Senate hearings that were held almost as soon as the Carpathia docked.
It is slightly overblown almost like a newspaper account of the time but the emotions would have been so fresh and the shock so real it can be forgiven. Thefull enormity of the event was felt in the aftermath. There are a number of notes where the information in the original text was wrong and is sets out to correct it. Reading it today, after having read so many books on the subject, it proves the fact that two people can be involved in the same event but they will experience and see different things.
Perhaps it is better to read this after having done considerable study on the subject as some of the more recent discoveries and theories can then be compared with the raw impact that would have coloured everything that came out at the time. It allows the reader to sort through some of the “observations” that were made. For instance several witnesses said they saw an officer shoot passengers. There is no doubt there were shots but as time proved, the story about passengers being cut down was embellishment at the least.
It does make for interesting reading and certainly it was more poignant to recall the event around its anniversary. Four purrs and two paws up.
It is slightly overblown almost like a newspaper account of the time but the emotions would have been so fresh and the shock so real it can be forgiven. Thefull enormity of the event was felt in the aftermath. There are a number of notes where the information in the original text was wrong and is sets out to correct it. Reading it today, after having read so many books on the subject, it proves the fact that two people can be involved in the same event but they will experience and see different things.
Perhaps it is better to read this after having done considerable study on the subject as some of the more recent discoveries and theories can then be compared with the raw impact that would have coloured everything that came out at the time. It allows the reader to sort through some of the “observations” that were made. For instance several witnesses said they saw an officer shoot passengers. There is no doubt there were shots but as time proved, the story about passengers being cut down was embellishment at the least.
It does make for interesting reading and certainly it was more poignant to recall the event around its anniversary. Four purrs and two paws up.
September 15, 2023
4.5 stars
‘One grinding crash and the Titanic had received its death blow. Man’s proudest craft crumbled like an eggshell.’
After having difficulty reading this on a kindle version (it just didn’t work because of all the extra notes) I read the physical copy and although a little repetitive, it is the perfect read for any titanic and history reader.
With the amount of titanic books I’ve read it was a nice surprise to learn some new things :)
This book was written around a month after titanic sank, in this updated version, any errors/wrong information has been corrected.
The chapter on the men working below decks was fascinating to read but my god if you don’t shed a tear!
‘I was told that seventeen enginemen who were drowned side by side got down on their knees on the platform of the engine room and prayed until the water surged up to their necks.’
‘And then, with all these, there feel on the ear the most appalling noise that ever human ear listened to - the cries of hundreds of our fellow-beings struggling in the icy-water, crying for help with a cry that we knew could not be answered.’
A must read.
‘One grinding crash and the Titanic had received its death blow. Man’s proudest craft crumbled like an eggshell.’
After having difficulty reading this on a kindle version (it just didn’t work because of all the extra notes) I read the physical copy and although a little repetitive, it is the perfect read for any titanic and history reader.
With the amount of titanic books I’ve read it was a nice surprise to learn some new things :)
This book was written around a month after titanic sank, in this updated version, any errors/wrong information has been corrected.
The chapter on the men working below decks was fascinating to read but my god if you don’t shed a tear!
‘I was told that seventeen enginemen who were drowned side by side got down on their knees on the platform of the engine room and prayed until the water surged up to their necks.’
‘And then, with all these, there feel on the ear the most appalling noise that ever human ear listened to - the cries of hundreds of our fellow-beings struggling in the icy-water, crying for help with a cry that we knew could not be answered.’
A must read.
May 25, 2023
Not a bad book. This was originally published in 1912. This updated account includes commentary, clarification, and research (footnoted and referenced) about these original eyewitness accounts.
As I read this, I felt as though I had accidently lost my place and was rereading sections I had previously read. However, many of these accounts cover basically the same events with about the same details. It is very repetitive. For people who are specifically interested in comparing these accounts and looking for consistency or inconsistency, this may be exactly what they want. For me, I decided to stop reading less than halfway through because I believed I had gotten the main idea of what these people experienced. That being said, some of these personal stories were interesting. Many felt very realistic.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As I read this, I felt as though I had accidently lost my place and was rereading sections I had previously read. However, many of these accounts cover basically the same events with about the same details. It is very repetitive. For people who are specifically interested in comparing these accounts and looking for consistency or inconsistency, this may be exactly what they want. For me, I decided to stop reading less than halfway through because I believed I had gotten the main idea of what these people experienced. That being said, some of these personal stories were interesting. Many felt very realistic.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2023
This book has a lot of great eye witness accounts. I’ve read a lot about the history of the titanic and I’ve seen a lot of the documentaries on its final moments. It’s very intriguing but it’s also very sad to think about all those people that passed away on the ship and around it!! I love the book!! I look forward to getting a copy very soon!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews