Hayley Life.Books.&.Grem’s Reviews > Lost Voices From the Titanic: The Definitive Oral History > Status Update

“Emotion of human fear, despair, agony, fierce resentment & blind anger mingled - I am certain of this - with notes of infinite surprise, as though each one were saying, ‘How is it possible that this awful thing is happening to me? That I should be caught in this death trap?'
The mere volume of cries was shattering. Consider that 1500 passengers and crew lost their lives that night of horror.”

“I was rubbing Helen's wet stocking feet to get them warmer when someone nudged me. I straightened up to see a man next to me concealing in his hand a nickel-plated revolver, or so it seemed in the dim light. Leaning over he whispered in my ear, 'Should the worst come to the worst, you can use this revolver for your wife, after my wife and I have finished with it? He was in no wise panicky.”

“We remained then, about 1500 persons, with no way to escape. It was sure death for all of us. I cannot say enough about the wonderful calm with which each one contemplated it. We said good-bye to all our friends and each one prepared himself to die decently. Joe took both my hands and said: "George, if you survive, look after my babies. If I live, you will not have to worry about Marie!'”

The damage to the Titanic that lead to the ship sinking was sustained within 10 seconds and spanned 91.44 metres.