Page 234 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

4981. Did you assist in lowering other boats? - Yes, about five; I assisted in five boats, getting people into them and lowering them. 4982. All the time you were on the boat deck? - Yes. 4983. Were there women and children? - Yes, they were all pretty well mixed up. The women were nearer the ship’s side than anyone else, all going along slowly into the boats. 4984. Was there order? - Oh, everything was very quiet, as if nothing had happened. 4985. Were all the women on that deck put into the boats? - All they could get hold of were put into the boats; all the women that could be found that were about there in the vicinity. 4986. Could you see any women that were not put into the boats? - No. 4987. How long were you up on the boat decks lowering boats in this way? - I could not say; somewhere about three-quarters of an hour or an hour, I should think. I was not taking particular notice. 4988. Had the people lifebelts? - As far as I could see, yes. 4989. After you had done all this, what happened then? - As far as I know I saw all those boats away on the port side. 4990. After that what happened next? - I came and could not see anyone round that I knew, so I took a walk round the other side of the deck, and walked up and down there, and heard the captain say they were to get all the women and children into the boats first. Someone came up and said, “Get the boats away as quickly as possible.” Whoever the gentleman was I do not know. Then the captain walked along and gave his orders to the officers, whoever were there; they were walking up and down to see if they were being carried out. 4991. This was while the boats were being lowered? - The boats were being lowered at the same time. 4992. Then after the boats were lowered that you had been assisting in, where did you go? - To the starboard side of the deck. 4993. Did you see any people there? - Yes, there were not so many there as there were on the other side in the first place. There were a good many there. 4994. Did you do anything on the starboard side? - The boatswain called me and asked me to lend him a hand with the boat on the after side of the bridge. 4995. That is this little bridge which is there, No. 1 boat, was it not? - Yes. 4996. Did you assist to lower that? - To clear it - to clear the rope away and everything. 4997. Who were there at that boat? - I could not say; I knew the boatswain was there and an officer, and at the time the officer started firing rockets. 4998. Were there some other firemen there? - I found out afterwards there were. 4999. Did you start to get the boat ready? - Yes. 5000. How many of you were there at that time? - I suppose there would be about 20 of us; that would be passengers and crew mixed. 5001. Were there any women? - I think there were two women there. 5002. Could you tell whether the passengers were first, second or third-class, or anything of that sort? - I could not say. 5003. Were the women put into the boat? - Yes. 5004. Who also was put in the boat? - I think it was three gentlemen and two sailors; and this officer - I do not know who the officer was - called out, “Are there any more women here?” and there was no answer. He said, “How many seamen are there in the boat?” They said, “Two.” He said “Six firemen jump in.” I do not suppose there were six firemen there. He said to me, “Jump in,” and four got in beside myself. 5005. That was all on the boat deck? - On the boat deck. 5006. Was the boat then lowered? - No, it was on the davits; it was swung out ready for lowering. Soon after we got into it the officer sung out, “Are there any more passengers here?”