Page 98 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

1439. You say you came on deck and you heard the order, “All hands up to the boats”? - Yes. 1440. Did you obey that order? - I did. 1441. And did you go up on to the boat deck? - Yes. 1442. Where did you go? - The first boat I had anything to do with was No. 2, but that boat was already swung out. 1443. What was your boat? - My boat was No. 1. 1444. Did you know that? - I knew that, yes. 1445. How had you found out? - By the lists that is always put up in all the boats I have been in; in nearly all the White Star boats. 1446. Where was the list put up? - Just above the forecastle. 1447. And you saw it there? - Yes; I saw it. 1448. When did you see it? - I saw it the day after we left Queenstown. 1449. Did you say you had found it in all the White Star boats? - In all that I have been in and I have been in four of them. 1450. You saw it the day after you left Queenstown? - Yes. 1451. Do you know when it was put up first? - Well, they very nearly always put them up so that you can muster on a Sunday. 1452. Can you remember when it was put up on the “Titanic” this time? - Well, I should say on Saturday night. 1453. You saw it when you left Queenstown? - Yes. 1454. (The Commissioner.) You left Southampton on Good Friday, I understand? - Yes. The Commissioner: Is not that right? The Attorney-General: I am not sure that it is. I think they joined on the Good Friday. Mr. Rowlatt: When did you leave Southampton? - It was the next week, was it not? 1455. (Sir Robert Finlay.) It was on the Wednesday following. The Witness: It was on the Wednesday, I think. 1456. (Mr. Rowlatt.) You say your boat was No. 1? - Yes, that was my emergency boat. While I was at sea I got told off to two boats. 1457. When you got upon the deck did you go to No. 1? - No, not at that time, I did not. 1458. Where did you go? - I went to the assistance of all the boats there to be swung out from the deck. 1459. This one had not to be swung out? - No, it was already swung out. 1460. That is it, slung outboard already (pointing on the model)? - Yes. 1461. Then you went to the next one, No. 2? - The opposite side, the port side. 1462. Who was in charge of that boat at that time; was any officer there? - The only officers I saw there were Mr. Moody and Mr. Lightoller. 1463. Did they give you any orders? - Yes. 1464. What did they say? - They said “get out the boats,” we all got out those boats - before the boats were lowered, before they were swung out. 1465. They had to be uncovered I suppose? - Yes. 1466. And then got out outside the rails? - We took the covers off and slung them inboard. 1467. Did you stay at No. 2 boat? - No. 1468. Where did you go? - To number 4 and number 6, and then I went right aft. 1469. What boats did you go to right aft? - The lifeboat - I mean on the boat deck. 1470. Do you know what number? - Well, No. 16, No. 14. 1471. Right aft on the other side, on the port side? - On the boat deck there, right aft. 1472. That was before anybody got into the boats was it? - That is right. 1473. Do I understand you to say that all the boats were outside before anybody got in? - Before anybody was lowered.