encyclopedia titanica

Mr Walter T Brice : Titanic Deck Crew

Summary
Age: 42 years
Marital Status: Married.
Last Residence: at 11 Lower Canal Walk Southampton Hampshire England   - Map
Occupation: Able Seaman
Last Ship: Thames
Deck crew
First Embarked: Southampton
Rescued (boat 11)
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912

Mr Walter T Brice

Walter T. Brice, 42, lived at 11 Lower Canal Walk, Southampton. Prior to his service on the Titanic, Brice had served on the Majestic (twice) and the Oceanic.

Brice was in the forward port Mess Hall on C Deck, when the Titanic hit the iceberg.  He thought it felt "like a heavy vibration".

After going up to the boat deck, Brice helped lower Lifeboat 9 on the starboard side to A-Deck for passengers to enter it, then lower it to the water.  He then helped lower his assigned boat, lifeboat 11 to A Deck.

Shortly after 1:00 a.m., when 11 was ready to be lowered to the ocean with over 70 people, an unknown officer asked if there were any seamen in the lifeboat, and Brice climbed down the fall into the boat.  After shipping the rudder, he helped keep the lifeboat out of the pump discharge coming from the Titanic's side.  When no light was found, Walter cut the lashing from an oil lamp, and cut rope for torches.

Brice saw the Titanic sink from a quarter mile away, he heard two explosions before she sank, but was unable to say whether the Titanic broke in two.

Brice survived the disaster, and was a witness at the U.S. Senate Inquiry.

Available Documents
Crew Particulars of Engagement

Inquiry Testimony
(Courtesy of the Titanic Inquiry Project)
Senate Hearings, 25 April 1912, Testimony

References
Donald Hyslop, Alastair Forsyth and Sheila Jemima (1997) Titanic Voices: Memories from the Fateful Voyage, Sutton Publishing, Southampton City Council. ISBN 0 7509 1436 X
Wyn Craig Wade (1979, 1986) The Titanic: End of a Dream. London, Penguin
United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List

Contributors
Bill Wormstedt, USA