encyclopedia titanica

Mr Achille Waelens : 3rd Class Passengers

Summary
Born: Tuesday 14th May 1889
Age: 22 years
Last Residence: in Ruiselede Belgium
Occupation: Farm Labourer
3rd Class passenger
First Embarked: Southampton on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 345767 , £9
Destination: Stanton United States
Died in the sinking.
Body recovered by: Mackay-Bennett (No. 140)
Buried: Fairview Lawn Cemetery Halifax Nova Scotia Canada on Friday 3rd May 1912.

Mr Achille Waelens

(Courtesy: Bill Fowler, Canada)

Achille Waelens, 22, was a farm hand from Ruiselede, Belgium. He was heading to Stanton, Ohio to take part in the sugar beet campaign.

He boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third class passenger (ticket number 345767, £9).

Mr Waelens died in the disaster. His body was later recovered by the MacKay Bennett (#140).

NO. 140 - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 28 - HAIR & MOUSTACHE, LIGHT CLOTHING - Dark mixture suit; blue wool jersy; black shoes. EFFECTS - $25.00 in notes; foreign coins; watch; knife; pipe; trouser clips. NO MARKS ON BODY OR CLOTHING SECOND CLASS TICKET - NAME ACHILLE WAILENS

He was buried at the Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 3rd May, 1912. Interestingly, when his body recovered, the record indicated that he held a second class ticket. His descendants do not believe that he could have upgraded his passage from steerage since he was practically penniless. The records must have recorded the passage ticket incorrectly.

Notes
Often listed as "Achille" or "Achiel Wailens".

Documents
Record of Bodies and Effects: Passengers and Crew, S.S. Titanic (Public Archives of Nova Scotia) (#140)

Sources
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Herman De Wulf and Michal A. Findlay (1998) The Belgians and the Titanic. Voyage. #27
Coroners Report, Public Archives of Nova Scotia

Acknowledgements
Herman DeWulf, Belgium
Michael A. Findlay, USA
Homer Thiel, USA