Mr Edward John Buley

Mr Edward John Buley, 27, gave his address as 10 Cliff Road, Pear Tree Green, Itchen, near Southampton.

This would be Buley's first trip in the mercantile marine. He had been serving in the Royal Navy aboard H.M.S. Dreadnought as an A.B. seaman and seaman gunner, but so that he might "better help his mother" he bought his discharge from the Navy and joined the White Star Line as an able seaman. As such, he earned £5 a month.

Buley was sitting in the mess, reading, when the collision occurred - felt a 'slight jar'. Not long after, First Officer Murdoch ordered the seaman to uncover boats which took about 20 minutes.

Buley worked starboard side, assisting the boats, then went port side. In his own words, "Chief Officer asked who I was and I told him and he said 'Jump in and see if you can find another seaman to give you a hand'. I found Evans and we both got in the boat" (lifeboat 10). He remembers between 60 - 70 in the boat, mostly women and children. Some of the women had to be literally thrown into the boats because they didn't want to get in themselves. "One lady slipped and they caught her by the foot on the deck below."

Their lifeboat was, by his estimate, about 750 yards from the Titanic when it went down. He was one of the few that stated that the Titanic 'snapped in two' and then went into great detail about seeing her 'after part' float for about 5 minutes. After about an hour in the water, Lowe came by and redistributed the passengers. Buley went with Lowe in boat 14 and stated they picked up 4 people from the water.

Notes
In his Senate testimony, he refers to Murdoch as Chief Officer Murdoch.

References and Sources
United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List
United States Senate (62nd Congress), Subcommittee Hearings of the Committee on Commerce, Titanic Disaster, Washington 1912
Wreck Commissioners' Court, Proceedings before the Right Hon. Lord Mersey on a Formal Investigation Ordered by the Board of Trade into the Loss of the S.S. Titanic

Credits
Pat Cook, USA
Chris Dohany, USA
Bill Wormstedt, USA

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Summary
Age: 27 years
Last Residence: at 10 Cliff Road Woolston Hampshire England
Occupation: Able Seaman
Last Ship: HMS Dreadnought
Deck crew
First Embarked: Southampton
Rescued (boat 10)
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
Died: Wednesday 12th December 1917

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