Mr James Johnston
Mr James Johnson gave his address as the Seamens' Home, Southampton.
Johnson had finished work and was relaxing with three colleagues in the now deserted First Class dining room on D-Deck. Their conversation was interrupted by a strange grinding jar, Johnson felt sure he knew what that meant, the ship had dropped a propeller blade, this would certainly mean ''Another Belfast trip!'.
Soon after the collision he met Thomas Andrews touring the ship with Captain Smith. At this point Andrews assured him that everything would be all right, although by now Andrews already suspected the ship was doomed. Perhaps not entirely convinced and anticipating a long night Johnson cautiously stuffed four Oranges into his clothes.
Johnson later recalled how he also saw Monsieur Gatti and the staff of the à la carte restaurant huddled in their quarters on E deck. Almost the entire staff were lost, their chance of rescue limited by the language barrier and their inferior status as neither crew nor passengers.
Johnson was finally able to join Lifeboat 2; as he prepared to cast off at 1:45 he called up to the boat deck for a blade to cut the falls.
After the Titanic sank, Johnson called to Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall to return to pick up swimmers but others in the boat protested and so boat 2 which was only 60% full drifted while people died in the freezing water.
References and Sources
Walter Lord (1976) A Night to Remember. London, Penguin. ISBN 0 14 004757 3
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
Chris Dohany, USA
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Summary
Born in Hampshire England
Age: 41 years
Last Residence: at Sailors' Home Southampton Hampshire England
Occupation: Saloon Steward
Last Ship: Olympic
Victualling crew
First Embarked: Belfast on Monday 1st April 1912
Rescued (boat 2)
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912
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