Mr Alfred Charles Shiers

Mr Alfred Shiers, 24, was born in Devenport, Devon on 11th June 1886, the son of William C. Shiers. and Louisa E. Shiers. He had a brother William E. Shiers.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 6th April 1912, he gave his address as 5 Teal Street, (Northam, Southampton). He had been at sea for 11 years, serving with the Union Castle Company and the Royal Mail Company.  His served on the Danube before signing-on to the Titanic.

Shiers discovered which lifeboat he was assigned to, No. 3, the afternoon of Sunday, the 14th.  He stated the lifeboat list was posted on the forecastle door sometime after the noon meal.  It had not been available earlier.

He was off duty the evening of 14th April, and was reading in his bunk in the forecastle at the time of the impact.  He felt a slight shock and rumble, and went up to the well deck to see what happened.  Upon seeing the ice on the deck, he looked over the starboard side, and saw the iceberg disappearing into a haze astern of the ship.

After heading back to his quarters, he helped another fireman look for the doctor.  Upon returning, he discovered water coming up through the #1 hatch.  He then headed up the Boat Deck and was directed to his assigned lifeboat, No. 3.  Finding no one there, he went to lifeboat 7, and helped clear the falls.

After 7 was lowered, Shiers was ordered into No. 5 by an unknown officer.  Though he stated that he saw the sink ship, he did not describe whether he thought the ship broke apart upon sinking, or sank intact.

Shiers testified at the British Inquiry on 9th May 1912.

Available Documents
Crew Particulars of Engagement

Inquiry Testimony
(Courtesy of the Titanic Inquiry Project)
Board of Trade Hearings, Day 5, Testimony

References
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
United States Senate, Washington 1912. n° 806, Crew List
John P. Eaton & Charles A. Haas (1994) Titanic: Triumph & Tragedy, 2nd ed. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1 85260 493 X
Colonel Archibald Gracie (1913) The Truth about the Titanic. New York, Mitchell Kennerley
Don Lynch & Ken Marschall (1992) Titanic: An Illustrated History. London, Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0 340 56271 4
Susan Wels  (1997) Titanic: The Worlds Greatest Ocean Liner, Crew list by Michael Findley

Contributors
Steve Coombes, UK
Chris Dohany, USA
Brian Ticehurst, UK
Bill Wormstedt, USA