Body 1

[Laura Melinda Varjo]

I can`t believe victim body #1 belongs to young Walter John Van Billiard.(9)
Why would he have Danish coins in his pockets, when he was travelling from England ? Plus, the handkerchief marked "A" .
However, based on these facts, I do believe that child`s body might be either Clarence Gustaf Hugo Asplund`s (9) , or Filip Oscar Asplund`s (13).
The Asplund family was travelling from Sweden and they travelled via Denmark, so one of the boys might have had some Danish coins. Secondly, the marked "A" handkerchief, might be Clarence`s or Filip`s surname-Asplund.
The body was descibed with light hair-because the Asplund boys were Scandinavian, they probably had light hair, instead of brown or darker-which continental children have-like Walter John Van Billiard.
But, I might be wrong, please I NEED your opinion, who do YOU think the unfortunate little child is.
One other thing, I have a photo of Walter Van Billiard in Women and Children First, and being of English heritage, his skull is roundish-like, but the Asplund boys` probably narrower, because Scandinavians have narrower heads. Does this make any sense at all ? Who does Body # 1 belong to ?
Thanks, Laura.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Laura, there has been speculation about this. The body was listed as unidentified by the undertakers on the recovery ship, but identified later in Halifax, possibly from photographs. The bodies of both Walter and his father, along with their effects, were returned to the family so I think it unlikely there was any mistake. The Van Billiards' journey had started in Africa, in the Congo Free State where Belgian coins were in circulation and even the local coinage bore the head and royal arms of King Leopold of Belgium. The handkerchief the boy was carrying may have been borrowed from his father, whose first name was Austin. And from the photos I've seen I'd say that the Van Billiard boys did have fair hair.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

What am I talking about? The coins the boy carried were Danish, not Belgian. Ah well, it's been a long day!

 

[Laura Melinda Varjo]

Oh, it`s ok, I got it. Thank you for all the info, Laura.

 

[mary mason]

i was just thinking, just because he had danish coins, doesn't mean he had to have been to Denmark(? im rubbish at geography) he might have liked collecting coins and another passenger could have gave him some.

its just a thought,

 

[Linnea Johansson]

Maybe he was a coincollector, but I still think this with the coins are strange. Small boys don't use to get coins from strangers, I think he must have been in Denmark if he had them in his pocket.

 

[Arthur Merchant]

One other theory: Is it possible those who recoverd the bodies may have misidentified the coins found as Danish? Maybe Bob Godfrey was more accurate than he realized and that the coins found on the body were indeed Belgian. Would any of the sailors on the Mackey Bennett have the knowledge to distinguish currency between the two countries as I'm assuming the crew was mostly Canadian?

 

[Michael H. Standart]

And perhaps the coins weren't misidentified at all. In a cosmopolitain city such as what on might find in Great Britain, it wouldn't be too much of a trick to come across foreign currency...even for a child.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

And even easier in tne very cosmopolitain environment of 3rd Class on an ocean liner. I remember when I was a kid that low-value foreign coins, especially those of unusual shape or design, were often among the curiosities swapped in playgrounds.

 

[George Behe]

Hi, Bob!

It happened in 1912, too; while he was on board the Titanic, Jakob Birnbaum mailed a couple of curious foreign coins with holes in the centers to a child acquaintance whom he had met during his voyage to Europe.

All my best,

George

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Hallo, George! Believe it or not, it was just such a coin that I had in mind. When I played at cowboys, my coin played the part of a 'plugged nickel'. Unless I swapped it later for a couple of marbles, I've probably still got it, as it's well known that I have the greatest difficulty parting with money. Of course it was a very long time ago and I'd forgotten how I obtained it - thanks for reminding me!

Cheers from Bob

 

[Donald J A Smith]

Danish coins and 2 handkerchiefs (not 1) monogrammed 'A' may amount to 'indicative proof' - hence not 'proof positive' - that body #1 (estimated age 10-12) was indeed - as Laura suggested - that of Clarence Asplund; aged 9. Or, the lesser possibility that it was of Clarence's elder brother, Filip Asplund; aged 13.

 

[Hildur Panula-Heinonen]

I wonder if it ever came to anyone's mind (particulary historians/genealogists) to do a DNA test to confirm if it is at the least one of the Van Billiard sons, or one of the Asplund sons, or someone else. I imagine there was no thought to do so, because someone claimed him, which is another thing. Surely who ever claimed him(was it the mother or father's sister?), looked at the body and would be able to make a slight identification. If the child was not that of the Van Billiard family, surely they would have noticed, which could be why the child was identified as Walter. Take in to consideration though, the condition of the child's body, and how one could, in a moment of grief, want to claim the body and accidently mistake who it is. This could be the only reason why he is Walter and no one else. I really think this question should be brought in to the public's eye, and possibly taken further for DNA matching, and proper identification. It's like the same thing that happen to body 4--the Unknown Child. The only reason the Unknown Child made it in to the news is because he was at the time unclaimed and unknown, where, this boy was claimed for the time, identified.

 

[Hildur Panula-Heinonen]

Also, take in to consideration that people from Finland, Sweden, Norway, and possibly Russia, had to first travel around their country and then onto Denmark to catch a popular shipping route to New York. Many Scandinavians and Finns traveled this way, so in a way anyone from those countries had access to Danish coins, seeing how also, they had to buy their tickets with Danish money.

 

[christina gilpin]

Ive always been interested in the titanic. And I was going through the descriptions of the bodies and artifacts recovered. And i always wondered if anyone ever tried to find out who they are so am taking it on myself to see if i can find out any of them.

The first body listed ive a strong suspicion i know who it is. Description:
NO. 1. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE. - 10-12. - HAIR. LIGHT.

CLOTHING - Overcoat, grey; one grey coat; one blue coat; grey woolen jersey; white shirt; grey knickers; black stockings; black boots

EFFECTS - Purse containing few Danish coins and ring; two handkerchiefs Marked "A".

PROBABLY THIRD CLASS

My suspicion this child/teenager is Filip Oscar Asplund
Reasoning: Around the age mentioned in description and also the letter A on the handkerchiefs Filip Asplund is the closest to the age range that still has a last name that starts with an A. I know its a long shot but my gut has been leaning towards Filip for a while any thoughts.

[Moderator's note: This post, originally posted as a separate thread in another topic, has been moved to the pre-existing one which is discussing the same subject. JDT]