A
Aaron_2016
Guest
Survivor Edith Rosenbaum wrote about the incident in 1934. Do you think Edith was describing a common occurrence that takes place when transfers take place and was exaggerating the event, or was there a mishap and the two ships collided?
Extract from her 1934 letter.
'We waited aboard the tender for about 3 hours. I sat next to Colonel Astor with whom I had crossed in the spring of the year. Finally, a murmur went over the tender, 'Titanic sighted' and then from the huge tender (that had been constructed especially for the Titanic and the Olympic as the draught of these boats was so strong that a special tender had to be constructed.) I sighted what appeared to me a six-story house! I have a very strong recollection of a very unusual occurrence ' as we approached the ship, although the sea was perfectly calm, the tender began rocking in the most violent and inconceivable manner, throwing the passengers completely off their feet. I remember remarking, 'Well a boat that will produce this uncanny upheaval, in this kind of a calm sea, is dangerous. I wish I were not going.'......We drew alongside the Titanic, the tender pounding against her sides with such a force that I feared she would break in half.'
'The gangplank was held down by ten men on either side, as it shook and swayed in every direction. I was the last one to leave the tender, hating the idea of crossing that gang plank, and no sooner had I boarded the ship, than I went below to find out if there was not a possibility of locating my luggage, as I wished to turn back.'
I went aboard the Nomadic last week and read out her letter to the staff who were greatly appreciative as they were not aware of it. I also took a few photos (see below). It really felt like going back in time to 1912.
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Extract from her 1934 letter.
'We waited aboard the tender for about 3 hours. I sat next to Colonel Astor with whom I had crossed in the spring of the year. Finally, a murmur went over the tender, 'Titanic sighted' and then from the huge tender (that had been constructed especially for the Titanic and the Olympic as the draught of these boats was so strong that a special tender had to be constructed.) I sighted what appeared to me a six-story house! I have a very strong recollection of a very unusual occurrence ' as we approached the ship, although the sea was perfectly calm, the tender began rocking in the most violent and inconceivable manner, throwing the passengers completely off their feet. I remember remarking, 'Well a boat that will produce this uncanny upheaval, in this kind of a calm sea, is dangerous. I wish I were not going.'......We drew alongside the Titanic, the tender pounding against her sides with such a force that I feared she would break in half.'
'The gangplank was held down by ten men on either side, as it shook and swayed in every direction. I was the last one to leave the tender, hating the idea of crossing that gang plank, and no sooner had I boarded the ship, than I went below to find out if there was not a possibility of locating my luggage, as I wished to turn back.'
I went aboard the Nomadic last week and read out her letter to the staff who were greatly appreciative as they were not aware of it. I also took a few photos (see below). It really felt like going back in time to 1912.
.