A description of the unfolding events two crewmen witnessed between 11.30 & 11.45 pm Sunday night while preparing to wash down the ships decks.
“It was a perfect night, clear and starlight. The sea was smooth. The temperature had dropped to freezing Sunday morning. We knew or believed that the cold was due to the nearness of bergs, but we had not even run against cake ice up to [until] the time the ice mountain loomed up.
The two crewmen observed that Murdoch was the senior deck officer, QM Hitchens had the helm and Fleet was in the crows nest. (after 10.00pm).
They continued on to say.
“Fleet reported the berg, but the telephone was not answered on the bridge at once. A few minutes afterwards the telephone call was answered, but it was too late.
The ship had struck. Murdock [Murdoch], AFTER the ship struck the berg (my capitols), gave orders to put helm to starboard, afterwards he ordered the helm hard to port and the ship STRUCK the berg AGAIN (my capitols).
There was less than 10” minutes between the time the Titanic first struck the berg and the SECOND crash, both of which brought big pieces of ice showering down on the ship."
“It was a perfect night, clear and starlight. The sea was smooth. The temperature had dropped to freezing Sunday morning. We knew or believed that the cold was due to the nearness of bergs, but we had not even run against cake ice up to [until] the time the ice mountain loomed up.
The two crewmen observed that Murdoch was the senior deck officer, QM Hitchens had the helm and Fleet was in the crows nest. (after 10.00pm).
They continued on to say.
“Fleet reported the berg, but the telephone was not answered on the bridge at once. A few minutes afterwards the telephone call was answered, but it was too late.
The ship had struck. Murdock [Murdoch], AFTER the ship struck the berg (my capitols), gave orders to put helm to starboard, afterwards he ordered the helm hard to port and the ship STRUCK the berg AGAIN (my capitols).
There was less than 10” minutes between the time the Titanic first struck the berg and the SECOND crash, both of which brought big pieces of ice showering down on the ship."