Life Belts on Collapsible B

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IsaacMaynardAncestor

Member
I am interested in finding out whether the men who managed to climb onto Collapsible B had worn life belts.
I have found Isaac Maynard in my family tree, and have been fascinated by his survival.
Would love to know more about what his story was. Did he have a life belt or did he get washed overboard without one?
Does anyone know?
Any help gratefully received
 
IsaacMaynardAncestor said:
I am interested in finding out whether the men who managed to climb onto Collapsible B had worn life belts.
I have found Isaac Maynard in my family tree, and have been fascinated by his survival.
Would love to know more about what his story was. Did he have a life belt or did he get washed overboard without one?
Does anyone know?
Any help gratefully received
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Hi there,

Your ancestor clung to Collapsible B until being rescued by No. 4 or No. 12. I believe he was wearing a lifebelt when he was washed overboard.

Cheers!
 
Arthur_Collymore said:
Your ancestor clung to Collapsible B until being rescued by No. 4 or No. 12. I believe he was wearing a lifebelt when he was washed overboard
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According to ET, Isaac Maynard was pulled on board Collapsible B and then lent a hand to Charles Joughin who also managed to climb on board the overturned lifeboat. This is also mentioned in OASOG, which confirms that Maynard, a chef, recognized his victualling colleague Joughin and helped him on board after the latter was initially pushed away by a few other occupants. Joughin himself confirmed this at the British Inquiry.

6097. And so they could not take you in?
- There was no room for any more. They were standing on it then.

6098. Did you stay near it?
- I tried to get on it, but I was pushed off it, and I what you call hung around it.

6099. How much later on was it that you were picked up?
- I eventually got round to the opposite side, and a cook that was on the collapsible recognised me, and held out his hand and held me - a chap named Maynard.

6100. Was he able to pull you out of the water, or was he only just able to help to support you?
- No.

6101. He gave you a hand, and you kept treading water?
- No. My lifebelt helped me, and I held on the side of the boat.

So, it was Joughin who was swimming around in a lifebelt (but definitely NOT 'for over 2 hours' like he claimed; that would have been impossible) before being hauled on board Collapsible B. Lifeboat #12 approached the collapsible soon afterwards but I have not come across any info that either man transferred at that stage.
 
When I used to attend the BTS conferences in the 1990s, a lot of other delegates expressed doubts about Joighin's statements after #6101. While it is known that Maynard was already on board and lent a hand to Joughin, the consensus was that the chef actually pulled the baker on top of the overturned Collapsible B. AFAIK, no one else supported Joughin's claim that he swam for the "other lifeboat" (#12) to be hauled on board.
 
Arun Vajpey said:
When I used to attend the BTS conferences in the 1990s, a lot of other delegates expressed doubts about Joighin's statements after #6101. While it is known that Maynard was already on board and lent a hand to Joughin, the consensus was that the chef actually pulled the baker on top of the overturned Collapsible B. AFAIK, no one else supported Joughin's claim that he swam for the "other lifeboat" (#12) to be hauled on board.
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I've read several books of survivors, including Gracie's and Lightoller's books, both of whom were on lifeboat B, and none of them mentioned anything about anyone being hauled on board of another lifeboat (and they describe the rescue quite detailed). While I'm aware that they most likely didn't notice everything that was going on, I'm sure something like that would've come to their attention and you would've heard about the story from other witnesses.
 
Marlow Fields said:
I've read several books of survivors, including Gracie's and Lightoller's books, both of whom were on lifeboat B, and none of them mentioned anything about anyone being hauled on board of another lifeboat
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Neither have I. IMO, what happened was that after the Titanic sank, Joughin swam over to the overturned Collpasible B. There were already several people standing on top of it, including Lightoller, Gracie, Bride and Maynard. It is possible that some of them were reluctant to help Joughin for fear of upsetting the already precarious 'raft'. But the chef Maynard, who probably had worked with Joughin on board the Titanic, helped the baker to climb on board, likely with help from one or two others. There they all remained till dawn, at which time they saw a few other lifeboats and Lightoller used his whistle to attract attention of the closest one - Lifeboat#12. AB Clench, probably in charge of the other lifeboat at the time, reponded and eventually all those standing on top of Collpasible B were transferred.

Later, Joughin gave a very emblelished and highly improbable acount of his survival, claiming that he had been swimming for 2 hours before reaching Collapsible B and even then he was not allowed to board. So, he supposedly remained in the water with Maynard holding him up so that Joughin's head and shoulders were above the water level until another boat arrived. He then claimed to have swum across to the other lifeboat to be picked-up. A rather ridiculous fairy tale, interspersed with a few facts to appear authentic.
 
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