Photos about the officers

[Bailie A. Chapman]

Hello everyone,
I am not certain if this topic has been discussed or not, but im cerious if there are any photos of the Titanic officers. I have seen one before, however, it had a low quality with a pretty bad lighting so I couldn't really analyze it.
It was common to take photos of crew members back then, therefore, there were probably photos taken on the Titanic as well.
Best wishes,
Bailie

 

[Thomas Krom]

I am not certain if this topic has been discussed or not, but im cerious if there are any photos of the Titanic officers. I have seen one before, however, it had a low quality with a pretty bad lighting so I couldn't really analyze it.

The closest to a formal picture of two officers is the picture take from the 2nd of April to the 11th of April are of Second Officer Lightoller (middle) and First officer Murdoch (On the right). However, when looking at the many photographs I have on close I discovered that there are a handful of officers visible in other photographs, however in the background.

Before the Titanic left Belfast you can see then-chief officer Murdoch standing alongside boatswain Thomas Sloan (Titanic's bo'sun during the delivery voyage) on the forecastle (the departure station of a chief officer).

In the same picture you can see then-second officer David Blair in the crow's nest alongside two lookouts. The crow's nest was the departure station of the second officer.

On the docking bridge of the Titanic when she left Belfast you can see then-first officer Lightoller and third officer Pitman standing at their departure station.

When the ship left Southampton you can see chief officer Wilde standing in his greatcoat on the forecastle on the 10th of April.

In the same pictures we can see three figures in the crow's nest, this is Second Officer Lightoller with two lookouts on his departure station.

Like Wilde, you can see First Officer Murdoch and Third officer Pitman standing in their greatcoats on the docking bridge.

In a handful of pictures (both Belfast and Southampton) you can see a figure standing on the compass platform. During departure the docking station, by White Star Line rule, was the departing station of the sixth officer. Meaning that the figure could likely be sixth officer James Paul Moody.

And now for my favourite recent finding. Early-2023 I discovered in the picture I zoomed in to. Thomas Baker of the Irish Examiner, on the 11th of April on-board the tender PS America shows second class passengers ready to board the Titanic (the gangway plank is already in place). However on the left of the picture two uniformed men can be seen. The uniform doesn't match with the Board of Trade officers uniform or the crew of the tenders. Who are they? There's one saying with forensic investigators: the ears never lie. So I looked at the ears of the officer that can be seen,

It isn't Wilde, who had bigger and different shaped ears. Wilde also had his ears located quite lower than the officer in the picture.

It isn't Murdoch, the ears don't match. Murdoch his ears are also lower.

It isn't Lightoller, who had more pronounced earlobes.

It isn't Pitman, as the officer lacks a moustache.

It isn't Boxhall, who had larger earlobes and his ears were a bit lower like Wilde and Murdoch.

It isn't Moody, the ear shape is different. Like Wilde, Murdoch and Boxhall, his ears were located lower as well.

This leaves only one officer:

Fifth officer Harold Godfrey Lowe, who has matching ears and his ears are at the proper size of his ears.

Based on the height it means that the officer could be third officer Hebert John Pitman, who was Lowe's watchmate.

 

[Bailie A. Chapman]

Hello Thomas,

Thank you for all the details connecting to the photos, I haven't even seen a bunch of them before.

This is the photo that I was talking about previously, let me know if you have seen this one before.

 

[Bailie A. Chapman]

View attachment 115515
The closest to a formal picture of two officers is the picture take from the 2nd of April to the 11th of April are of Second Officer Lightoller (middle) and First officer Murdoch (On the right). However, when looking at the many photographs I have on close I discovered that there are a handful of officers visible in other photographs, however in the background.
View attachment 115517
View attachment 115520
Before the Titanic left Belfast you can see then-chief officer Murdoch standing alongside boatswain Thomas Sloan (Titanic's bo'sun during the delivery voyage) on the forecastle (the departure station of a chief officer).

View attachment 115518
In the same picture you can see then-second officer David Blair in the crow's nest alongside two lookouts. The crow's nest was the departure station of the second officer.
View attachment 115514
View attachment 115516
On the docking bridge of the Titanic when she left Belfast you can see then-first officer Lightoller and third officer Pitman standing at their departure station.
View attachment 115519
View attachment 115523
View attachment 115525
View attachment 115527
When the ship left Southampton you can see chief officer Wilde standing in his greatcoat on the forecastle on the 10th of April.
View attachment 115529
View attachment 115521
View attachment 115524
View attachment 115526
View attachment 115528
In the same pictures we can see three figures in the crow's nest, this is Second Officer Lightoller with two lookouts on his departure station.
View attachment 115530
View attachment 115535
View attachment 115531
View attachment 115534
Like Wilde, you can see First Officer Murdoch and Third officer Pitman standing in their greatcoats on the docking bridge.
View attachment 115536
View attachment 115532
View attachment 115533
In a handful of pictures (both Belfast and Southampton) you can see a figure standing on the compass platform. During departure the docking station, by White Star Line rule, was the departing station of the sixth officer. Meaning that the figure could likely be sixth officer James Paul Moody.
View attachment 115538
And now for my favourite recent finding. Early-2023 I discovered in the picture I zoomed in to. Thomas Baker of the Irish Examiner, on the 11th of April on-board the tender PS America shows second class passengers ready to board the Titanic (the gangway plank is already in place). However on the left of the picture two uniformed men can be seen. The uniform doesn't match with the Board of Trade officers uniform or the crew of the tenders. Who are they? There's one saying with forensic investigators: the ears never lie. So I looked at the ears of the officer that can be seen,

It isn't Wilde, who had bigger and different shaped ears. Wilde also had his ears located quite lower than the officer in the picture.

It isn't Murdoch, the ears don't match. Murdoch his ears are also lower.

It isn't Lightoller, who had more pronounced earlobes.

It isn't Pitman, as the officer lacks a moustache.

It isn't Boxhall, who had larger earlobes and his ears were a bit lower like Wilde and Murdoch.

It isn't Moody, the ear shape is different. Like Wilde, Murdoch and Boxhall, his ears were located lower as well.

This leaves only one officer:
View attachment 115539
Fifth officer Harold Godfrey Lowe, who has matching ears and his ears are at the proper size of his ears.

Based on the height it means that the officer could be third officer Hebert John Pitman, who was Lowe's watchmate.

Hello again,
I found another rare photograph, let me know what do you think.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Hello again,
I found another rare photograph, let me know what do you think.

The picture in question is taken on the RMS Adriatic during captain Smith his tenure as her captain between 1907 to 1910. However besides Smith who's walking in front of the crew muster no one else has been positively been identified on the picture. Factually speaking two future Titanic crewmembers could be in it (First officer William Murdoch and Surgeon William O'Loughlin), if taken after 1910 Purser Hugh McElroy could be on it too but that's about it.

 

[Bailie A. Chapman]

Hello Thomas,

Thank you for all the details connecting to the photos, I haven't even seen a bunch of them before.

This is the photo that I was talking about previously, let me know if you have seen this one before.

Has anyone seen this before?
Im interested in this one, specifically.
Thank you for your answers, Thomas

 

[Dan E. Parkes]

Has anyone seen this before?
Im interested in this one, specifically.
Thank you for your answers, Thomas

It is not rare. It has been on this page here for a number of years: Titanic's Officers - RMS Titanic - Captain E.J. Smith

 

[Thomas Krom]

Has anyone seen this before?
Im interested in this one, specifically.
Thank you for your answers, Thomas

You mean this one? I haven't seen them before, and hope we may come across a clearer version to identify the men on it as I know for sure the ship in the picture is my favourite White Star Liner the RMS Oceanic (II). On her served five of the Titanic officers at one point in their career with August to December 1911 being the time four future Titanic officers (Lightoller, Pitman, Boxhall and Moody) serving with one another, Boxhall was assigned to the Arabic and Lightoller to the Majestic in December that year. It would mean a lot to me if there are some of them on the picture.

 

[Bailie A. Chapman]

You are right. The article (where I found the picture) is focusing on Lightoller, therefore he must be somewhere on the pictures.
I really hope that we will get a clearer version one day.

 

[Bailie A. Chapman]

View attachment 115515
The closest to a formal picture of two officers is the picture take from the 2nd of April to the 11th of April are of Second Officer Lightoller (middle) and First officer Murdoch (On the right). However, when looking at the many photographs I have on close I discovered that there are a handful of officers visible in other photographs, however in the background.
View attachment 115517
View attachment 115520
Before the Titanic left Belfast you can see then-chief officer Murdoch standing alongside boatswain Thomas Sloan (Titanic's bo'sun during the delivery voyage) on the forecastle (the departure station of a chief officer).

View attachment 115518
In the same picture you can see then-second officer David Blair in the crow's nest alongside two lookouts. The crow's nest was the departure station of the second officer.
View attachment 115514
View attachment 115516
On the docking bridge of the Titanic when she left Belfast you can see then-first officer Lightoller and third officer Pitman standing at their departure station.
View attachment 115519
View attachment 115523
View attachment 115525
View attachment 115527
When the ship left Southampton you can see chief officer Wilde standing in his greatcoat on the forecastle on the 10th of April.
View attachment 115529
View attachment 115521
View attachment 115524
View attachment 115526
View attachment 115528
In the same pictures we can see three figures in the crow's nest, this is Second Officer Lightoller with two lookouts on his departure station.
View attachment 115530
View attachment 115535
View attachment 115531
View attachment 115534
Like Wilde, you can see First Officer Murdoch and Third officer Pitman standing in their greatcoats on the docking bridge.
View attachment 115536
View attachment 115532
View attachment 115533
In a handful of pictures (both Belfast and Southampton) you can see a figure standing on the compass platform. During departure the docking station, by White Star Line rule, was the departing station of the sixth officer. Meaning that the figure could likely be sixth officer James Paul Moody.
View attachment 115538
And now for my favourite recent finding. Early-2023 I discovered in the picture I zoomed in to. Thomas Baker of the Irish Examiner, on the 11th of April on-board the tender PS America shows second class passengers ready to board the Titanic (the gangway plank is already in place). However on the left of the picture two uniformed men can be seen. The uniform doesn't match with the Board of Trade officers uniform or the crew of the tenders. Who are they? There's one saying with forensic investigators: the ears never lie. So I looked at the ears of the officer that can be seen,

It isn't Wilde, who had bigger and different shaped ears. Wilde also had his ears located quite lower than the officer in the picture.

It isn't Murdoch, the ears don't match. Murdoch his ears are also lower.

It isn't Lightoller, who had more pronounced earlobes.

It isn't Pitman, as the officer lacks a moustache.

It isn't Boxhall, who had larger earlobes and his ears were a bit lower like Wilde and Murdoch.

It isn't Moody, the ear shape is different. Like Wilde, Murdoch and Boxhall, his ears were located lower as well.

This leaves only one officer:
View attachment 115539
Fifth officer Harold Godfrey Lowe, who has matching ears and his ears are at the proper size of his ears.

Based on the height it means that the officer could be third officer Hebert John Pitman, who was Lowe's watchmate.

I know that this might be an unpopular opinion, but for me, that man next to Murdoch doesn't look like Lightoller at all. His ears were so much sharper. Look at the difference. It is clearly someone else.

 

[Seumas]

I know that this might be an unpopular opinion, but for me, that man next to Murdoch doesn't look like Lightoller at all. His ears were so much sharper. Look at the difference. It is clearly someone else.
View attachment 115835

It's definitely Lightoller.

Look at the photographs (check Dan Parkes website) of Lightoller on the bridge of the Oceanic in 1910 or the 1911 picture of him (in uniform) with his two sons in 1911. It's clearly him standing next to Murdoch.

 

[Thomas Krom]

I know that this might be an unpopular opinion, but for me, that man next to Murdoch doesn't look like Lightoller at all. His ears were so much sharper. Look at the difference. It is clearly someone else.
View attachment 115835

Hello Ballie, how are you?

One must understand that the exposure of the picture isn't the best, which makes some details a bit hazy and unclear at least

Comparing these two pictures, a tad more than a month apart, you can see the face looks more the same. One must understand as well that the picture taken from the tender in Queenstown was from a lower angle.

 

[Dan E. Parkes]

I know that this might be an unpopular opinion, but for me, that man next to Murdoch doesn't look like Lightoller at all. His ears were so much sharper. Look at the difference. It is clearly someone else.

Along with Seumas and Thom, I disagree - it is quite definitely Lightoller. While Lightoller is very often a chameleon in his photographs and can often look dramatically different in images taken moments apart (his appearance at the British Inquiry is a good case in point) there is no mistaking him in this photograph.