Which boat were the Asplund's in

[Matt Endacott]

Does anyone know which boat Selma Asplund and her children Felix & Lillian were placed in. And also why in continued to lower even when there were 3 more children waiting?
Best Regards,
Matt

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Matt,

My understanding is that they were in boat 15. Only Mrs Asplund and Felix were in the boat when they started to lower it. Lillian was dropped into it [perhaps by her father?].

 

[Matt Endacott]

Thanks for that info Lester! I was thinking they left in one of the last boats, yet if it really was 15 there was still 7 boats left. I wonder why Carl didn't attempt to save his sons in either boat 10, 2, 4, D, C, B or A? From a timetable i have of the sinking, there was 10minutes break between the lowering of Lifeboat 15 and the next (10) on the starboard side. Surely this would have been enough time for Carl to take his children to the boat deck? And also i noticed Lillian was dropped in the boat from the Promenade deck, i've never understood HOW was it easier to board the boats from here? Wouldn't passengers have to carefully climb over the rail?
Thanks

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Matt,

Perhaps he did. B or A would have been no use. - Yes they would have faced a rail.

In a recent post: Which Lifeboat >> Order of lifeboat launching, I asked/commented. - Herewith repeated:
With regard to the after-starboard boats I have been looking at the various comments in Gracie and I'm having some difficulty. What portion of their crew/passengers do you believe each of those boats took onboard at the Boat deck and at A-deck respectively?

It has always seemed to me that it was somewhat daft loading those boats from A-deck as given the stairway access 2nd and 3rd Class passengers [in particular the women and children] had little hope of accessing that section of A-deck unless they had come up the after 1st Class stairway, or like Edith Russell when down the stairs near the Lounge Bar, but which look to be difficult to locate on the Boat deck level [?]. - I think this is why most of those in those boats were men.

Matt. Any thoughts?

 

[Matt Endacott]

Hi Lester!
The only thought i have to why the boats were loaded on A Deck was possibly since the boat deck was very crowded by the time the boat was clearly sinking and to avoid a panic & scramble into the boats, they chose to board passengers from the Promenade as the railing was acting as a sort of "barrier." Personally i see both positive & negative sides to this solotion. POSITIVE points are:
1. The rail would act as a barrier, allowing the crew in the awaiting boat to really "select" those who will board and also have time to stop those in a panic.
2. There was a smaller crowd on the Promenade allowing passengers to board calmly & easily.
3. The passengers didn't have to be lowered as far to the water compared to the Boat Deck.
Negative:
1. As i said in (2), there was a smaller crowd, also meaning there were less people to board the boats.
2. As you mentioned Lester, the Promenade was fairly hard to reach for 2nd & 3rd Class Passengers (i wonder how the Asplund's reached there?)
Also Lester, you mentioned B & A would have been no use, why is that?
Best Regards,
matt

 

[Matt Endacott]

Oh and also, forgot to ask:
Has anyone seen any reports on sightings of Carl Asplund & his sons after sending Selma, Felix & Lillian off into boat 15? Where were they last seen and also why is it that Carl's body was found yet not his children's? Does this mean they were possibly separated as the ship went down?
Thanks

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Matt,

Points noted. - I ruled out B because it came off the roof of the deckhouse upside down. On reflection A could be included as I understand it was loaded on the deck, but was washed off the deck with most [if not all?] of those in it being swept out.

 

[Peter Engberg-Klarström]

Dear Matt, I am not sure No 10 went after No 15. I know that there is disagreement as to what boat on the aft port side was the last one lowered, but I don't think it was No 10. Having re-read the statements of the crewmen involved, I have a feeling No 10 was either the first or the second lowered; No 12 seems to have been the first one, which goes well with the fact that most of its occupants seem to have been second class ladies, ie 12 was lowered before the third class passengers arrived on deck.

Peter