Heroic Conduct of a Ship’s Officer

A young English woman, who requested that her name be omitted, told a thrilling story of her experience in one of the collapsible boats which had been manned by eight of the crew from the Titanic. The boat was in command of the fifth officer H. Lowe, whom she stated saved the lives of many people.

Before the lifeboat was launched, he passed along the port deck of the steamer, commanding the people not to jump in the boats and otherwise restraining them from swamping the craft.

When the collapsible was launched, Officer Lowe succeeded in putting up a mast and a small sail. He collected the other boats together. In some cases the boats were short of adequate crew, and he directed an exchange by which each was adequately manned. He threw lines connecting the boats together, two by two, and all thus moved together.

Later on he went back to the wreck with the crew of one of the boats and succeeded in picking up some of those who had jumped overboard and were swimming about.

On his way back to the Carpathia he passed one of the collapsible boats which was on the point of sinking with thirty passengers aboard, most of them in scant night clothing. They were rescued just in the nick of time. Some died on the way to the Carpathia.