A little story from the sinking of the Titanic...

[Neil]

I've always been fascinated by the sinking of the Titanic. It's like a little apocalytical bubble. A few thousand people in a little nightmare situation one night! The drama and horror of it can't be imagined! Anyway, I was reading some information about one of the crew, 'Harold Godfrey Lowe' (played by Ioan Gruffudd in the Cameron film). He was the seaman who organised a boat to go back after the Titanic had sunk to search for survivors. Infact his boat was the only one to go back! Anyway, here's a little section of what I read:- After the cries from the people in the water had subsided a bit he deemed it safe to return to pick up survivors. "You could not do otherwise because you would have hundreds of people around your boat and you would go down." He then asked for volunteers to go back with him - this was when he discovered the 'Italian' (later identified as a foreigner, not necessarily an Italian). "I caught hold of him and pitched him in (a lifeboat tied to his)". Along with his volunteers, he then rowed back to the wreckage and picked up 4 survivors - one, Hoyt of New York, died later in the boat. " I went right around (after that) and, strange to say, I did not see one female body, not one, around the wreckage." One of the others was one of the Chinese sailors, the identity remains unclear, as Charlotte Collyer later recorded:- A little further on, we saw a floating door that must have been torn loose when the ship went down. Lying upon it, face downward, was a small Japanese. He had lashed himself with a rope to his frail raft, using the broken hinges to make the knots secure. As far as we could see, he was dead. The sea washed over him every time the door bobbed up and down, and he was frozen stiff. He did not answer when he was hailed, and the officer hesitated about trying to save him. "What's the use?" said Mr Lowe. He's dead, likely, and if he isn't there's others better worth saving than a Jap!" He had actually turned our boat around; but he changed his mind and went back. The Japanese was hauled on board, and one of the women rubbed his chest, while others chafed his hands and feet. In less time than it takes to tell, he opened his eyes. He spoke to us in his own tongue; then, seeing that we did not understand, he struggled to his feet, stretched his arms above his head, stamped his feet, and in five minutes or so had almost recovered his strength. One of the sailors near to him was so tired that he could hardly pull his oar. The Japanese bustled over, pushed him from his seat, took the oar and worked like a hero until we were finally picked up. I saw Mr Lowe watching him in open-mouthed surprise. "By Jove!" muttered the officer. "I'm ashamed of what I said about the little blighter. I'd save the likes o' him six times over, if I got the chance." Wonder what happened to this Chinese man? How lucky he was! Seems no account ever mentions his name, or what happened to him, just the fact one of the survivors pulled from the water was Chinese... http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org...frey-lowe.html

[EvilNed]

Man, that's a nice little story. Someone should make a shortfilm out of it.

[Bub666]

That is a very amazing story.

[DawnGirl27]

Touching story, Neil. I, too, have been fascinated with the Titanic, and once a year, I read through the 5 or so books I have on it. I still get the same feelings of awe (the size and luxury of the ship), dread (knowing what is going to happen), helplessness (all of those people that went in - so many more could've been saved), and also admiration (for all the courageous acts, both from those who lived and those who died). And like that Chinese survivor, there were numerous people who died, not to be identified. How unbelievingly sad. It still gets to you on so many levels, and when I look at pictures of how the Titanic looks now, it's hard to see it that way, thinking of how many died that night. So many 'what if's' abound, and 'if only's', but of course, hindsight is such an easy view. No matter how many times I go through the books, however, there's something inside of me that just hopes the ship will miss the iceberg, and sail on....

[Neil]

Touching story, Neil. I, too, have been fascinated with the Titanic, and once a year, I read through the 5 or so books I have on it. I still get the same feelings of awe (the size and luxury of the ship), dread (knowing what is going to happen), helplessness (all of those people that went in - so many more could've been saved), and also admiration (for all the courageous acts, both from those who lived and those who died). And like that Chinese survivor, there were numerous people who died, not to be identified. How unbelievingly sad. It still gets to you on so many levels, and when I look at pictures of how the Titanic looks now, it's hard to see it that way, thinking of how many died that night. So many 'what if's' abound, and 'if only's', but of course, hindsight is such an easy view. No matter how many times I go through the books, however, there's something inside of me that just hopes the ship will miss the iceberg, and sail on.... If they'd just hadn't put the engines in reverse, they might have missed it!!

[DawnGirl27]

I agree. And messages about icebergs weren't dismissed, and they hadn't sped up, and, well...

[SymphonicX]

"I'll never let go Jack..." Ten mins later she's prying his cold, dead fingers off her. Classic. Camerons squeaky, ****ty love-fest aside, a real tragedy...!

[Neil]

"I'll never let go Jack..." Ten mins later she's prying his cold, dead fingers off her. Classic. Camerons squeaky, ****ty love-fest aside, a real tragedy...! Please don't hijack the thread...

[lullubelle]

Very touching story, I have followed every documentary on Titanic there is, little mention of any other than the stories from first class survivors is rarely mentioned, makes you wonder what other untold stories about that awful night are there, and what if things would have been done diffrent, you know, had they listen the the ice warnings, had they slowed down, had the lookouts had their binoculars....

[Publius]

Nice story! Although Collyer and Lowe described the rescued man as Japanese, it appears that he was probably Fang Lang, one of eight Chinese sailors from Hong Kong who were on board the Titanic as passengers. Six of them survived, and Fang Lang is the only one listed as having been aboard lifeboat 14 (Lowe's boat). The one man I see on the list of survivors with a Japanese name, Masabumi Hosono, was not received too well upon returning to his native country. Very sad. BTW, Neil, what does your new avatar come from?

[Neil]

Nice story! Although Collyer and Lowe described the rescued man as Japanese, it appears that he was probably Fang Lang, one of eight Chinese sailors from Hong Kong who were on board the Titanic as passengers. Six of them survived, and Fang Lang is the only one listed as having been aboard lifeboat 14 (Lowe's boat). The one man I see on the list of survivors with a Japanese name, Masabumi Hosono, was not received too well upon returning to his native country. Very sad. BTW, Neil, what does your new avatar come from? Nice work! A+ My avatar? - The film version of The Road

[Yojimbo]

The one man I see on the list of survivors with a Japanese name, Masabumi Hosono, was not received too well upon returning to his native country. Very sad. Publius, thanks for reminding me about this dude, Masabumi Hosono. Among the Japanese Nationals he is considered to be a symbol of cowardice, and I recall my grandmother telling me his story when I was a small child. When this guy returned to Japan, he was universally condemmed and hated. Many in Japan felt ashamed that a Japanese Man would take a position in a lifeboat, when there were not enough lifeboats to take all the women and children aboard the sinking ship, and they considered this to be completely disgraceful. (One has to understand that the Japanese always have this group dynamic thing going on, and that since he was the only Japanese National aboard the Titanic, he was a de facto representative of Japanese society as a whole) EDIT: Interesting link on Hosono I just found on a book preview website. The book revisits and discusses the Titanic story and discusses Cameron's movie. http://books.google.com/books?id=q1Q...sult#PPA217,M1 Nice work! A+ My avatar? - The film version of The Road I have been waiting for this one to be released! Totally stoked!

[Chic Freak]

Thanks for sharing Neil. Have you spoken to _liam_? He's obsessed with the Titanic.

[DawnGirl27]

Neil (and any other Titanic buffs), there are two new books out that may interest you. Titanic - The Last Great Images, by Dr. Robert Ballard, who discovered Titanic in 1985 and revisited it 20 years later. Titanic's Last Secrets, by Brad Matsen. A quote from the dust jacket by Susan Casey says, "What happened aboard Titanic that night was far worse than anyone ever guessed." The first is filled with haunting, poignant pictures, as well as stories, remembrances, and the like. The second is more factual, with diagrams. Both are great reads. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/his...ephens____25_/ http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tit...6582056/?itm=1