Hey, I’m not sure if you remember me but I just wanna say this. Even if the “fair” UA-cam policy is copyrighting all your videos we love them just as much. Because to me it’s not what the story is but who tells it. You are one of the best UA-camrs that I’ve ever found on this platform. We are always here for you no matter what and even if your video gets copyrighted I just want you to know that you deserve every ounce of respect that you get is 100% deserved and earned. Because of you I know so much more about all of the ships you’ve ever talked about. I’m English as well. Hi from England.
To me, Captain Smith was a hero. I know many people complain and there's alot of controversy about his behaviour that night. The famous words: "First womens and kids" doesn't mean "ONLY womens and kids". Some people say he was in shock cause he knew there was no hope and alot of people would die, some others say he was helping people to get into the lifeboats... We will never know... He died with the ship, and that makes him to me a hero.
@Chara Cumming I support him as well. I think he wanted die cause he felt guilty for what happened. I think it must be very hard have a responsibility over 2000 souls and know many of them are going to die
I agree, I think no one would have denied him a seat, he could have taken his own boat, but he manned up and went down with others (and his) dire mistakes. Back then image was everything, and if he had made it out, it would have tarnished his families name for generations to come and he bit the bullet
Obsessed with Titanic since i was 10.. Great work, man P. S. What a destiny that is. You are on your last voyage before retiring as a captain and your ship sinks, you go down with her. I cannot imagine how his poor wife survived all that. For decades she was patient, waiting for him every time he sailed and she must have been so happy knowing he would retire after this one. And then that catastrophy happened. What a tragedy.
I really appreciate that you mention the standard procedures the captains used back in the beginning of the 20th century. As you said, Captain Smith did what he had been taught to do during ice-warnings and as a Titanic-nerd myself, I get really frustrated when people or the average media potrays his final actions as stupid or unthoughtful. He and his legacy don't deserve this constant arrogance. Thank you for spreading a much more nuanced picture of him and his actions! 💖 Also, I really love Bernard Hill and how he potrayed Captain Smith in the Titanic-movie! 💖
That last story at the end of the video broke my heart. A man who swam to a lifeboat and asked if they had one free seat for him and they refused him saying the boat it's full and he leaved swiming. I swear, I'm crying know.😢😭 it doesn't matter if it was captain Smith or someone else. I can't stop crying. Poor man😢😢😢
These videos are really good and informative! I never knew this much about Captain Smith and how he met his end. Maybe a video idea could be on Murdoch and Lightoller, since they were the two main officers who were working with lifeboats? And maybe Wilde as well, since we don’t know much about him?
It's very unfair to the good Captain Smith that we only really know and judge him on the last and worst day of his life. He had a long and distinguished career.
Great posts! I often think about how Captain Smith had just gone to bed, probably fell into a deep sleep right away from exhaustion then getting woke up for this emergency.. In my own experience, being jostled out of bed like that is very taxing, he probably pinched himself several times to make sure it was not a bad dream.. Then also the mounting perfect storm that the Titanic faced each problem adding to the next.. No doubt he had to also be dealing with extreme regret for his own family, near the end of his career having this happen, the questions and court that would no doubt follow.. Especially questions about speed and earlier warnings not heeded.. Complex psychological moment.. It seems a well understood fact that he ordered boats back that were not full, that in itself says amidst such dire circumstances he was concerned about saving people and doing his job
You've mentioned before that the Titanic's designers never thought it was necessary to provide enough lifeboats to fully evacuate the ship -- due to the volume of the other ships in the NA lanes that could arrive and transfer passengers. Do you think Smith's diversion further south (for safety reasons) increased the distance between the Titanic and those other ships, making it take longer for the Carpathia arrive.
I’m curious why Smith would not remain on board as long as possible to assist passengers and coordinate his crew however he could. I understand that nearly all the lifeboats had been launched and there was little more that could be done to save lives at that point, and there was probably such chaos that he could no longer command his crew as it was every man for themselves. It just seems out of character for the man who seemed so duty driven up to that point, that he would jump off while there were still passengers onboard and crew trying to launch collapsibles.
I don't agree that he can be absolved. He was going too fast. Other ships (that also had schedules to keep etc) had stopped due to the severity of the icy conditions.
Can you try and do a video that try’s to solve what was going through Bruce Ismay’s mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank? Because I’m trying to figure out is if some point in his life, if he wished that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship.
Mr Ismay became a virtual recluse. After resigning from the White star line a few months after, he retired to his country estate,out of the public eye and talk of TITANIC wasn't allowed in his household,from accounts that I've seen in the past he felt very guilty and ashamed for surviving and was often referred to as a coward by the press and public at large. When you take all that into consideration he would imo have felt great shame that he survived when others in a prominent position died. There were several drawings of him in the press of him walking down the street with members of the public saying to each other "look it's Ismay" or something similar. When you piece it all together he would have felt great shame. But as you said "In the days after" I should have thought he would have been in great shock. After arriving in Newyork onboard The Carpathia,he was going to try and return immediately to England but was collared getting off the ship and had to go to the American Inquiry before leaving to go back. Sorry if you already know much of this,just trying to help. Many are of the opinion that as TITANIC was listing to port and passengers were told to go to Starboard to try and straighten her up,that there were no more passengers about so as the boat was being lowered he got in. Which is what he actually said at the British enquiry. He also whilst onboard Carpathia had a message sent which read something like "OLYMPIC must stay away,in no way must the sister ship come on the scene" signed Yamsi.
@@paulanthony5274 Just adding on: While him surviving was definitely seen as an act of cowardice by the American press, we today can say that it actually can be seen as a good thing that Ismay survived (plus the British weren't nearly as harsh towards him when he returned to Great Britain). As the president of the White Star Line at the time, he needed to defend his company during both inquiries into the disaster. In addition, a lot of the conversations between people like Smith and Andrews that occurred during the disaster, all came from Ismay. If he had died, we wouldn't have known things like Andrews saying that the ship has an hour left to live (among other things of course). Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight as well, so there's that.
Just a Heads up @@paulanthony5274, the Question has just been Updated, and you didn’t answer the main point of the Question (or you did and I didn’t notice it) which is: Did the thought of Bruce Ismay wishing that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship ever cross his mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank?
True @@Lotus_RT, but did the thought of Bruce Ismay wishing that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship ever cross his mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank?
I enjoyed immensely!! An interesting captivating narrator! Keepin it real time & time again. My fascination with Titanic runs deep. I enjoy listening to you! Thank you 🚢
In the '97 movie, there's a scene where one boat moves its passing over to another boat and goes back for more. When the Captain called the boats back, they should have done that for real. You got a boat of 12 people. Put them in another damn boat and go back for more people. Before it sinks. It would be hard. They'd have to jump or climb down ropes. But desperate times require desperate measures.
To me, this judgement of Captain Smith sounds too euphemistic. It might have be common to maintain full speed at night even in the near of ice fields, but e.g. the Californian had even _stopped_ because of the ice field she reported. So they didn't dare to go at their full speed of 12 knots, whilst the Titanic made 21 knots as if nothing had happened (remember they got about _eight_ ice warnings, at least one of them was pinned at the bridge to be noticed by all officers). Captain Smith was certainly in sorrow about his 2200 souls, but too late. What he did after the collision is admittedly difficult to judge, depending on the different reports. By the way the cut cinema version of James Cameron's movie depicts him as too hesitating and passive, omitting the megaphone stuff, but if you watch the deleted scenes, he appears much more active and positive. I think he is a tragic person and feel sorry for him, wished he had survived but also his passengers. Just remember how many children were onboard, and other innocent people who - in contrast to him - had no chance to influence the ship's fate.
I belive that a night to remember had a scene where a man swam up to the overturned collapsible boat and asked if there was a spot. Erie to think that could've been the captain
I think that was the officer who was in charge of lowering the life boats. I believe you are talking about a man who said "Okay take it easy" when he was denied access to the boat.
@@8Maduce50 True, but this was nothing to do with the Royal Navy. This was about being a member of the British nation, and how such a man ought to act in a crisis. A far cry from the 21st century.
@@ministryofanti-feminism1493 military tradition is an embodiment of the civilian tradition and vis versa they are in essence both conceptualn ideals of how to act in the face of danger. but you are right the ultimate responsibility Is putting one's life on the line and as captain of ship that mean your life is second to everyone else's. That ie why that Italian captian got so much flack for abandoning the rescue efforts of the cruise ship he capsized. (Can't remember the name of the ship)
This is just my opinion but I think Captain Smith went down with he's ship . He was a Honorable Man for going down with he's ship. He's a Man I'd like to shake the hand off.
You know, I would love to see when people said Smith was going to retire after completing the return trip... Going by WSL records, he was scheduled to command _Gigantic_ later to be renamed _Britannic_
Not good that you have to redo everything. Lost all your views and comments. Good because we got to watch it and build up your views again. Love your work 😍
Hey man... love your videos... even keep rewatching them... had a question that maybe you could just answer here or if you think it would be worth a video... that I leave up to you... it would be for a "what if" serie... and that how much more time would the Titanic have... if the 6th compartment would not have that small damage in the coal bunker? Could they last with the ship until the Carpathia came to the rescue if only the 5 compartments would be damaged?
The fact he dies tells you all you need to know about who Captain Smith thought was to blame. No matter what, if there is a person left on board, the captain has to go down with the ship. Period. Full stop. As my dad would say, "if you're not to blame then who is?"
The whole "going down with the ship" does that mean not surviving or just staying on it when it sinks, or being the last to leave? I imagine that once he found out that the ship was sinking, he was in shock. His LAST voyage. All the people that would die. Possibly knowing he would die. Wow! I like how it was portrayed in the movie. I thought andrews was last seen in the smoking room?
There are many testimonies about what happened to him. There where probably a few passengers that survived that saw him there. Not sure if that was where he was when the Titanic plunged.
It’s more like making sure you save as many people as you possibly can and then leaving. You don’t have to die with your ship but of course some did die with their ships, Smith was one of them
The literal meaning is not clear, you could argue it was either of those two, or both. The 3rd option is irrelevant as so many were unable to leave. If Smith left the ship and his body was never found, could he have been picked up by a lifeboat?
@@DavidAGIII Even bigger trouble if it was known that both he and Ismay survived. And that`s where it gets interesting as Smith had a positive ID in Baltimore 3 months later, so he must have been picked up by one of the lifeboats.
This man is wrong. Even Frank Prentice said it was the captains fault for going to fast, he lay the blame solely at the bridge and that was a man who survived even though he went down with the ship as it sunk.
Great work I enjoy all your posts you are keeping the spirit and memory of these beautiful ships alive ❤️I will never understand how lifeboats left the ship half full that is so sad.....
In a German documentary from 10 years ago, they said Captain Smith had been too old, and that he had been responsible for 2 near-collisions before. And if he had traveled at 10 knots, the simulation program said he wouldn't have hit the iceberg. But it seems like since then newer information has come to the fore that speaks to his not being responsible? I liked his character in the movie, he looked like a fine man
Although this may upset people, it is likely it was Murdoch. There were too many accounts of an officer commiting suicide to ignore, most witnesses say it was either the Chief Officer or the First Officer, Murdoch was the First Officer wearing Chief Officer insignia.
another great vidio! I would like for you to talk about the WW2 york station accident, wich took the life of many people and the A4 pacific "Silver Fox", wich while the tender was fully recovered, the main body of the locomotive was beyond repair, and the most sad thing is that it was an avacuation train wich the nazis bombed with their war-planes inthe time of an air raid
Was Smith actually going to retire or was this just a story added later to inject irony to the story? I’ve heard conflicting opinions. Are there any primary sources to back up the retirement story?
This is my criticism of Smith. Once the ship hit the berg he basically disappeared as the leader of the vessel. To turn the lifeboat situation over to first and second officers was a mistake. He simply should have put the ship under martial law and got tough. Get everyone to the boat deck, that was his responsibility. Force everyone into the boats at gun point if necessary. The sinking would not be remembered as it is today, but, may 500 to 1000 more people could have been saved. To hell with the lifeboat capacity. Not Tonight!!!
my favorite movie is titanic 1997 its still one of my favorites due to everything the acting the music the production everything and my all time favorite composer composed the music for the movie he also scored my favorite american civil war movie glory of course im talkin about james horner
The Mount Temple would provide an interesting topic because some believe that this is the ship that Titanic could see in the distance and not the Californian. This conclusion is based on the fact that the Titanic was not where she thought she was and where the Californian was positioned, she could not have been close enough from the actual sinking site of Titanic - and therefore not visible. Incidentally, the Temple did not have a Morse radio on board and the evince hinted that the Temple's captain decided not to traverse a perilous ice field, despite observing a ship in distress.
It would have looked well cowardly for a Captain who was responsible for the ship crew and passengers to have took up room on a lifeboat and deprive another person of their life. It was his ship and his responsibility, its as simple as that.
So many people want to base everything they know on Cameron's titanic movie. I was eating up any fact I could find from when I was a small child books and a&e documentaries and such. The wasn't freely accessible untill after i was a senior in high school around 2000. So many people act like they know everything just because theyve seen the movie a hundred times and this bugs me so much. Not saying that's how you are. I wouldn't have subbed if I thought you were small potatoes. I've heard read and watched everything I could get a hold of for a long time. I'm probably one of those jerks that would correct you nicely of you got a fact wrong lol. Anyway I'm glad to see you on here and I appreciate your fascination for the old times. I love seeing other history buffs you can tell who really cares and who doesn't. 💕
I have a theory on captain Smith. When he went to the bridge with Thomas Andrews, Andrews said there's no use in waiting, and then they both jump into the sea. They swim around, and And Andrews dies of hypothermia shortly after. Smith swims around in that area and when the ship goes down, he goes up to collapsible B, and asks if there's anymore room. The man on the boat says no, but Lightoller does not see this, and so, Smith swims into the ocean and dies of hypothermia. That's my theory.
twist ending: smith cracked andrews over the head and then uses his body as a makeshift raft, paddling to newfoundland and living the rest of his life there in secret in some fishing shack
Wouldn’t the captain know that hanging to the ship as long as he could and plumb into the ocean with it would have been the least painful death, since the water pressure would have crashed the ship and all people in mere seconds?
I think Captain Smith was a true hero. Smith knew that he was probably going to die that night, He knew that from the wireless reports that the Carpathia would not reach the Titanic in time. How do you think this man must have felt in his heart, knowing that he has lost his ship the biggest in the world on its Maiden voyage, and knowing that over half the passengers would die! a Captain like Smith could do only so much, some people say he should have been on the bridge! so ok when is he going to get any rest or sleep? Many people complain about his behavior, only if they could put themselves in his predicament. I think Captain Smith did his best! I agree with you that Capt. Smith and Thomas Andrews probably jump over the bridge wing and met their fate. I think that night Capt. Lord of the Californian is the one who tried to say "not my fault" the SS Californian saw the destressed rockets and did not do what they should have done! and that was to wake up the wireless room and find out that the problem was? yeah I know I'm running off my mouth but I enjoy your video`s a lot, it`s good to see someone that is interested in the story of what happened that cold April night when the biggest ship in the world hit an iceberg and sank. the Titanic will always be a Mystery? what really happened that night when 1,523 people lost their life? We may never know!........... some things I have collected over the years are postcards that have been sent to friends and family about their ordeal on the Titanic, one woman said that she lost her husband but the children were ok. I have 5 postcards with different stories. I also have a Bible that a woman took with her in one of the lifeboats maybe she thought it would keep her safe! It has got her name, the time, date, name of the ship "Titanic", my wife found it in a church in England we had it 28 years before we noticed what was written in it. my wife is English She lived in Norwich Norfolk, Tootenbeck, and Yarmouth, it is a seaport. my wife's age is 77, her great grandfather his name was Derbridge he was a carpenter on the SS Olympic, and SSTitanic. we do know that he worked with wood carvings that went in the first-class stateroom. the family has a box of tools and leftover wood trim, floor tiles, his badge number it`s made out of wood, he would use it for bathroom visits, etc. if you would like to send me your E-mail I will send you a picture of some items. my wife and I live in a small town just outside Portland, Oregon fairly close to Mt. Hood and the Cascade mountains.
I’d like to think he possibly stayed in the wheelhouse as she went down like in the movie. No matter which way you look at it, it was a tragic end for a great captain going down with his ship.
Peter Pryal, a former Captain Smith' shipmate on the Majestic, claimed to have seen him twice in Baltimore downtown and exchanged a few words with him three months after the wreckship.
To quote Michael Caine - "Not a lot of people know that!" It was also reported that he left Baltimore and turned up in Ohio where he died 3 years later.
Hey Captain Smith slow down the ship its pitch dark and nothing can be seen outside. Your lookout doesn't have any binoculars and the sea pathway is littered with dangerous icebergs. SLOW DOWN Captain Smith what is wrong with you
Who was set to take over the ship after the maiden voyage and captain smiths retirement? I’ve looked all over and can’t find the answer to this question.
No evidence to actually suggest this, but I'd hazard a guess at either Charles Bartlett (captain of Britannic) or Bertram Hayes (captain of Olympic during the war and of Majestic, Britannic's post war replacement)
I heard that after the Titanic sank, he then left the wheel and swam out to the iceberg and punched it saying, "take this!" Those who witnessed it said the iceberg, which had thus far drifted south then began to move north, where it would sink no more vessels.
The last mans story captain or not is really sad. You are still alive in cold water looking way to escape and you see a boat but there is just not room for you and you just swim away in the freezing water....
I can see your point about Titanic not stopping, but at the same time, the California had stopped due to ice bergs. Even after all is said and done, that was an option, however unpopular it would have been.
It wasn't because of the beard or uniform, it was due to his voice. They said they did not recognize his face, but the voice seemed familiar. Only later someone remembered that it was actually captain's voice.
Quick question, why are a lot of your videos not full length? I had mentioned that one second clip showing how loud the steam was, and you replied saying “read the description”. Why are your videos shorter after you initially release them?
Reading all these stories from the survivors and them saying “last seen/spotted” just feels so Eerie doesnt it? Like... what happened to them after.. what were their final moments like? Just makes me feel upset to wander down the possibilities
That is a good point same in a night to remember their is that seen where the upside down life boat and he swam to it the people were saying no will flip over and lightholler swam to it to take control and he was trying to tell the man to come back to the life boat and I think light holler knew it was captain Smith . cant quote me on that ive only seen the film twice now.
I'm only @2:41 and i have to call BS. I was once a truck diver and as a trucker your speed always depends on the conditions, you have to take everything into consideration: the size of your load, the weather, the conditions of the roads, your visibility, the time of day you drive etc. That being said, you could be going 50mph on 55mph highway ( which is less than the speed limit) but it you have an incident you could be given a ticket for "driving too fast for conditions". I feel that that the Titanic was definitely going too fast for conditions. They were traveling at night and there was no moon so visibility is significantly compromised, the ocean was calm so you wouldn't be able to see the waves hit the ice, the look-outs didn't have binoculars, they had several warning about ice ( i do know that the labrador current pushed ice futher south than usual but they were still warned about ice), i could go on and on but the fact is they were going too fast for conditions and i do say that aspect of the crash is at least partially the captain's fault. Seems like common sense that they should have slowed down under those conditions. You seem to be just making excuses for him instead of just being honest and calling out his bad decisions. If they would have reduced their speed there is a great chance they would have spotted the iceberg in time to avoid a collision, the fact that you are glossing over this fact means you're either intentionally being dishonest or you just don't know what you're talking about. No disrespect but I'm a very honest person, i call it how i see it. I'll be unsubbing because you come across as dishonest.
1. Titanic wasn't going full speed. The last 4 boilers were not lit. 2. They actually traveled further SOUTH of the ice field after receiving ice warnings and in April ice was very common hazard in the shipping lanes 3. He wasn't on the bridge when the iceberg was spotted. He wasn't the one at the wheel. 4. Due to cold water mirage effect, they weren't able to spot it until it was too late and due to the calm sea, with no water breaking at the base the iceberg was difficult to spot. 5. Ships of the time did not necessarily stop just because of ice as they had schedules to keep and Titanic was no different. I suggest reading "On a a Sea of Glass" it is the most comprehensive book on the Titanic disaster. And does a good job writing out Captain Smith's actions before and after striking the iceberg as well as his actions during the sinking.
Here ya go ha e a read and actually learn something. Wether Titanic was going a bit slower or not wouldnt have made much a difference because remember, even after stoppi g engines the Titanic will still drift along from her own inerta www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2118103/Did-MIRAGE-sink-Titanic-New-research-finds-freak-weather-hidden-iceberg-late.html
Could the stern of the Titanic stay afloat if the bow fell off completely and did not pull the rest of the ship with it? All watertight compartments are closed and water would not go further.
I would suspect it would have been too out of balance to float stably, with those massive engines and other major machinery clustered more towards the front of the remaining section.
It may have stayed afloat longer, but still would have eventually sank. Maybe it would have lasted long enough for the Carpathia to rescue everyone. (Jan Griffiths).
In theory, yes. But in practice not really. The stern never got a chance to settle and be stable, so it simply capsized, and after that no amount of watertight bulkheads would keep it afloat (they're open at the top).
the watertight compartments weren't watertight at all....they DIDN'T go all the way to the top and weren't sealed....the water just came over the top into the next and the next....
Hey, I’m not sure if you remember me but I just wanna say this. Even if the “fair” UA-cam policy is copyrighting all your videos we love them just as much. Because to me it’s not what the story is but who tells it. You are one of the best UA-camrs that I’ve ever found on this platform. We are always here for you no matter what and even if your video gets copyrighted I just want you to know that you deserve every ounce of respect that you get is 100% deserved and earned. Because of you I know so much more about all of the ships you’ve ever talked about. I’m English as well. Hi from
England.
To me, Captain Smith was a hero.
I know many people complain and there's alot of controversy about his behaviour that night.
The famous words: "First womens and kids" doesn't mean "ONLY womens and kids".
Some people say he was in shock cause he knew there was no hope and alot of people would die, some others say he was helping people to get into the lifeboats...
We will never know...
He died with the ship, and that makes him to me a hero.
@Chara Cumming Of course.
He never leaves before passengers. And he knew there was no hope for ALOT of people so...
@Chara Cumming I support him as well.
I think he wanted die cause he felt guilty for what happened.
I think it must be very hard have a responsibility over 2000 souls and know many of them are going to die
@@lady_v3nus You sure?
Schiettino left before any passenger..
I agree, I think no one would have denied him a seat, he could have taken his own boat, but he manned up and went down with others (and his) dire mistakes. Back then image was everything, and if he had made it out, it would have tarnished his families name for generations to come and he bit the bullet
I 100% agree
Obsessed with Titanic since i was 10..
Great work, man
P. S. What a destiny that is.
You are on your last voyage before retiring as a captain and your ship sinks, you go down with her.
I cannot imagine how his poor wife survived all that.
For decades she was patient, waiting for him every time he sailed and she must have been so happy knowing he would retire after this one.
And then that catastrophy happened.
What a tragedy.
I really appreciate that you mention the standard procedures the captains used back in the beginning of the 20th century. As you said, Captain Smith did what he had been taught to do during ice-warnings and as a Titanic-nerd myself, I get really frustrated when people or the average media potrays his final actions as stupid or unthoughtful. He and his legacy don't deserve this constant arrogance. Thank you for spreading a much more nuanced picture of him and his actions! 💖
Also, I really love Bernard Hill and how he potrayed Captain Smith in the Titanic-movie! 💖
Well, said, was thinking the same myself. Capt. Smith is so often unfairly maligned.
What I love about Bernard Hill is that he also participate to some Titanic-related documentary. This blew my mind. ^^
It’s just a shame that the movie reenforced the myth that Ismay browbeat Smith into going faster because lolspeed.
It’s a disservice to both mren.
That last story at the end of the video broke my heart. A man who swam to a lifeboat and asked if they had one free seat for him and they refused him saying the boat it's full and he leaved swiming. I swear, I'm crying know.😢😭 it doesn't matter if it was captain Smith or someone else. I can't stop crying. Poor man😢😢😢
These videos are really good and informative! I never knew this much about Captain Smith and how he met his end. Maybe a video idea could be on Murdoch and Lightoller, since they were the two main officers who were working with lifeboats? And maybe Wilde as well, since we don’t know much about him?
Was he a hall of fame captain that night? Maybe not but he performed very admirably under unimaginable circumstances.... Salute to this Captain!
You clearly put a lot of your time into researching this stuff. Fascinating stuff, well done 👍
Love your work! Could you consider covering the Californian controversy? What do you think of the alleged role of the Mount Temple ?👍
i know captin smif
ok
He never responded and I don`t know whether he has done anything on these during the past year, but I suspect he wouldn`t want to touch either.
It's very unfair to the good Captain Smith that we only really know and judge him on the last and worst day of his life. He had a long and distinguished career.
Great posts! I often think about how Captain Smith had just gone to bed, probably fell into a deep sleep right away from exhaustion then getting woke up for this emergency.. In my own experience, being jostled out of bed like that is very taxing, he probably pinched himself several times to make sure it was not a bad dream.. Then also the mounting perfect storm that the Titanic faced each problem adding to the next.. No doubt he had to also be dealing with extreme regret for his own family, near the end of his career having this happen, the questions and court that would no doubt follow.. Especially questions about speed and earlier warnings not heeded.. Complex psychological moment.. It seems a well understood fact that he ordered boats back that were not full, that in itself says amidst such dire circumstances he was concerned about saving people and doing his job
Rewatching all these reuploads because your videos are just so great!! ❤️
You've mentioned before that the Titanic's designers never thought it was necessary to provide enough lifeboats to fully evacuate the ship -- due to the volume of the other ships in the NA lanes that could arrive and transfer passengers.
Do you think Smith's diversion further south (for safety reasons) increased the distance between the Titanic and those other ships, making it take longer for the Carpathia arrive.
The diversion south probably brought the ship closer to the carpathia, if you look at where the two ships were.
I’m curious why Smith would not remain on board as long as possible to assist passengers and coordinate his crew however he could. I understand that nearly all the lifeboats had been launched and there was little more that could be done to save lives at that point, and there was probably such chaos that he could no longer command his crew as it was every man for themselves. It just seems out of character for the man who seemed so duty driven up to that point, that he would jump off while there were still passengers onboard and crew trying to launch collapsibles.
Yes, I find this interesting as well
Because he knew the captain always goes down with his ship!
Things change when you’re staring death in the face
Atleast Captain Smith did the best he could and was no Schettino.
I mean when u know ur gonna die he just gave up I wouldn’t blame him he knew that he was doomed
I don't agree that he can be absolved. He was going too fast. Other ships (that also had schedules to keep etc) had stopped due to the severity of the icy conditions.
He was the captain he didn't have to listen to corporate.
@@adamirishconundrum851 He didn’t have to no but his own ego was flattered. He wanted to make the headlines too.
He wasn't travelling too fast, though. They weren't even running at full speed.
Another really interesting video! Well done Sam!
Can you try and do a video that try’s to solve what was going through Bruce Ismay’s mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank? Because I’m trying to figure out is if some point in his life, if he wished that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship.
Mr Ismay became a virtual recluse. After resigning from the White star line a few months after, he retired to his country estate,out of the public eye and talk of TITANIC wasn't allowed in his household,from accounts that I've seen in the past he felt very guilty and ashamed for surviving and was often referred to as a coward by the press and public at large. When you take all that into consideration he would imo have felt great shame that he survived when others in a prominent position died. There were several drawings of him in the press of him walking down the street with members of the public saying to each other "look it's Ismay" or something similar. When you piece it all together he would have felt great shame. But as you said "In the days after" I should have thought he would have been in great shock. After arriving in Newyork onboard The Carpathia,he was going to try and return immediately to England but was collared getting off the ship and had to go to the American Inquiry before leaving to go back. Sorry if you already know much of this,just trying to help. Many are of the opinion that as TITANIC was listing to port and passengers were told to go to Starboard to try and straighten her up,that there were no more passengers about so as the boat was being lowered he got in. Which is what he actually said at the British enquiry.
He also whilst onboard Carpathia had a message sent which read something like "OLYMPIC must stay away,in no way must the sister ship come on the scene" signed Yamsi.
@@paulanthony5274 Just adding on: While him surviving was definitely seen as an act of cowardice by the American press, we today can say that it actually can be seen as a good thing that Ismay survived (plus the British weren't nearly as harsh towards him when he returned to Great Britain). As the president of the White Star Line at the time, he needed to defend his company during both inquiries into the disaster. In addition, a lot of the conversations between people like Smith and Andrews that occurred during the disaster, all came from Ismay. If he had died, we wouldn't have known things like Andrews saying that the ship has an hour left to live (among other things of course). Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight as well, so there's that.
Just a Heads up @@paulanthony5274, the Question has just been Updated, and you didn’t answer the main point of the Question (or you did and I didn’t notice it) which is: Did the thought of Bruce Ismay wishing that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship ever cross his mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank?
True @@Lotus_RT, but did the thought of Bruce Ismay wishing that he stayed onboard and gone down with the ship ever cross his mind in the days, weeks, months, or even years after the Titanic Sank?
Survival Guilt it would get to you. Regardless if you survive you would have PTSD
WHY would you dislike this he is amazing and its educational on top of it!!!!!
I enjoyed immensely!!
An interesting captivating narrator!
Keepin it real time & time again.
My fascination with Titanic runs deep. I enjoy listening to you!
Thank you 🚢
UA-cam must be broken if its getting copyrighted everytime.
f... youtube
In the '97 movie, there's a scene where one boat moves its passing over to another boat and goes back for more. When the Captain called the boats back, they should have done that for real. You got a boat of 12 people. Put them in another damn boat and go back for more people. Before it sinks. It would be hard. They'd have to jump or climb down ropes. But desperate times require desperate measures.
Those 12 people were having none of that. Boat No 1, Duff Gordon party plus 7 crew members.
Keep up the great work Sam our children need to learn about this very important piece of history great video dude
The actor who played Captain Smith in the 97 film, Bernard Hill, has looked practically the same age for 25 years.
To me, this judgement of Captain Smith sounds too euphemistic. It might have be common to maintain full speed at night even in the near of ice fields, but e.g. the Californian had even _stopped_ because of the ice field she reported. So they didn't dare to go at their full speed of 12 knots, whilst the Titanic made 21 knots as if nothing had happened (remember they got about _eight_ ice warnings, at least one of them was pinned at the bridge to be noticed by all officers). Captain Smith was certainly in sorrow about his 2200 souls, but too late.
What he did after the collision is admittedly difficult to judge, depending on the different reports. By the way the cut cinema version of James Cameron's movie depicts him as too hesitating and passive, omitting the megaphone stuff, but if you watch the deleted scenes, he appears much more active and positive. I think he is a tragic person and feel sorry for him, wished he had survived but also his passengers. Just remember how many children were onboard, and other innocent people who - in contrast to him - had no chance to influence the ship's fate.
You should do video about the Carpathia being Torpedoed during WW1.
Wow did the Germans not realize her importance in history
I belive that a night to remember had a scene where a man swam up to the overturned collapsible boat and asked if there was a spot. Erie to think that could've been the captain
I think that was the officer who was in charge of lowering the life boats. I believe you are talking about a man who said "Okay take it easy" when he was denied access to the boat.
That was a theory or something someone made up to honor Captain Smith
"Be British, my men!" - Capt. Smith during the sinking.
Well the British do have a proud naval tradition
@@8Maduce50 True, but this was nothing to do with the Royal Navy. This was about being a member of the British nation, and how such a man ought to act in a crisis. A far cry from the 21st century.
@@ministryofanti-feminism1493 military tradition is an embodiment of the civilian tradition and vis versa they are in essence both conceptualn ideals of how to act in the face of danger. but you are right the ultimate responsibility Is putting one's life on the line
and as captain of ship that mean your life is second to everyone else's. That ie why that Italian captian got so much flack for abandoning the rescue efforts of the cruise ship he capsized. (Can't remember the name of the ship)
@@8Maduce50 The Costa Concordia?
Can you do videos about First Officer Murdoch & Chief Officer Wilde?
Love your videos . Ive been watching your videos about The Titanic. Awesome work. Very interesting. Answers many questions ive always had.
These are such great videos!! Thank you!
This is just my opinion but I think Captain Smith went down with he's ship . He was a Honorable Man for going down with he's ship. He's a Man I'd like to shake the hand off.
You know, I would love to see when people said Smith was going to retire after completing the return trip...
Going by WSL records, he was scheduled to command _Gigantic_ later to be renamed _Britannic_
First vid i ever watched from ya when you were at 20k you have grown soo much!
Not good that you have to redo everything. Lost all your views and comments. Good because we got to watch it and build up your views again. Love your work 😍
Smith was a hero by going to the bottom with the ship. Jack Philips didn’t send the crucial iceberg warning to the bridge.
Hey man... love your videos... even keep rewatching them... had a question that maybe you could just answer here or if you think it would be worth a video... that I leave up to you... it would be for a "what if" serie... and that how much more time would the Titanic have... if the 6th compartment would not have that small damage in the coal bunker? Could they last with the ship until the Carpathia came to the rescue if only the 5 compartments would be damaged?
The fact he dies tells you all you need to know about who Captain Smith thought was to blame. No matter what, if there is a person left on board, the captain has to go down with the ship. Period. Full stop. As my dad would say, "if you're not to blame then who is?"
The whole "going down with the ship" does that mean not surviving or just staying on it when it sinks, or being the last to leave?
I imagine that once he found out that the ship was sinking, he was in shock. His LAST voyage. All the people that would die. Possibly knowing he would die. Wow! I like how it was portrayed in the movie.
I thought andrews was last seen in the smoking room?
There are many testimonies about what happened to him. There where probably a few passengers that survived that saw him there. Not sure if that was where he was when the Titanic plunged.
It’s more like making sure you save as many people as you possibly can and then leaving. You don’t have to die with your ship but of course some did die with their ships, Smith was one of them
The literal meaning is not clear, you could argue it was either of those two, or both. The 3rd option is irrelevant as so many were unable to leave. If Smith left the ship and his body was never found, could he have been picked up by a lifeboat?
@@aj6954 yes he would have been picked up, he’d have been in trouble if there was any evidence of him leaving the ship before it sank though
@@DavidAGIII Even bigger trouble if it was known that both he and Ismay survived. And that`s where it gets interesting as Smith had a positive ID in Baltimore 3 months later, so he must have been picked up by one of the lifeboats.
This man is wrong. Even Frank Prentice said it was the captains fault for going to fast, he lay the blame solely at the bridge and that was a man who survived even though he went down with the ship as it sunk.
Great work I enjoy all your posts you are keeping the spirit and memory of these beautiful ships alive ❤️I will never understand how lifeboats left the ship half full that is so sad.....
Honestly that ending was eerie to me. Idk why but i felt unsettled thinking about that.
I really like this one mate.
Cheers for a great video
In a German documentary from 10 years ago, they said Captain Smith had been too old, and that he had been responsible for 2 near-collisions before. And if he had traveled at 10 knots, the simulation program said he wouldn't have hit the iceberg. But it seems like since then newer information has come to the fore that speaks to his not being responsible? I liked his character in the movie, he looked like a fine man
Can you do a Video that try’s to Answer the Question: “Who Committed Suicide on the Titanic”?
Although this may upset people, it is likely it was Murdoch. There were too many accounts of an officer commiting suicide to ignore, most witnesses say it was either the Chief Officer or the First Officer, Murdoch was the First Officer wearing Chief Officer insignia.
another great vidio! I would like for you to talk about the WW2 york station accident, wich took the life of many people and the A4 pacific "Silver Fox", wich while the tender was fully recovered, the main body of the locomotive was beyond repair, and the most sad thing is that it was an avacuation train wich the nazis bombed with their war-planes inthe time of an air raid
Was Smith actually going to retire or was this just a story added later to inject irony to the story? I’ve heard conflicting opinions. Are there any primary sources to back up the retirement story?
How about making a video about dining on board the Titanic. What was it like?
Did you get a copyright strike again?
No, I am trying to fix it using a disclaimer. Cause under law it should be fine
what happened to captain Smith is that once the titanic broke in two he started to pilot the stern on its descent to the ocean floor yelling ''Yahoo''
No, he sang I Will Survive, and then New York New York when he climbed into a lifeboat.
This is my criticism of Smith. Once the ship hit the berg he basically disappeared as the leader of the vessel. To turn the lifeboat situation over to first and second officers was a mistake. He simply should have put the ship under martial law and got tough. Get everyone to the boat deck, that was his responsibility. Force everyone into the boats at gun point if necessary. The sinking would not be remembered as it is today, but, may 500 to 1000 more people could have been saved. To hell with the lifeboat capacity. Not Tonight!!!
If they put to many people on lifeboats they could capsize.
Smith could have maybe continued sailing towards the Californian or field ice but overfilling the lifeboats would just mean they’d sink
my favorite movie is titanic 1997 its still one of my favorites due to everything the acting the music the production everything and my all time favorite composer composed the music for the movie he also scored my favorite american civil war movie glory of course im talkin about james horner
The Mount Temple would provide an interesting topic because some believe that this is the ship that Titanic could see in the distance and not the Californian. This conclusion is based on the fact that the Titanic was not where she thought she was and where the Californian was positioned, she could not have been close enough from the actual sinking site of Titanic - and therefore not visible.
Incidentally, the Temple did not have a Morse radio on board and the evince hinted that the Temple's captain decided not to traverse a perilous ice field, despite observing a ship in distress.
Absolutely as I understand it, but not a lot of people seem to go along with it.
I love these vids so much keep up the content
It means andrew didnt died inside the reception hall . In the movie he died in a reception hall and a clock .
That BG Music 🤣🤣🤣
I love your show!
You could perhaps put your titanic 1997 footage in black and white to try and stop copyright claims
Brilliant idea
It would have looked well cowardly for a Captain who was responsible for the ship crew and passengers to have took up room on a lifeboat and deprive another person of their life. It was his ship and his responsibility, its as simple as that.
he could have made his own lifeboat from shit around the ship and laugh at the nOObz in lifeboats . Live till 120 and die during sex lol
So many people want to base everything they know on Cameron's titanic movie. I was eating up any fact I could find from when I was a small child books and a&e documentaries and such. The wasn't freely accessible untill after i was a senior in high school around 2000. So many people act like they know everything just because theyve seen the movie a hundred times and this bugs me so much.
Not saying that's how you are. I wouldn't have subbed if I thought you were small potatoes. I've heard read and watched everything I could get a hold of for a long time. I'm probably one of those jerks that would correct you nicely of you got a fact wrong lol.
Anyway I'm glad to see you on here and I appreciate your fascination for the old times. I love seeing other history buffs you can tell who really cares and who doesn't. 💕
Can you do the wireless Officer Jonh George Jack Phillips and Harold Bride
I don't blame Captain Smith for anything that went wrong on the voyage. He was simply doing his job and he genuinely did think he was being safe
Captain Edward J Smith lived in a village called Fenton not far from my old village dresden from Longton Town!
I have a theory on captain Smith. When he went to the bridge with Thomas Andrews, Andrews said there's no use in waiting, and then they both jump into the sea. They swim around, and And Andrews dies of hypothermia shortly after. Smith swims around in that area and when the ship goes down, he goes up to collapsible B, and asks if there's anymore room. The man on the boat says no, but Lightoller does not see this, and so, Smith swims into the ocean and dies of hypothermia. That's my theory.
twist ending: smith cracked andrews over the head and then uses his body as a makeshift raft, paddling to newfoundland and living the rest of his life there in secret in some fishing shack
Damn, is this kindergarten or something? Just making up stories now. Lol
Have you covered the fire aboard the titanic and the damage it did to the hull?
Wouldn’t the captain know that hanging to the ship as long as he could and plumb into the ocean with it would have been the least painful death, since the water pressure would have crashed the ship and all people in mere seconds?
I heard that song at my doctors office
I think Captain Smith was a true hero. Smith knew that he was probably going to die that night, He knew that from the wireless reports that the Carpathia would not reach the Titanic in time. How do you think this man must have felt in his heart, knowing that he has lost his ship the biggest in the world on its Maiden voyage, and knowing that over half the passengers would die! a Captain like Smith could do only so much, some people say he should have been on the bridge! so ok when is he going to get any rest or sleep? Many people complain about his behavior, only if they could put themselves in his predicament. I think Captain Smith did his best! I agree with you that Capt. Smith and Thomas Andrews probably jump over the bridge wing and met their fate. I think that night Capt. Lord of the Californian is the one who tried to say "not my fault" the SS Californian saw the destressed rockets and did not do what they should have done! and that was to wake up the wireless room and find out that the problem was? yeah I know I'm running off my mouth but I enjoy your video`s a lot, it`s good to see someone that is interested in the story of what happened that cold April night when the biggest ship in the world hit an iceberg and sank. the Titanic will always be a Mystery? what really happened that night when 1,523 people lost their life? We may never know!........... some things I have collected over the years are postcards that have been sent to friends and family about their ordeal on the Titanic, one woman said that she lost her husband but the children were ok. I have 5 postcards with different stories. I also have a Bible that a woman took with her in one of the lifeboats maybe she thought it would keep her safe! It has got her name, the time, date, name of the ship "Titanic", my wife found it in a church in England we had it 28 years before we noticed what was written in it. my wife is English She lived in Norwich Norfolk, Tootenbeck, and Yarmouth, it is a seaport. my wife's age is 77, her great grandfather his name was Derbridge he was a carpenter on the SS Olympic, and SSTitanic. we do know that he worked with wood carvings that went in the first-class stateroom. the family has a box of tools and leftover wood trim, floor tiles, his badge number it`s made out of wood, he would use it for bathroom visits, etc. if you would like to send me your E-mail I will send you a picture of some items. my wife and I live in a small town just outside Portland, Oregon fairly close to Mt. Hood and the Cascade mountains.
Nice
Maybe the Titanic would've never struck an iceberg if it didn't deviate from its route in the first place.
I’d like to think he possibly stayed in the wheelhouse as she went down like in the movie. No matter which way you look at it, it was a tragic end for a great captain going down with his ship.
Awesome Work Man
Why was Andrews' assessment of how long the ship had was 60 to 90 minutes off? Was there a particular variable that he didn't account for?
Wow amazing 🎉
Again excellent channel
You posted this video one Day A go. Did you get copyrighted again? Was it first show in the picture
No it didnt, I am trying to restore the original using a disclaimer cause under law this video should be fine.
Peter Pryal, a former Captain Smith' shipmate on the Majestic, claimed to have seen him twice in Baltimore downtown and exchanged a few words with him three months after the wreckship.
To quote Michael Caine - "Not a lot of people know that!" It was also reported that he left Baltimore and turned up in Ohio where he died 3 years later.
Hey Captain Smith slow down the ship its pitch dark and nothing can be seen outside. Your lookout doesn't have any binoculars and the sea pathway is littered with dangerous icebergs. SLOW DOWN Captain Smith what is wrong with you
Who was set to take over the ship after the maiden voyage and captain smiths retirement? I’ve looked all over and can’t find the answer to this question.
No evidence to actually suggest this, but I'd hazard a guess at either Charles Bartlett (captain of Britannic) or Bertram Hayes (captain of Olympic during the war and of Majestic, Britannic's post war replacement)
I heard that after the Titanic sank, he then left the wheel and swam out to the iceberg and punched it saying, "take this!" Those who witnessed it said the iceberg, which had thus far drifted south then began to move north, where it would sink no more vessels.
The last mans story captain or not is really sad. You are still alive in cold water looking way to escape and you see a boat but there is just not room for you and you just swim away in the freezing water....
I can see your point about Titanic not stopping, but at the same time, the California had stopped due to ice bergs. Even after all is said and done, that was an option, however unpopular it would have been.
Hi, I was wondering if you've heard about the supposed fire in the coal bunkers, before the Titanic left Southampton?
10:38 Was that the Captain? Was there anyone else that could have been mistaken for the Captain, beard and all?
Thats what i was thinking...especially in the water without a captains uniform and stuff
It wasn't because of the beard or uniform, it was due to his voice. They said they did not recognize his face, but the voice seemed familiar. Only later someone remembered that it was actually captain's voice.
Quick question, why are a lot of your videos not full length? I had mentioned that one second clip showing how loud the steam was, and you replied saying “read the description”. Why are your videos shorter after you initially release them?
youtube copyright strike them for no reason, it was either cut the clip or I would lose all the views. So I cut it, made adjustments and reuploaded
@@HistoricTravels Thanks for the explanation Sam. I’m enjoying your channel very much!
Reading all these stories from the survivors and them saying “last seen/spotted” just feels so Eerie doesnt it? Like... what happened to them after.. what were their final moments like? Just makes me feel upset to wander down the possibilities
The Captain is the first one on the ship and the last one off the ship
Got a question did they ever found smith or andrews body
No, their bodies were never recovered
I would like to know more about the Addergoole 14.
That is a good point same in a night to remember their is that seen where the upside down life boat and he swam to it the people were saying no will flip over and lightholler swam to it to take control and he was trying to tell the man to come back to the life boat and I think light holler knew it was captain Smith . cant quote me on that ive only seen the film twice now.
Apparently his body was never recovered or if it was they didn't recognise him or thought he was someone else
Great understanding
He was a legend
Great videos
Keep up the good work
I'm only @2:41 and i have to call BS. I was once a truck diver and as a trucker your speed always depends on the conditions, you have to take everything into consideration: the size of your load, the weather, the conditions of the roads, your visibility, the time of day you drive etc. That being said, you could be going 50mph on 55mph highway ( which is less than the speed limit) but it you have an incident you could be given a ticket for "driving too fast for conditions".
I feel that that the Titanic was definitely going too fast for conditions. They were traveling at night and there was no moon so visibility is significantly compromised, the ocean was calm so you wouldn't be able to see the waves hit the ice, the look-outs didn't have binoculars, they had several warning about ice ( i do know that the labrador current pushed ice futher south than usual but they were still warned about ice), i could go on and on but the fact is they were going too fast for conditions and i do say that aspect of the crash is at least partially the captain's fault. Seems like common sense that they should have slowed down under those conditions.
You seem to be just making excuses for him instead of just being honest and calling out his bad decisions. If they would have reduced their speed there is a great chance they would have spotted the iceberg in time to avoid a collision, the fact that you are glossing over this fact means you're either intentionally being dishonest or you just don't know what you're talking about. No disrespect but I'm a very honest person, i call it how i see it. I'll be unsubbing because you come across as dishonest.
1. Titanic wasn't going full speed. The last 4 boilers were not lit.
2. They actually traveled further SOUTH of the ice field after receiving ice warnings and in April ice was very common hazard in the shipping lanes
3. He wasn't on the bridge when the iceberg was spotted. He wasn't the one at the wheel.
4. Due to cold water mirage effect, they weren't able to spot it until it was too late and due to the calm sea, with no water breaking at the base the iceberg was difficult to spot.
5. Ships of the time did not necessarily stop just because of ice as they had schedules to keep and Titanic was no different.
I suggest reading "On a a Sea of Glass" it is the most comprehensive book on the Titanic disaster. And does a good job writing out Captain Smith's actions before and after striking the iceberg as well as his actions during the sinking.
Here ya go ha e a read and actually learn something. Wether Titanic was going a bit slower or not wouldnt have made much a difference because remember, even after stoppi g engines the Titanic will still drift along from her own inerta www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2118103/Did-MIRAGE-sink-Titanic-New-research-finds-freak-weather-hidden-iceberg-late.html
Could the stern of the Titanic stay afloat if the bow fell off completely and did not pull the rest of the ship with it? All watertight compartments are closed and water would not go further.
In my opinion, it absolutely could have.
I would suspect it would have been too out of balance to float stably, with those massive engines and other major machinery clustered more towards the front of the remaining section.
It may have stayed afloat longer, but still would have eventually sank. Maybe it would have lasted long enough for the Carpathia to rescue everyone. (Jan Griffiths).
In theory, yes. But in practice not really. The stern never got a chance to settle and be stable, so it simply capsized, and after that no amount of watertight bulkheads would keep it afloat (they're open at the top).
the watertight compartments weren't watertight at all....they DIDN'T go all the way to the top and weren't sealed....the water just came over the top into the next and the next....
Captain Smith was warned before voyage but not about icebergs
The story of the Arctic is one of the absolute worse.
The Medusa is up there also.
Was captains body never recovered?
No.
He wanted to break a world speed record
No, he didn’t. He and Ismay wanted the Titanic to get to New York City before the Olympic got back to Southampton.
nice, im first again. but am i really first?