Titanic's Senior Surviving Officer: Charles Lightoller (part 1 of 2)

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Part 2 available now: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKSphZSunciors0

[@Duchy_Warsaw]

Mr Lightoller, the mad lad, surviving Titanic, World war 1, a German Zeppelin, a U-boat and Dunkirk. He is truly a mad lad.

[@official_9101]

and ww2 he died in 1952

[@harrietharlow9929]

I'll raise a glass to that!

[@Backroad_Junkie]

He lived a dozen normal lives, didn't he? Bet he had stories to tell in his neighborhood bar. Probably never had to buy another drink, lol.

[@Duchy_Warsaw]

@@official_9101 he did not participate in world war 2, only the dunkirk evacuation.

[@official_9101]

@@Duchy_Warsaw he survived it still thats what i meant

[@thestonedabbot9551]

I'm so glad someone with a platform is telling the story of this guy's phenomenal life

[@DJ118USMC]

He may of had a phenomenal life but I don't think he was a very good person. He certainly made some HUGE mistakes with the Titanic sinking, Including not allowing men to board the lifeboats even when there was no more woman and children around. Also during WW1 he allowed German U-boat personal to drown.

[@the4tierbridge]

@@DJ118USMC the proof of the U-Boat thing is iffy, but I agree in the statement about Titanic.

[@debbiemcglade6363]

Yeah rgt guilty of corporate manslaughter---- lieing through his teeth watched it sink with his own eyes !!!! My arse 😒lightoller was piece work complete whitewash

[@rickjensen2717]

Yes a very mixed picture! He helped save some, but by allowing half-filled boats to be lowered he could, and should, have saved well over 100+ more poor souls. He also not only allowed surrendering German sailors to drown, he also allowed them to be shot at! He clearly should have been prosecuted for this....mind you he wasn't the only one who got away with war crimes on all sides of the conflict.

[@xr6lad]

Sorry: I see these men as cowards and not heroes. These are the people that could have got more people off the Titanic and into lifeboats but for the archaic’ woman and children first’ rule and then sending half empty boats off. It’s due to every single senior officer not doing the right thing instead of the noble thing we have this death toll . We should never celebrate these people. 700 survivors could have been 1100 if not for their ‘morals’.

[@thestonedabbot9551]

6:40 Worth mentioning that when he failed to find any gold in the Klondike, Lightoller walked all the way across Canada, following train tracks until he got back to the East coast and worked on a small brig to earn his voyage home

[@jacksonclavierproductions]

The golden standard for ocean liner related content. Keep up the great work man.

[@Ei_No]

Agreed!

[@busterbeagle2167]

I’d say platinum myself. But......

[@supermull]

I have his book, absolutely fascinating, I’m surprised no one has made a film about him! Absolute legend

[@the4tierbridge]

I think Dunkirk is partly based on his WW2 escapades,

[@TheGreatBigMove]

The second part of this video on Charles Lightoller will be uploaded on May 6th. Thank you for watching!

[@changingupmychannelforabit9554]

E

[@suSnayC]

*POG*

[@themount6549]

What about the Airship/Zeppelin videos part two?

[@lifeofashipfan768]

@@changingupmychannelforabit9554 Hi Barin

[@changingupmychannelforabit9554]

@@lifeofashipfan768 GASP BIG MAT PP

[@Ei_No]

A part two telling his story post Titanic would be great! Excellent as always

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Part 2 will include his life after Titanic!

[@Ei_No]

@@TheGreatBigMove cant wait!

[@jamesmckay8776]

Great video! Keep them up. I grow up in Lightoller home town. Chorley, Lancashire. He's a local hero and the school he attended when he was younger is still on use. There's a plac in the entrance dedicated to him.

[@BlueandGrayDivision]

He is not a hero, I blame him because of Woman & Children only.

[@tanler7953]

As a young man he used to frolic with his shipmates swimming in the harbors amid the hulls of ships in port. He was intimidated neither by the ships nor by the ocean. This goes a long way to explain why Lightoller casually strode across the roof of the bridge and dived into the water minutes before the Titanic sank beneath the waves, while the remaining passengers raced back towards the stern in panic.

[@scubaduck11]

As someone who dives the wreck of the Primrose Hill it is fascinating to hear the stories of the crew who knew her. Only one survived her wreck.

[@jasona9]

Second Officer Charles Lightoller interpreted the order of "Women and Children FIRST" as "Women and Children ONLY". This unexplained and catastrophic mistake was a contributing reason why approximately 400 seats in the Titanic's lifeboats launched EMPTY. What a pity....

[@daphneduryea9136]

It was explained. There were several factors at play: 1) the captain didn't tell him how extensive the damage was. 2) the captain didn't tell him that the ship nearby wasn't responding. 3) it was the captain's idea to load men closer to the surface via the gangway doors. 4) Lightoller knew that if the horde of men on deck saw other men being loaded it would turn into a free- for- all. Here's Boxhall on the BBC telling of Captain Smith ordering him to row around to the starboard side to the gangway doors. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHXEnYqci8-BfJo

[@jasona9]

@@daphneduryea9136 You made several good points. I have read Charles Lightoller's statement from the American inquiry. Regarding Point 1, It's clear that he did NOT know (at least until VERY late) how serious the situation was. He admitted to not knowing the Titanic would sink. Still, 400 empty seats in Lifeboats? That is the HEIGHT of incompetence. Lightoller and EJ Smith must bear responsibility for this. Point 3, E.J Smith's idea to "load men closer to the surface" was a poor decision. Especially for such a seasoned Captain. Point 4, many of the first Lifeboats launched partially-full because of passenger reluctance to enter them. Urgency was NOT instilled in the passengers. I will never understand how Smith and Lightoller would rather see a Lifeboat seat leave the ship EMPTY, than allow a male passenger to fill it. It's a shame, approximately 1500 souls were lost, but it could have been cut to 1,100.

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

​@@jasona9 Another reason why he had them lowered half empty is because he was afraid the weight of them being completely filled would cause them to break off of their ropes before they got close enough to the water which I kinda understand, though he still should’ve given the people in them some kind of instructions on how to help at least a few more people into those lifeboats with them once they reached the water. Gladly, Lightoller at least helped cover the upturned bottom of the Collapsible B lifeboat with as many people as they could fit on it and didn’t mind them being mostly men.

[@BlueandGrayDivision]

​@@jasona9 Right, I blame Lightoller.

[@fiachramaccana280]

@@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY That was down to lack of training/communication. The davits were start of the art and very comfortable handling the weight of a full lifeboat several times over. However due to lack of training and poor communication the officers did not know/trust this fact. Had they trained offloading full lifeboats previously this psychological problem would have been overcome

[@taralynnes]

I'm so glad I found this channel! I never knew Charles Lightoller was so interesting. Thanks for uploading!!

[@filthycasual8074]

underated

[@frankorobinson1540]

I've read the book ,but the audio version of titanic stories can sometimes bring more life the the story,,great job man,Mr lightoler had a wonderful exciting life,,a man's man if you would.and the way he explained his adventures was truly a life indeed.

[@matthewbetancourt4166]

I read Mr. Lightoller's memoir and it was amazed, won't give any spoilers but everyone should read it.It is great.

[@starrsmith3810]

He’s either terrifying, a badass, or both I think it’s both

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

He was a good a guy.

[@FreedomLovingLoyalistOfficial]

Nice video on Second Officer Lightoller.

[@tommcglone2867]

That prank in Sydney Harbour is fantastic. The stones required to pull that off especially at the height of the Boer War are such you need them to generate gravity

[@nicholaskelly6375]

I have known his great nephew since 1978. Very good indeed. I have often felt that the loss of RMS TITANIC was where In Time & Space the doubt that has plagued modern Britain actually began.

[@starrfaithfull6934]

I hope you aren't referring to Valentine Low. He wrote a ridiculous, specious book based on an impossible conspiracy theory regarding the Titanic.

[@jetsons101]

What a great video, top notch job. What a fantastic back story for Charles Lightoller. Already looking forward to part two. Thanks for your time and hard work.

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Thank you, Mike!

[@litamtondy]

Got me emotional at the end. Good job, really good job.

[@jonathankirsch2121]

You are crushing it with these videos! This is great for titanic week, thank you

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Thank you, Jonathan! I enjoyed making this video which is a little different from what I usually do.

[@blakegriplingph]

Lightoller's insane antics rival that of Fegelein. What a true chad.

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

Very well done video, so interesting. Thanks

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bar10ml44]

Superb presentation. So many strands intertwine causing such a tragic loss of life. I look forward to part 2

[@onesmoothstone5680]

An honest-to- goodness and genuine hero.

[@JamesRichards-mj9kw]

He was a war criminal.

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

@@JamesRichards-mj9kw No, he wasn’t. He did his job during those world wars and it was for Germany’s own good.

[@ssherrierable]

He stood on an overturned lifeboat with water up to his knees until he was rescued the next day.

[@starrfaithfull6934]

He also saved 30 men while standing on that boat, instructing them to "Lean left, lean right, now stand straight." He was virtually using that curved keel as a misshapen surf board. As highest ranking officer, he was the last man to board Carpathia. A one of a kind man.

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

@@starrfaithfull6934 Yeah, though only 27 of those 30 people were able to survive.

[@pantherplatform]

I wish I grew up in those days and was able to see all these magnificent new machines that are a thing of the past now. I remember how I felt when I watched Titanic in the theatre on 12/19/97. Now I have my own machines to love.

[@rmscelticlines3374]

Lightoller is an amazing officer! Thanks for covering him!

[@CStone-xn4oy]

How is this man's life not a Netflix mini-series?

[@flaminggaming5295]

The prank he pulled in Sydney honestly has me cackling... sounds exactly like something I would do

[@rodrigopaim82]

No one commenting on how damn awesome that prank was? Lmao. Thankfully that superintendent had sense of humour

[@bcfairlie1]

What a very brave man

[@paulheenan9098]

Lightoller's last minute demotion on Titanic was Captain Smith's doing. Smith and Murdoch, having served on Olympic, were the only deck officers with experience handling a ship of Titanic's size. The rest of the officers were sourced from much smaller vessels in the fleet. As a result, Smith desired having another experienced officer onboard for the maiden voyage and chose Olympic's Chief Officer Henry Wilde (who was due to be promoted and given his own command), with the command structure to revert back to what it was upon Titanic's return to Southampton. (An interesting theory is what if this never happened? This would mean that Lightoller would have been on watch on the bridge at the time of the collision, not Murdoch)

[@bsmallwood1]

I think the only way Lightoller could have changed how the night and sinking played, out, would be by not throwing the ship' engine's into reverse during the turn to avoid the iceberg. Part of the process of putting the Titanic in reverse stopped the central propeller, which was directly in front of the rudder. By putting the ship in reverse, Murdoch reduced the effectiveness of the rubber. The question is, would Lightoller have executed the same port around maneuver as Murdoch and if he didn't, would then Titanic have turned quick enough to avoid the iceberg. I

[@Sophia-iy4gl]

I love this channel so much. You and yamato30 are my favorites right now

[@pahanranasinghe2244]

I like this channel very much Love from Sri Lanka

[@SoggyNugh]

That ending actually sent me chills

[@ArizonaIsAway]

Every single one of your videos are so interesting! I enjoy it every time upload, your storytelling abilities are great. All of the ships are so fun to learn about. Keep it up!

[@motorTranz]

Excellent content! Thank you.

[@jimmyviaductophilelawley5587]

Brilliant! What more can one say? I await part two with baited breath! Thankyou best wishes and take care

[@cokeysnose375]

Love the channel! Cant wait!

[@michaelriley2527]

Corey Trevor smokes let’s go

[@omarhamid3638]

I love ships and I’m so glad I found this amazing channel. New subscriber and I’m going to enjoy these, thank you for all your hard work and fantastic research!! ☺️

[@Paddy3443]

This is great! Thank you, very well done.

[@sidibill]

Really nice work. Looking forward to part 2. Thanks for all your videos.

[@mrh9358]

Love your channel! Another outstanding and inspiring character is HAPAG’s Gustav Schröder. I would love to see a video about him and the St. Louis on this channel.

[@hagmax1531]

Exactly the content I need

[@TheGreatBigMove]

Glad you enjoy it, Max. Part 2 of this video will be available tomorrow.

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

He helped save the lads from Dunkirk. Top lad.

[@JamesRichards-mj9kw]

He murdered POWs.

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

@@JamesRichards-mj9kw He never killed anyone on purpose, but the enemies.

[@beachbum4691]

Very insightful thank you for posting. Ticked and subscribed of course :)

[@brandonhamilton833]

Well done!!!! Subbed and looking forward to part two!

[@ducflyr]

Well done, as usual. Thank you for interesting film clips of maritime scenes from long ago.

[@TheGreatBigMove]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@No1.OriginalTrilogyStarWarsFan]

Great video mate.

[@drockjr]

Your videos come out of left field but are weirdly interesting

[@corrion1]

should have a movie about him tbh

[@kaitoffelkopf]

Great and well-researched video, as always. Looking forward to the second part. You have a very pleasant narrative voice, sir. Just a question: Are you planning on doing videos on the biographies of the other (deck) officers and crew individuals as well, sometime in future? I know that there's not much available information on the likes of Pitman f.e. But I think the stories of lesser known individuals that are often overlooked in the mainstream media, such as officer Moody or officer Lowe, need to be told as well. And I barely found any informative video material on them. Anyway, keep up the good work! :)

[@TheGreatBigMove]

I might in the future, but I don't have any immediate plans to cover the other officers. I've been thinking about doing Arthur Rostron, but there would be a lot of similarities with Lightoller so I will probably wait a while on that.

[@zidanezizu4873]

Supposedly.One of the main characters ( Mr Dawson ) was based on Herbert - in the recent Dunkirk movie !!

[@kevinhisee4265]

Hero and legend.

[@mr.juniii5523]

mr. lightoller has finaly a history vid after he's seen on many titanic movies

[@amylouise1]

Lightoller was born and grew up in my hometown :)

[@debbiemcglade6363]

U must surely be ashamed then

[@debbiemcglade6363]

Or u havnt clue of the facts

[@starrfaithfull6934]

Congratulations, amylouise, I'd love to be able to say the same.

[@sovietonionman]

love your videos can you do the sinking of the edmund fitzgerald

[@Ethan52108]

I always thought Charles looked down the Grand Staircase Stairwell, not the little stairs near the bridge.

[@mark-adams]

Wow, great documentary!

[@norranradd4357]

Looking forward to part 2.

[@amyjones8114]

I too was sidetracked in my life by my shenanigans.

[@joseybryant7577]

Bamboozled is such a fun word. Worth being bamboozled just to say it.

[@jacobandmore3915]

Do Joseph Boxhall next!

[@captnemo8069]

Three notable points about Lightoller. First, when Walter Lord wrote the book A Night to Remember, the story is mainly Lightoller's version of events, makes himself a hero figure. Second, at the American and English hearings of the sinking, Lightoller was often caught in little white lies, he seemed more concerned about still having a career with White Star rather than rat them out, not totally honest. Last, revealed by Lightoller's family after his death, a secret he kept to himself and family was that when the iceberg was sited and ordered "Hard to port", Titanic's pilot became so flustered that he mistakenly turn the wheel hard to starboard, toward the iceberg. Precious moments passed and were lost until someone realized and had him turn to port. That mistake alone could have made the difference. But Lightoller never revealed that fact at the inquiry to protect White Star from liability and himself so he'd still have a job after.

[@debbiemcglade6363]

Here here Billy Liar our these people all deluded he lied through his teeth

[@DerpyPossum]

you should probably learn what “Tiller Commands” are ;)

[@spiro3142]

@@debbiemcglade6363 wow you act like we didn’t already know this. How dumb are you going to make yourself look while chasing the “truth”.

[@tanler7953]

No reason for Lightoller not to be considered a hero. He and his fellow officers did their best under the circumstances. It's to his credit that he refused to tarnish the reputation of his employer.

[@starrfaithfull6934]

@captnemo, Lightoller was dead before Walter Lord began that book. Lord took his information from many sources, listed in the back of the book. Mrs. Sylvia Lightoller, widow, wrote letters back and forth with author Lord, but not that many, actually. Of course she was proud of her husband.

[@ryanthomas2374]

Damn Charles lightoller was a old salt

[@lawrencestrabala6146]

Lights!

[@miscellaneous.7127]

You are excellent at making these mini documentaries! Keep it up!

[@AShlaimon]

Lightiloer had a secret truth to the accident on the titanic that he only told his wife.

[@AShlaimon]

His wife told her daughter which told her daughter who wrote a book and revealed the family secret once wsl was bought by cunard

[@starrfaithfull6934]

​@@AShlaimonThe big reveal on that "secret." The granddaughter is a novelist in England and wrote that tale to promote her next romance novel. So much for that.

[@jec1ny]

Lightoller's autobiography is quite colorful and well worth the read. It has been uploaded onto the web at gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200231h.html

[@vegasspaceprogram6623]

You should do a video on the wreck of the clipper ship "dundonald" on dissapointment Island, and the next year or so of the crew being cast aways... please??

[@cheyennereynoso4116]

Whooh! Great video!

[@angstboycam]

ofc he survived he's a professional sailor

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

and he only survived because he knew the frightened, shivering men who were stranded on the upturned Collapsible B lifeboat needed his help.

[@mitchelljack1590]

Portrayed in two different big budget Hollywood movies - for two different things Impressive life

[@russianarmy-rh2wi]

he also served in the evacuation of dunkirk

[@nikostrand8570]

Love the videos. But particularly the background music and music effects on this one was a bit to loud for example 3:00, 11:25 and 14:05. Maybe turn them down 20-40%? Other than that keep them coming!

[@teddyn240]

7:46 Just a prank/social experiment bro.

[@whitestarline81]

I love it!

[@NOrlando952]

I didn’t think I would laugh this much holy shit.

[@edwardrice2848]

Super interesting life

[@davidthegreen]

Didn’t know about the Adelaide connection

[@mandywalkden-brown7250]

Me either! I’m guessing you’re from Adelaide too?

[@davidthegreen]

@@mandywalkden-brown7250 Originally yes

[@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714]

To a man like me women and children first has 1 major flaw, families are nothing without their fathers. If you put me in charge of making a policy for who gets evacuated I would say families first.

[@kevinkim271]

I do not envy Lightoller as he had some pretty difficult choices the night Titanic sank. Mainly his controversy in the strict interpretation of loading of lifeboats with only women and children. I am of the unpopular opinion that the evacuation of Titanic was a botched affair. There was approximately 466 (372 of one is generous and does not include the 2 collapsibles that floated off) empty seats in those lifeboats. Yes there is hindsight but there are also plenty of wrecks that foundered in a fraction of the time and yet had an equal if not higher chance of survival.

[@jeremyevans9521]

I agree, I couldn't believe they were sending down life boats with empty seats. Captain Smith even tried to order some of the life boats to come back but they refused. The whole situation is just sad and tragic.

[@corin492]

There is a reason why they were putting out life boats below capacity which is not well known, its not because of women and children first. The real reason is to do with the Davits which were cranes which lowered the boats into the sea. The Titanics Davits were were newly installed and had not been tested. Its a common myth that the crew did not trust the life boats themselves however the crew themselves had already tested them at capacity. The plan which was agreed between Lightoller and the sernior officers was that the lifeboats would be lowered into the water near capacity and then remain near the ship, whilst men would swim out to the boats in the sea from the side hatches. This would avoid the risk of swinging out the boats on the Davits at full capacity. This plan was found to be impractical in implementation, as the lifeboats ignored the order to remain near the ship and the Titanic sank too quickly so that the side hatches went below the waterline so could not be accessed.

[@universepenguin16]

Nooooo don’t eat the penguin 🐧

[@starrfaithfull6934]

It's okay. He refused to eat the horse named Rufus, even when he was starving.

[@MizNomer22]

Can you do a video about the nurse who was onboard the 3 White Star ships and survived?

[@ivangenov6782]

White star line didn't have only three ships i think you are talking about jessop violet (i may be wrong I can't remember) who served onboard RMS Olympic during her collision with HMS Hawke, RMS Titanic and HMHS Britannic during her sixth mission (i think) when HMHS Britannic struck a mine

[@MizNomer22]

@@ivangenov6782 Yes, apologies for the miswording. I meant the Titanic, Olympic and Britannic.

[@ivangenov6782]

@@MizNomer22 no problem, issue fixed

[@kimberlyharrie1041]

my great grandpa

[@beepaw1]

Just realized today is the day Titanic struck the iceberg 109 years ago

[@marialaarni678]

Yup

[@Grandpalemon29]

cool that he’s in my family

[@RankKnight16]

Let's watch until the video comes out

[@JDMilitaria]

Great video but the audio in some parts need to be turned down just a bit, hard to hear what's being said

[@blackopscw7913]

This man survived titanic then survived dunkirk in 1940

[@TheGreatBigMove]

And much more!

[@blackopscw7913]

@@TheGreatBigMove He also fought in WW1 Right?

[@lordcatboygaming]

Never did I think I'd learn a jab Futurama did to history from youtube

[@Titanic19127]

He was portrayed well in the movie

[@iwanaGoFast2010]

Lightoller was switched. Just like the Titanic.

[@daphneduryea9136]

I understand why you say the Titanic was but why Lightoller?

[@iwanaGoFast2010]

@@daphneduryea9136 Even the costa Concordia was switched. #STOPTHESWITCHES

[@AlextheHistorian]

09:46 "Oceanic...was just over a 1/3 the size of Titanic". Is he talking about a different Oceanic? Because the one in the pictures was 704 feet long...making it closer to 3/4 the size of Titanic.

[@TheGreatBigMove]

When comparing the size of ships, we generally use volume rather than length (gross register tons).

[@AlextheHistorian]

@@TheGreatBigMove ah, I see

[@bradwalton8373]

Very interesting presentation! In recent years Lightoller has come under increasing criticism for poor judgement and incompetence in overseeing the launching of the lifeboats on the forward part of the port boat deck. It would be interesting to hear your remarks on these criticisms.

[@TheGreatBigMove]

I would have to brush up on the details and nuances, but I would probably enjoy making a video on the entire lifeboat launching process on Titanic (including Lightoller, of course).

[@debbiemcglade6363]

Billy Liar ------ whitewash

[@spiro3142]

@@debbiemcglade6363 🤦‍♂️you really have no idea what whitewashing means do you?

[@DM-iw2qt]

How. He was not the captain or owner of company. Unless you were there you really don't know his actions deeds were honorable the California officers are some of the villains here , ship was going to fast. And not steered right a head on at reverse titanic would have survived

[@starrfaithfull6934]

​@TheGreatBigMove If you don't want to buy the transcripts of the US Senate hearing, or the UK inquiry, they are available on the Internet. Thanks for this presentation. Please read "The Odyssey of C.H. Lightoller," by Patrick Stenson. It fills in a lot of gaps. Does anyone know that while trying to ride 2,000 miles East to Montreal at the end of Lightoller's youthful gold mining foolishness, the need to kill one of two horses he and his compadre were riding came up? The pair were starving, and were only staying alive on vermin. Lightoller wouldn't hear of it. His horse, Rufus, was an innocent, trusting companion. The thought of killing him was abhorrent, but eating that horse? No. I admired that in Lightoller.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Fun fact his son,a RN officer was killed in a German raid in France after D-Day

[@ryanwulfsohn2563]

Another of his sons , a Royal Air Force navigator, was killed on one of the first British bombing raids of the war

[@starrfaithfull6934]

Is the death of a son a "fun fact?" Two beloved boys lost to that war.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

@@starrfaithfull6934 irony is a lost skill for some

[@suSnayC]

30 seconds before premier

[@humptydumpedme5006]

Have you done the Ville du Havre from 1873?