Titanic, Klondike Gold Rush, and Both Word Wars, Is This Man the Most Interesting Man in the World?
Was Charles Lightoller one of the most interesting men in the world?
Having survived history’s most famous maritime disaster, received medical honors twice in World War I, and participated in one of the most unique military evacuations in World War II, is Charles Lightoller one of the most interesting men in history?
Born in Lancashire in March of 1874, Charles Lightoller’s life started out in adversity. His mother died after giving birth to him. At the age of ten, his father abandoned him and fled to New Zealand.
His Love of the Sea
The Lightoller family had long operated cotton-spinning mills, but Charles had other plans. At 13, he began an apprenticeship aboard the Primrose Hill. On only his second voyage, the ship ran into a brutal storm. It would later run aground and require a rescue.
Later, as third mate aboard the Knight of St. Michael, the cargo of coal caught fire aboard the ship. Lightoller’s actions to fight the fire and save the ship earned him a promotion. By the time he was 21, he was a seasoned sailor with a strong reputation.
Ever the adventurer, Lightoller would join the Royal Mail Service in Africa. When he heard of gold in the Yukon, he joined the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. When that didn’t pan out, he became a cowboy in Alberta.
Earning a Ticket to Titanic
When he finally returned home, he was penniless. He found his way back to the sea joining the RMS Oceanic, at the time the flagship of the White Star Line. During this time, he had worked alongside Captain Edward J. Smith. This would help him secure a spot aboard RMS Titanic.
On that fateful April night, Lightoller commanded the last bridge watch before the ship struck the iceberg. As he transitioned watch to Murdoch he had ordered the ship’s lookouts to be alert for ‘small ice, particularly growlers.’
As Titanic took on water, Lightoller was in charge of lowering the lifeboats on the port side. He enforced Captain Smith’s orders for women and children to ensuring their priority.
Once Titanic finally went under, Lightoller wound up int he Atlantic. He would later describe the water’s temperature as “a thousand knives being driven into one’s body.”
The World At War
Having escaped Titanic, Lightoller’s next adventure was with the Royal Navy. It was World War I.
His former ship, the RMS Oceanic, had been converted into an armed merchant cruiser. It would be wrecked on the Shaalds of Foula in September of 1914. He was the last man off the ship.
His bravery earned him command of the torpedo boat HMTB 117. While in command, he engaged in a prolonged night battle with a zeppelin.
His actions would earn him a Distinguished Service Cross. It would also earn him a promotion. He was appointed captain of a C-class torpedo boat named the HMS Falcon.
Tragically, his ship would sink in April of 1918 after collision with a local trawler in dense fog. After formal review, Lightoller was noted for staying aoard the sinking vessel until all but three of his crew (who had been trapped below deck) were evacuated.
Less than three months later, while in command of the HMS Garry, he would sink the German U-boat UB-110.
At Peace With No Prospects, Until Duty Called
As World War I ended, Lightoller, despite a distinguished service career, had trouble finding work. The tragedy of Titanic was a black mark on his record he could not overcome.
Though a seasoned maritime leader, he’d earn his living elsewhere. As an innkeeper, a chicken farmer, and a property speculator. He would sail from time to time aboard his private motor yacht the Sundowner to keep his connection to the sea.
When World War II broke out, Lightoller’s sea expertise would once again be on full display. British soldiers sent to stop Nazi Germany’s advance in northern France were surrounded and stranded in Dunkirk.
Evacuating Dunkirk
The British military was desperate to evacuate nearly 350,000 British and French soldiers. Out of options, they called upon every civilian boat they could to assist. That call was willfully answered by Charles Lightoller.
With his son Roger and a scout named Gerald Ashcroft, the Sundowner under command of Lightoller crossed the English Channel. He’d arrive in Dunkirk and though licensed to carry just 21 passengers, Lightoller would load 127 British servicemen aboard.
Sailing back across the channel, he ran into German a plane. Using an evasive maneuver his deceased youngest son had taught him, Lightoller avoided attack. The Sundowner and its passengers returned to England safely.
Lightoller would finish out World War II as a member of the Small Vessels Pool. He would ferry arms and ammunition for the Royal Army Service Corps until war’s end.
At 78, Charles Lightoller would pass away in December of 1952 from heart disease. His life was full of courage, adventure, and featured a front row seat at some of the 20th century’s most historical events.
History for the Hurried:
September 23, 1991: Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
September 24, 1980: War erupted between Iran and Iraq as Iraqi troops crossed the border and encircled Abadan, then set fire to the world's largest oil refinery.
September 29, 1789: Congress created the United States Army, consisting of 1,000 enlisted men and officers