Picture courtesy GALERIA FOTOGRAFICA  

Charles Herbert Lightoller was the Second Officer on board the Titanic. He was 38 years old and married.

Lightoller had just retired for the night when Titanic struck the iceberg. He took responsibility for loading the even numbered lifeboats.

He climbed onto the roof of the officers' quarters to release collapsible B. As he did so a large wave washed him into the sea. He was sucked under as the ship went down but was blown to the surface by the force of the water hitting the hot boilers. He surfaced next to overturned collapsible B.

Lightoller was among thirty men who climbed on the overturned boat - twenty-seven survived.

Lightoller, as the senior surviving officer was called to give evidence at the British and American inquiries.

Lightoller later rescued men from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940.

He died in 1952 

Created July 2002

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