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Collapsible B (also known as Collapsible 2) was an “Engelhardt Type Collapsible” raft that was stationed above the officers quarters on the port side of the RMS Titanic. Beside the most-forward funnel. It was the tenth lifeboat to leave from the port side; and the last collapsible leaving the ship. Preparation began just before 2:00 A.M. but it was a giant problem to get the lifeboat ready. Second Officer Lightoller and Junior Wireless Operator Bride had slid the lifeboat from the roof at around 2:02 A.M, but it was accidentally washed off the deck, minutes later and ended up upside down in the water, thus making it unable to be launched properly.

Preparation and Departure[]

Around 2:00 A.M. Second Officer Lightoller had been preparing Collapsible B for launch, around 40 people had been gathered around the Officer's Quarters while water had been moving up the deck. Harold Bride, who had been looking around for John Phillips, that had supposedly ran aft. Helped with the launching of the boat.

Around 2:02 AM the men pushed the raft, making it to flip off the roof, with Bride falling onto the deck, the raft had flipped and landed upside down. Pinning Harold Bride under it, Lightoller then left to the starboard side to help with Collapsible A, however saw that it had been launched, thus going to the front and jumping in the water as water began to rush the deck. A few minutes later the sinking progressed rapidly, and seemed to speed up, and the raft couldn’t be righted and tied to the davits. The collapsible completely floated off from the ship at around 2:07 A.M. with about 12 people onboard, including Bride and Colonel Gracie. and Lightoller hanging onto it. They tried helping aboard as many as they could, until around 30 were standing atop the raft, by then they started pushing others away.

Scullion John Collins, who had survived on Collapsible B testified in the US Inquiry saying.

“-So me and another steward and the two children and the woman came around on that side, the starboard side, and when we got around there that we saw it was forward. We saw the collapsible boat taken off the saloon deck, and then the sailors and the firemen that were forward seen the ship’s bow in the water and seen that she was intending to sink her bow, and they shouted for all they were worth we were to go aft, and word came there was a boat getting launched, so we were told to go aft, and we were just turning around and making for the stern end when the wave washed us off the deck - washed us clear of it - and the child was washed out of my arms; and the wreckage and people that was around me, they kept me down for at least two or three minutes under the water.”Well, sir, (talking to Senator Bourne) the boat was taken off the saloon deck, and the wave came up and washed the boat right off, and she was upside down, sir, and the water rushed over her. She was turned over, and we were standing on her.”

Collapsible B 2012

A screenshot of Collapsible B from Titanic (2012 Miniseries)

Around 2:10 AM, the raft had around 10 people onboard, with Lightoller and many others clinging onto it, the raft had reared past the forward-funnel stopping near the almost-swamped Collapsible A that was having a worser situation than Collapsible B. The water had caused the funnel to collapse, nearly missing the lifeboat by mere inches, pushing it away from the ship, as Lightoller said in a 1936 interview, called “I Was There”.

”-a bit later, the forward funnel guise carried away. And the funnel, weighing perhaps 50 or 60 tons, fell down with a crash on the water, it missed the raft by with some of us hanging onto it, by inches, there were a good many it didn’t miss. The wash of the falling funnel had evidently picked us up, raft and all. And flung us clear of the ship altogether.”

Minutes later, the ship's stern was high in the air, and her lights went out, she split with many onboard reporting the break up sound as an explosion from the boilers, mostly denying a split, the Titanic later went under and they all simply said, “She’s gone.”

During the night, survivor Victor Francis Sunderland had reported a man asking how many Catholics were aboard the raft, he then began saying the Lord’s Prayer, other survivors had joined in. Around 4 occupants had perished during the hours that followed. One supposedly being David Livshin. Lightoller had then completely took charge of the 30 men on the raft, as he decided to boost the morale by asking radio operator Harold Bride, (whom Lightoller testified as John Phillips) how long it would take for the Carpathia to arrive. Bride answered “An hour or so sir.”

By around 4:30 A.M. When the sun had started to rise, A man, possibly Archibald Gracie pointed out four boats in the distance. Lightoller took out his whistle which he had in his pocket and gained the attention of lifeboats 4 and 12. And he ordered them to come over to pick up the remaining survivors, the boats subsequently came over and collected the 27 survivors. Lifeboat 12 taking 16, along with Lightoller who took charge, with lifeboat 4 taking the other 11. Collapsible B was left adrift in the ocean.

Mackay-Bennett[]

On April 20th during a recovery voyage by the CS Mackay-Bennett to retrieve bodies from the wreck, Collapsible B was found adrift in the ocean, Lifeboats had tried to tow Collapsible B with no success.

Notable Escapees[]

Saved out of the water[]

Passed Away or Perished[]

* = not certain

Popular Culture[]

Fictional Occupants[]

A Night to Remember (1958)[]

S.O.S. Titanic (1979)[]

1996 Miniseries Titanic[]

Titanic (1997)[]

2012 Miniseries Titanic[]

Gallery[]

Lifeboats
Emergency Lifeboat 1 · Emergency Lifeboat 2 · Lifeboat 3 · Lifeboat 4 · Lifeboat 5 · Lifeboat 6 · Lifeboat 7 · Lifeboat 8 · Lifeboat 9 · Lifeboat 10 · Lifeboat 11 · Lifeboat 12 · Lifeboat 13 · Lifeboat 14 · Lifeboat 15 · Lifeboat 16 · Collapsible A · Collapsible B · Collapsible C · Collapsible D

Lifeboat launching sequence

Sources[]

Note

  • Martin Gallagher was shown to have survived in the 1958 film. However perishing in real life.
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