Frederick Fleet
Frederick Fleet | |
---|---|
Born | Liverpool, UK | 15 October 1887
Died | 10 January 1965 Southampton, UK | (aged 77)
Resting place | Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton, UK |
Occupations | |
Military career | |
Allegiance | British Merchant Navy |
Years of service | 1914–1918 1939–1945 |
Battles/wars |
Frederick Fleet (15 October 1887 – 10 January 1965) was a British
Fleet testified at the subsequent inquiries into the disaster that, if he and Lee had been issued binoculars: "We could have seen it (the iceberg) a bit sooner." When asked how much sooner, he responded, "Well, enough to get out of the way."[3] In later life, Fleet suffered from depression, possibly in part due to the disaster. He died by suicide at age 77 on 10 January 1965.
Early life and maritime career
Fleet was born in
Before joining the
RMS Titanic
Fleet boarded the Titanic in
At 23:39 (11:39 p.m.), Fleet first spotted the iceberg and rang the nest's bell three times to warn the bridge of something ahead. Then, using the nest's telephone, he contacted the bridge. It was answered by Sixth Officer James Paul Moody, who asked Fleet immediately, "What did you see?" He pronounced the infamous "Iceberg! Right Ahead!" warning. Moody passed Fleet's warning to First Officer William McMaster Murdoch, who was in charge of the bridge.[14] After the collision, Fleet and Lee remained on duty for twenty more minutes.[15]
At 00:00 (12 a.m.), Fleet and Lee were relieved by Alfred Frank Evans and George Hogg.
Once away from the sinking ship, the boat tried to reach the lights of a ship in the distance, thought to be the SS Californian.[18] While Hichens remained at the tiller, Fleet and Peuchen managed the oars. Arguments and problems arose on boat 6 as quartermaster Hichens kept insulting and mistreating the rowers, including Margaret Brown and Helen Churchill Candee. Later in the night, there was an argument about whether to return for survivors, with Hichens warning against returning for fear of being swamped by swimmers.[19] The lifeboat finally reached the RMS Carpathia by 6:00 A.M. on Monday, 15 April 1912.[20]
After the disaster, Fleet underwent two inquiries: first, the
World War I, World War II, and later life
Fleet served on the Titanic's sister ship RMS Olympic before leaving the White Star Line in August 1912 after noticing that the company treated those involved with the Titanic differently.[22] For the next 24 years he sailed for different shipping companies, including the Union-Castle Line. Fleet served on merchant ships throughout World War I. Later, he was the ship's lookout again on the Olympic during the 1920s and early 1930s.[23] When he left the sea in 1936, he was hired by Harland & Wolff to work at the company's shipyards in Southampton.[24] While working there, he lived with his wife's brother. He served again during World War II.[15]
Later, closer to retirement, he became a newspaper salesman and experienced financial difficulties.[24]
Death
Shortly after Christmas, on 28 December 1964, Fleet's wife died, and her brother evicted him from the house.[25] Consequently, Fleet fell into a downward spiral of depression. He returned to his brother-in-law's home and killed himself by hanging himself in the house's garden on 10 January 1965.[25] He was 77. Fleet was buried in a pauper's grave at Hollybrook Cemetery, in Southampton.[26] This grave remained unmarked until 1993, when a headstone bearing an engraving of the Titanic was erected through donations raised by the Titanic Historical Society.[25][27]
References
- ISBN 978-0-8050-7764-3.
- ^ a b United States Senate Inquiry Day 4, Testimony of Frederick Fleet.
- ^ "TIP - United States Senate Inquiry - Day 4 - Testimony of Frederick Fleet, cont". www.titanicinquiry.org.
- ISBN 978-1-118-17766-2.
- ^ a b c d Stories from The Titanic, National Archives UK.
- ISBN 978-0-7360-0215-8.
- ISBN 978-1-84837-763-9.
- ISBN 978-1-118-17766-2.
- ISBN 978-1-4751-2793-5.
- ^ "historicsouthampton.wordpress.com/". Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ encyclopedia-titanica.org
- ISBN 978-0-14-311909-8.
- ^ 10 causes of the Titanic tragedy, NBC news.
- ISBN 978-1-118-17766-2.
- ^ a b c Fred Fleet did his duty on Titanic, now resting in peace, Herald Dispatch.
- ISBN 978-1-4516-2347-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-307-98481-4.
- ISBN 978-1-4804-1058-9.
- ISBN 978-1-118-17766-2.
- ISBN 978-0-671-01202-1.
- ISBN 978-0-7524-5895-3.
- ISBN 978-0-8065-2895-3.
- ^ On A Sea Of Glass: The Life & Loss Of The RMS Titanic" by Tad Fitch, J. Kent Layton & Bill Wormstedt. Amberley Books, March 2012. p 371
- ^ ISBN 978-1-118-17766-2.
- ^ a b c Edmonds, Robert (2009). "Frederick Fleet (1887–1965)". Maritime Quest. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ^ "Three Men on the Titanic". Maritime Executive. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- Biography.com. 12 August 2018.