The Band Played On

Up in the crow’s nest, Fleet can see the iceberg growing larger by the second. It looks like the Rock of Gibraltar.

Sixth officer James Moody relays the message to First Officer Wlliam Murdoch, who orders that the ship should be turned to port and engines stopped. Watertight doors, deep down in the hull, are closed.

In the crow’s nest, Fleet watches with horror as the iceberg gets closer and closer. The mass of ice is slightly to starboard. It seems as if the Titanic will collide with the iceberg virtually head on. At the last second, the bow turns slightly to port.

The change in direction causes the ship to strike the iceberg with a glancing blow. An underwater spur of ice scrapes along the starboard side of the ship for about seven seconds. Dislodged ice falls on the forward decks. All of Titanic’s engines are now stopped – the ship is facing north and drifting. Workers in the forward boiler rooms hear a loud rumble. Icy water pours in….the men run for their lives. On the bridge, Captain Smith is now in position. He has been awakened by the commotion.

”What have we struck, Mr Murdoch?”

“An iceberg, sir. I was going hard-a-port around it, but she was too close. I could not do any more.” News begins to arrive from forward parts of the ship. Captain Smith summons one of the ship’s designers, Thomas Andrews. He looks at the damage reports coming in, and tells the captain: “We have two hours afloat.” Cape Race is the only land-based location to receive the distress call from Titanic. Wireless operator Jack Phillips has been sending telegrams to Cape Race for relay to New York City. The messages from passengers, having the time of their lives, have gone to delighted friends and relatives.

A new message is taken personally by the captain to the Marconi room. He hands it to Phillips for transmission. “CQD. Come Quick , Danger”. The wireless operator on the Carpathia has been puzzled at the Titanic’s long silence. The operator sees the new message. He asks “Shall I tell my captain? Do you require assistance?”

“Yes, come quick”, Phillips replies.

In the first class lounge, bandleader Wallace Hartley realises his orchestra must play on, to keep passengers’ spirits raised. Normally they play in two groups. Now they come together. Wallace Hartley strikes up a variety of waltzes, polkas and ragtime tunes.

Word spreads about the collision, and the music continues.

The ship begins to take on masses of water and starts to list. Wallace Hartley urges his musicians on, with brisk tunes filling the still, cold night air.

“Slipping beneath the waves, now almost gone
In the midst of chaos, the band played on”

© These 'Titanic' documents are the original work of David Meikle, cleverwriting.co.uk. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.