An international bidding war is expected to break out when rare memorabilia from the ill-fated Southampton liner, Titanic, goes under the auctioneer’s hammer in the city.

Collectors from the USA, a number of European countries and the UK have already indicated strong interest in three discharge certificates belonging to the late, Tommy Knowles of Lymington, who twice survived being shipwrecked during his sea career.

Tommy Knowles was an engine room storekeeper on the White Star liner, Titanic, when it sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden crossing from Southampton to New York in 1912.

Items with a direct link to Titanic are becoming increasingly rare on the open market so these lots, at the auction being held on Saturday at the Avenue St Andrews United Reformed Church hall, are likely to generate fierce bidding by Titanic enthusiasts.

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Tommy Knowles, who died aged 82, in January, 1951, was born back in 1870 and signed on to serve on a wide variety of ships and was a crew member of SS Mexican in February, 1900 when the vessel foundered off South Africa. The entry in his seaman’s book simply said; “Shipwrecked’’.

After serving on the liner, Oceanic, Tommy Knowles managed to find a position on Titanic and it was not until his wife was informed he had survived the sinking that she even knew he had been on board the ship.

He later rejoined Oceanic and served on her until the First World War, managing to stay with her when she was requisitioned and became HMS Oceanic.

Other original Titanic material in the auction, which features more than 250 lots, is an advert card from a dried fruit supplier.

The sale includes other items from Cunard, P&O, Union-Castle Line, Orient Line and other companies.