R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of ...

Hammer

£4,800

R.M.S TITANIC/OLYMPIC: Henry Tingle Wilde, Chief Officer of R.M.S. Titanic RNR (21 September 1872 - 15 April 1912). Wilde became Chief Officer of Titanic's sister, R.M.S. Olympic, where he served under Titanic's future captain, Edward J. Smith. Wilde was scheduled to leave Southampton on Olympic on 3 April 1912, but a reshuffle on board the Titanic caused the lowering of a rank of William McMaster Murdoch and Charles Lightoller to First and Second Officer, respectively, with Second Officer David Blair being removed from the ship entirely. On the ship's sailing day, 10 April 1912, Wilde reported for duty at 6:00 a.m. Around the time of departure, he was assisting Lightoller in casting off mooring ropes and in securing of tug lines. After the ship was put to sea, Wilde worked the 2-6 watches.
At 11:40 p.m., on 14 April, the ship hit an iceberg. Immediately after the collision, Wilde moved forward to inspect the forepeak and see the flooding for himself. He then came back to the bridge to make a report just before the carpenter arrived. The two reports seem to have convinced Smith that the ship was sinking. While Murdoch was in charge of the evacuation of the starboard boats, with Lightoller for the port side, it appears that Wilde supervised the overall process. He delayed launching the lifeboats and allowed himself twice to be over-ridden by Lightoller going to Captain Smith. In the ensuing evacuation, Wilde helped in the loading of Lifeboats No. 8, 14, 12, 16, 2, and 10. He took charge of filling and lowering the even-numbered lifeboats on the port side and also gave firearms to both Lightoller and First Officer Murdoch. As they left the cabin, Lightoller heard Wilde say he was going to put on his lifebelt; 'I am going to put on my lifebelt'. By 1:40 a.m., most of the port lifeboats had been lowered, and Wilde moved to the starboard side. Steward James Johnston and Fourth Officer Boxhall saw Wilde putting women and children into lifeboat no.2 and superintending the filling. At 10, Chief Baker Charles Joughin saw Wilde conducting affairs, shouting at the stewards to keep a large number of passengers gathered back. When the boat was full, Wilde then picked out the men to take charge of it: two sailors and a steward. Ismay testified that Wilde was the officer who was in charge of collapsible C., at D, Wilde told Lightoller, "You go with her, Lightoller." Lightoller said, "Not damned likely!", and jumped back on the ship in defiance of Wilde's order.
Wilde died in the sinking, his body was never recovered. An account in the Cornish Post of 2 May 1912, claimed that Wilde was last seen on the bridge smoking a cigarette, and that he waved goodbye to Lightoller as the ship sank. Lightoller himself made no mention of this, in his account.
Rare letter written exactly one month before Titanic sailed, in black ink over three sides and signed Harry on Olympic stationery 10th March 1912. The date of the letter is significant as Olympic had just returned to service after losing a propeller blade on the 21st February and returning to Belfast for repair. This was to have a knock-on effect as workers were removed from Titanic to complete the repairs to Olympic and return her to service as soon as possible. This delay had devastating consequences as Titanic's maiden voyage was put back from March 20th to April 10th. The letter itself talks of the return from Belfast and the upcoming voyage.