Post by Paul Daley on Apr 10, 2005 9:33:33 GMT -5
Seaman Frederick Fleet, all of 25 years old, and another lookout were posted (50 feet above the deck) in the crows nest that night. Normally their view was excellent, but tonight, there was no moon, and the sea was so calm, some of the officers had commented that it was more like a pond. Since a common way to spot ice bergs was to look for the water being disturbed around their base, the calm sea was making Fleet's night difficult. A forward hatch had been closed, so that the light wouldn't interfere with the lookout's view, but they were still having trouble seeing into the black night.
Fleet was first to spot the iceberg, while it was about 500 yards away. He immediatly rang his bell and phoned the bridge, shouting -"Iceberg, right ahead!" As the ship sank, Fleet was ordered into a lifeboat, as a rower, and he survived the disaster.
Fleet continued working on boats after the disaster, until about 1936. He then worked a handfull of other odd jobs, night watchman, newspaper seller, etc., and apparently developed an addiction to alcohol. Shortly after his wife, Eva's death in 1965, Fleet (then 76) hung himself from a clothesline in the garden of the house he shared with his brother inlaw.
Fleet was first to spot the iceberg, while it was about 500 yards away. He immediatly rang his bell and phoned the bridge, shouting -"Iceberg, right ahead!" As the ship sank, Fleet was ordered into a lifeboat, as a rower, and he survived the disaster.
Fleet continued working on boats after the disaster, until about 1936. He then worked a handfull of other odd jobs, night watchman, newspaper seller, etc., and apparently developed an addiction to alcohol. Shortly after his wife, Eva's death in 1965, Fleet (then 76) hung himself from a clothesline in the garden of the house he shared with his brother inlaw.
