Duty Below the Line

His eyes opened to see the rising sun through his bedroom window as another day began. He felt his wife Susan cuddling up to him and her hand exploring under the blankets. It was the beginning of a long-standing custom they had when he was to depart on a journey. It would be their last love-making for some time and marked the beginning of a separation for them that may last up to a month depending on the terms of the voyage.

Their amorous coupling concluded, Susan rose to make breakfast for the family as Frederick gathered the remaining items he would require for the voyage and placed them in his grey canvas duffle bag and headed downstairs for the morning meal with his family.

Frederick Ernest Woodford and his wife Susan had two children: Susan May and Annie Freda, and they all lived with their cat Buster in a red brick two-story home at 14 Clovelly Road, Southampton.

Frederick had recently completed his studies and apprenticeship and was now a fully approved and certified maritime engineer. As a merchant seaman his career to date had been largely focused on the powering systems on large fishing vessels and a few small freighters plying the coasts of the United Kingdom. His ambition was to conclude his professional training and secure a place in the mechanical engineering ranks of the White Star Line and their fleet of steamships. With such a posting he would be making better money and could hopefully buy a larger house for his family and afford the better schools for his daughters.

It was well known that the technical staff of the steamship fleet made the best money due to their required education, the working environment they laboured in and the importance of their tasks to maintain schedules and safety for all aboard.

The news of his success in securing an engineering position on the new state-of-the-art RMS Titanic was well received by his family and friends and they all regarded this as a positive turning point in their lives.

Frederick signed Titanic’s Crew List and Agreement as a Greaser, a maritime engineer who lubricates the ship’s propulsion apparatus. A vital role to ensure the reliable performance of the ship’s passage.

“I’ll be back in about three weeks,” he told his wife and daughters standing on the docks of Southampton ready to embark on the ship’s maiden voyage to America. Hugs and kisses were shared and hefting his duffle over his shoulder he walked up the gangway, stopping at the top to turn and wave to his smiling family below.

Recorded to be aboard and ready for duty by the Purser, he was shown to his shared quarters in the fore section of the hull and advised of the schedule for the next few hours as the ship was made ready to begin the first leg of their journey.

“We will muster on the boiler deck with the Chief Engineer at 13:00. He wants to meet with you all and say a few words before we cast off.” said the seaman tasked with getting the new crew settled in and ready for work.

Frederick had toured the ship in detail over the past four days as he and the rest of the engineering crews were oriented to the operations of the ship’s systems, the layout and all else they were required to know to perform their roles.

RMS Titanic was the jewel of the White Star Line. Recently certified following her final inspection and sea trials, she was shiny and new. All the surfaces showing coats of new thick industrial paint, the brass brightwork gleaming in the light, the opulent passenger quarters glorious to rival the finest hotels in New York, Paris or London. Below: the ship’s drive system was also the newest technology and did not yet display the dirt, muck, grease and layer of coal dust common to engine rooms of steamships. But it would not take long for the signs of their work to be seen on the various apparatus.

Freddy, as he came to be known among his co-workers: Bill, Stan, Wallace, Chalky, Leo and Thomas – a giant of a Scotsman with a easy laugh and gift for joke telling, settled into the ship’s engine department where he and his mates would work three four-hour watches, repeated in the morning and afternoon. His work consisted of maintaining the cups of lubricating oil for the moving parts of the propulsion system. He also ensured there was enough grease on the friction points of the prop shafts and transmission gearing. The boilermakers like Thomas and his black crew, were responsible to keep the boilers at operating status for both turning the ship’s three giant screws, as well as the electrical generators that supplied electricity that ran the ship’s many systems and creature comforts.

The fires were lit the day before departure and coal was banked to keep the boilers at 60% static pressure waiting for the Captain to call for full steam shortly before the lines were released from their moorings and the huge ship would be free from the docks.

The Chief Engineer, Albert Swanson paid a visit to his engineering crew working below the line. He took the time to walk the Engine Deck and introduce himself to his crew. He would stop and ask questions of his new staff and provide a few words of encouragement and reinforced the importance and responsibilities of those who do their duty below the line.

“Gather round gentlemen!” he bellowed over the noise of the minor machinery presently operating, the noise would increase dramatically in a short while.

“Welcome aboard gentlemen and welcome to your new jobs with the White Star Line and this wonderful new ship we have been entrusted to operate.”

He paused and looked around into the faces of his eager crew. Some where veteran sea dogs while others where awestruck young men recently certified for their jobs.

“The water line is the demarcation of work verses pleasure.” He would begin his welcoming speech for his new employees. “Down here below the line we do the hard, sweating labour that ensures the customers above the Line enjoy their passage with the White Star Line. We are responsible to not only make good time to our destinations, but also to ensure a safe and enjoyable voyage for all aboard. I trust you will do your best in your duties to achieve these objectives.”

“As you are aware, this is the maiden voyage for this magnificent ship and our Captain has been requested to demonstrate to our competitors and the world just how magnificent she really is. We will be testing the performance of the propulsion system and it would be very nice indeed if new passage times could be achieved to show the world how well this fine ship performs. Our sister-ship, the Olympic, currently holds the record time for the fastest Atlantic crossing. Our Captain would like very much to beat their record and is looking to us to make that happen.”

A chorus of supportive remarks were made by the assembled crewmen.

“I’m pleased you are all in agreement and I will advise the Captain of your support to make a new crossing record for the Titanic and the White Star Line. That is all gentlemen, I trust you will continue to do your best. Carry on!” He turned on his heel and walked to the stair tower leading to the upper decks.

The command had come down from the bridge to stoke the fires to achieve full steam indicating they would be underway in about an hour. It was time to go to work.

Frederick made a brief tour of his station stops to confirm all was in proper order and ready to begin the voyage. While he was at the far end of his station inspection, Freddy heard the surge as the pressure values opened to feed steam to the giant turbines that drove the propellers. The turbines picked up and began their rhythmic cadence which for the engineering crew was the heartbeat of the giant ship. The loud noise like a heartbeat would provide an unavoidable message that told of its operational status. The crew knew this sound and it would often tell of changes made to the ship’s speed and the status of the steam feeding the enormous turbines.

Two long blasts from the steam horn and they were away and a celebratory shout was heard by the engineering crews below the line as their tasks became focused to a steady performance, the rhythm of the engines counting out time for each turn of the screws. As the first real voyage, the ship’s crew were diligent in checking all factettes of the vessel’s systems and infrastructure. Above the line, the ships stewards, porters and hospitality staff were busy catering to the whims and desires of the passengers as they settled into their opulent cabins and getting their possessions out of their luggage and into the furnishings of their staterooms.

Everything was running to schedule and without any concerns as the ship performed as designed. Shortly after leaving Southampton, a fire was discovered in the coal bunker of # 6 Boiler Room. For two days, coal tenders were detailed to trace the source of the fire and extinguish it. On April 11, Titanic docked in Queenstown to pick up additional passengers. At Queenstown, Frederick posted a letter to his wife with instructions to pick up his sign-on pay from the White Star Line offices in Southampton.

With the new passengers on board, Titanic disembarked from Queenstown on the high tide around 19:00. A cloudless sky punctuated by millions of stars looked down on the ship as her churning wake produced a long ribbon of bioluminescence documenting the gigantic ship’s path.

The ship’s routine marched on in the following days with the passengers wondering aloud how spectacular this remarkable ship was and the opulence they enjoyed as they were catered to in the most luxurious manner available in modern transportation.

Unknown to the passengers, Captain Smith was performing several performance tests with his new ship to better understand its operating performance and how best to operate her for maximum efficiency and power with the objective of impressing his employer.

Captain Smith was enjoying a profound sense of positivity with the performance of his ship and crew. Titanic was performing better than he had imagined; she was quick, agile and surprisingly frugal in her coal consumption he believed. It was a tremendous maiden voyage so far. Even the kitchen staff were receiving accolades for their masterful menu selection and the quality of the food served each day. The bathing water was hot, as it should be, the linens and towels were flawless despite a problem with the steam presser and drier. All was well.

Per custom, the Captain enjoyed his evening meal with the passengers at 18:00 in the main dining hall. It was an elegant affair with the Captain in his dress whites and passengers dressed in dinner suits and women showing off for each other in the latest fashion styles from London, Paris and Rome, displaying their finest jewelry and wearing the latest exotic perfumes.

Dinner was followed by coffee, cakes and liquors and cigars as the passengers mixed and mingled getting to know each other better. The orchestra played in the ball room for the few who wanted to waltz while others were outside observing the stars and a faint glow of the Aurora Borealis to the north. It was windless but still chilly which limited both the number of passengers on deck but also how long they remained out of doors.

Freddy and his work mate Chalky were nearing the end of their shift keeping the drive system lubricated and were sent to confirm the coal fire that had started a few days earlier was indeed completely out and no danger remained. Walking forward to the boiler section, they could smell the acrid scent of burning coal. Which was common on the engine deck, but coal burning outside of the boilers had a distinct aroma that distinguished it from the main boiler kind. Closely observing the coal bunker from the outside they found no faults and opened the large steel door on its huge hinges. They waited a few moments for the air in the bunker to exchange. This was a vital safety procedure to prevent coal dust from exploding with the introduction of oxygen if there was an ember present in the bunker. They crawled into the coal bunker of Boiler #6 after confirming no smoke remained in the huge structure and they shovelled in select areas to inspect for embers and hot spots in the dirty black coal.

They emerged from the dusty bin, resealed the heavy door and reported to the Watch Master Engineer that all was well, and the fire had been fully extinguished. They were then dismissed as it was the end of their shift.

After washing up, Chalky and Freddy went to the crew’s mess for their dinner of roast duck, potatoes and green beans. An enjoyable meal followed by a pot of tea concluded their regular workday as they enjoyed a cigarette then headed to their bunks for the night.

Just as they were falling asleep, the ship groaned loudly, and a deafening percussive scraping sound could be heard and felt throughout the ship’s hull. As the crew’s quarters were in the fore section of the ship, the sound was extremely loud and piercing.

Instantly alert the two men were on their feet getting back into their work attire of coveralls, boots and heavy leather gloves. “Sounds like we hit something,” said Stan as he climbed out of his bunk.

Reporting to their emergency stations on the engine deck the engineering crew began their safety inspections according to protocol and their training. Water was already seeping onto the floor of the forward boiler rooms, Chalky and Freddy were both struck by a wash of icy water near the forward boiler room and escaped just before the section’s watertight door was closed by the black gang. This was an extremely dangerous situation for the engineering crew and the reason why the section’s watertight doors were closed; the boilers were still full of hot high-pressure steam and there was a substantial risk that they would explode if they met the cold seawater flooding the boiler rooms. The stokers of the black gang and firemen were ordered to reduce the fires and vent the boilers, sending great clouds of steam up the funnel venting pipes. They were knee-deep in freezing water by the time they finished this work. All of the engine deck crew were working to their physical limits to ensure the safety of the ship and to prevent greater damage created by the rising water.

Reporting back to the Watch Master Engineer, they were informed that an iceberg had been struck tearing an opening in the starboard side of Titanic's forward hull, "not less than 300 feet in length, and well below the line.”

They were deployed to the electrical generator to ensure it remained operating so that electrical service would be provided to the ship’s decks for light and davit operations for the evacuation already underway, and to keep the water pumps working to buy them more time.

The two engineers fought their way through frigid rising water to the generator room to find a small amount of water slowly creeping in. The boiler was still feeding steam to the generators, but the water would be a concern if it reached the boiler.

The boiler was only about 8 feet above the water which was still rising slowly Their first task was to vent the boiler of excess steam, but not so much that it would halt the operation of the generator. Opening the boiler loading door they saw that the coal embers were well banked and did not need fresh coal to be added, which was a good thing as most of the coal in the service bin was wet and would not burn without added oxygen blowing into the chamber. They did not spill any steam due the fire and wet coal situation and estimated the boiler would make sufficent steam for another hour or so. They exited the boiler room after clamping the door shut to slow the water from entering, but they both knew it was just a matter of time before disaster rang out.

Within 45 minutes of the collision, at least 13,500 long tons of water had entered through the gaping rent in the hull of the ship. This was far too much for Titanic's ballast and bilge pumps to handle; the total pumping capacity of all the pumps combined was only 1,700 long tons per hour. The first five forward ship's compartments were flooded, and therefore RMS Titanic had met her fate. The Watch Master Engineer told his crew that the ship could remain afloat for no longer than roughly two hours.

"I hate to say all is lost, but the engineer who built this ship is aboard and has confided in the Captain that this vessel is doomed. Our work here is done, so you both are redeployed to the upper decks to help with the evacuation of the passengers. But first, please check the generator again to ensure there will be lights to help with the safe evacuation of the ship.”

Returning to the generator room Chalky and Freddy found the water level had increased as expected in the boiler rooms. The ship began to angle forward due to the forward compartments filling with seawater. The pitch of the ship caused the water aft of them to surge forward knocking Chalky off his feet as he disappeared in the sudden powerful rush of water. Freddy saw him struggling to grasp onto something to stop his slide into the deeper water. Chalky was carried by the flow and struck his head on a steam valve wheel, knocking him unconscious.

Freddy struggled through the current to where he last saw his co-worker and began to feel around for his body. He felt a leg and pulled to bring Chalky’s head above water. He was unconscious and had a large bloody gash on his forehead. Freddy slapped him to try and awaken his friend, but he remained unresponsive. Hauling the heavy wet body to a nearby horizontal supply pipe, he draped Chalky’s body over it on his back and began to perform chest compressions to no avail. He did not recover and pressing his ear to Chalky’s chest, Freddy found his friend no longer had a heartbeat.

With profound sadness Freddy struggled to the ladder that would take him to the upper decks, the tears in his eyes blurring his vision as he climbed. While he was still in the engine deck area, he heard the sound of the engines slowly roll to a stop, the arrival of the sudden quiet was eery, only the hiss of steam escaping into the air. It was the sound of the great steamship’s death. The Captain had signalled for the engines to be halted meaning they were now beyond successfully surviving this catastrophe. Freddy’s thoughts went to his family and he rightfully concluded he would never see them again. He said a silent prayer and resumed his climb upwards, committed to do all he could to save lives.

He could hear the pandemonium of passengers yelling and screaming for help even before he opened the bulkhead door and entered the port side hallway of the Bridge Deck.

Chaos and confusion were in all directions as panic had gripped the passengers as the above the line crew did their best to distribute life preservers and keep people in groups and to not wander off in search of their own safety solutions.

Freddy helped an elderly gentleman to put on a life preserver and looking into the old man’s eyes Freddy wondered if his own expression was as dire as the man he was helping.

Suddenly behind him a lifeboat fell from its davits as passengers unfamiliar with the apparatus attempted to release it into the ocean causing the 30 or so passengers in it to fall to their deaths some distance below.

“Such foolhardy waste” he thought as he made his way to the next lifeboat station where a gathering of people where clamoring to get aboard. Freddy took up a position next the davit winch so that he might prevent another lifeboat from falling unguided into the sea. He watched as women and elderly passengers were pushed aside by a group of healthy young men climbing into the lifeboat.

He grabbed the sleeve of a passing crewmember dressed in the white uniform of the passenger service crew.

“Help me get these fellows out of the boat and these women and children in!” he yelled above the noise of the assembled panic-stricken passengers, his right hand pointing to the frightened women and children nearby.

The two men held the inboard gunnel of the lifeboat and reached in to grab the fit and healthy cowards who were pushing people away from entering the boat. The fight began in earnest when one of the cowards swung a knotted rope and hit Freddy in his chest. Rage filled his being as he climbed into the boat to deal with these reprobates.

Aware that they were being removed from the lifeboat and their salvation, all five of the cowards ganged-up on Freddy with a series of punches and kicks and wrestled him to the seaward side of the lifeboat, they hefted him up and over the gunnel and dropped him a hundred feet into the cold dark Atlantic.

Freddy’s wife Susan was notified of his death in a letter from the White Star Line, telling her that her husband’s body had been recovered by the Steamer Mackay-Bennett and he had been buried at sea.

It was learned much later that Frederick Woodford had not been buried at sea after his recovery by the Mackay-Bennett, as had been believed, but his body was among those that had been taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia and interred in the Fairview Cemetery. His grave remained unmarked for many years until there was a dedication ceremony in the 1990s.

This be the verse you grave for me:

Here he lies where he longed to be;

Home is the sailor, home from sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.

Requiem - Robert Louis Stevenson