Titanic Fact 19: The Engineers

The power on board the Titanic stayed on until about 2 minutes before the ship broke in half. This was thanks to the efforts of the ships engineers. Many were told to "Go on, get to the lifeboats. Save yourselves." Many stayed behind to make sure the ship maintained power. They wanted for passing ships to more easily see the Titanic so they could provide them with aid. If it weren't for them, the power would have gone out much sooner. In Southampton, there is a memorial for the fallen engineers.

The plank reads:

  "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN
THIS. THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS
LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
TO THE MEMORY OF THE ENGINEER OFFICERS
OF THE R.M.S "TITANIC" WHO SHOWED
THEIR HIGH CONCEPTION OF DUTY AND THEIR
HEROISM BY REMAINING AT THEIR POSTS
15TH APRIL 1912.
ERECTED BY THEIR FELLOW ENGINEERS AND FRIENDS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD"