A Whistle That Belonged To The Heroic Titanic Officer Who Returned To The Wreck And Pulled More Survivors Out Of The Water Was Put Up For Auction

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In 2020, a collection of items that belonged to an officer on the RMS Titanic went up for auction. The items were the property of fifth officer Harold Lowe, one of the heroes of the tragic shipwreck who survived the event.

The Titanic sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg in April 1912, resulting in the deaths of over 1,500 people. Lowe commanded the 14th lifeboat and saved survivors from the icy waters.

He possibly even served as the whistleblower, alerting passengers to the maritime disaster. A whistle was found among his personal effects, which was one of the items that went up for auction.

Once he had helped the passengers on his lifeboat get to safety, Lowe was the only officer to return to the wreck to pull more survivors out of the water.

Lowe was born in North Wales. At the time of the Titanic’s sinking, he was 29 years old. After the incident, he remained a sailor. He died in 1944 at the age of 61.

In James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, he was portrayed by a Welsh actor named Ioan Gruffudd, who rescued Kate Winslet’s character Rose.

“Harold Lowe was without a doubt one of the heroes of the Titanic disaster,” said Andrew Aldridge, the auctioneer of the British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son.

“As he loaded women and children in the lifeboats, it is said he ordered J. Bruce Ismay, the managing director of White Star Line, to get out of his way, telling him, ‘You will have me drown the lot of them,’ if he didn’t.”

The other officers would not risk going back to the wreck because they were afraid that the desperate survivors would overwhelm the lifeboats. Lowe’s bravery stood out from the others, and he has been remembered with respect ever since.

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His whistle has even become a symbol of his heroism. Aldridge noted that it was unknown if Lowe had the whistle onboard the Titanic, but it was clearly his officer’s whistle.

The whistle was engraved with the words “Lieutenant H.G. Lowe RNR” (Royal Naval Reserve). It was estimated to sell for $2,526 to $3,788 at auction.

The auction’s other items included a telescope, a signed photograph of the Titanic’s 13 leading officers aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, and more.

Lowe can be seen in the photo, which was signed by all 13 men, as well as the Carpathia’s captain, Arthur Rostron. It was estimated to sell for $7,578 to $12,628.

The telescope was a gift of gratitude to Lowe from one of the survivors he saved. It was inscribed with the words “To Harold G. Lowe…The Real Hero of the Titanic.”

Additionally, there was a watercolor of the Titanic that Lowe had painted and a certificate of his competency as a master of the ship. His certificate was reprinted after the original was lost in the wreck.

None of these items had ever been seen or auctioned before. Overall, the archive of items was expected to yield around $75,000.

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Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan
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