Titanic Survivor, WW1 Veteran, and Dunkirk Hero. Born in Chorley, Lancashire, Lightoller began his seafaring career as a seaman at age thirteen. His early career with the White Star Line began in 1900. On the R.M.S. Titanic, he served as 2nd Officer and on the ship's fateful disastrous night he was in charge of an even number life boats on the port side. After the ship had sank, he and thirty men had climbed onto a overturned collapsible boat and paddled the rest of the night. At dawn, the RMS Carpathia arrived and began rescuing the survivors. Lightoller helped all the survivors aboard his life raft, before he climbed aboard himself, becoming the very last living Titanic survivor to be rescued. During World War I, he served in the Royal Navy as Captain of British torpedo boat HMTB 117 and destroyed the German Zeppelin L31. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. In 1919, after the war, he returned again to the White Star Line, and retired in the early 1930's, when he started a small boat yard in the Thames estuary. On June 1, 1940, during "Operation Dynamo" he participated in the rescue of British soldiers at the French port of Dunkirk. With his motor yacht, Sundowner, he successfully rescued a total of 130 men from the advancing German onslaught, despite the small size of the craft. During the remainder of World War II, the Royal Navy engaged him to work with the Small Vessel Pool. He went onto run a boatyard called Richmond Slipways, building motor launches for the London River Police. He passed away in Richmond, London at age 78.
Titanic Survivor, WW1 Veteran, and Dunkirk Hero. Born in Chorley, Lancashire, Lightoller began his seafaring career as a seaman at age thirteen. His early career with the White Star Line began in 1900. On the R.M.S. Titanic, he served as 2nd Officer and on the ship's fateful disastrous night he was in charge of an even number life boats on the port side. After the ship had sank, he and thirty men had climbed onto a overturned collapsible boat and paddled the rest of the night. At dawn, the RMS Carpathia arrived and began rescuing the survivors. Lightoller helped all the survivors aboard his life raft, before he climbed aboard himself, becoming the very last living Titanic survivor to be rescued. During World War I, he served in the Royal Navy as Captain of British torpedo boat HMTB 117 and destroyed the German Zeppelin L31. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. In 1919, after the war, he returned again to the White Star Line, and retired in the early 1930's, when he started a small boat yard in the Thames estuary. On June 1, 1940, during "Operation Dynamo" he participated in the rescue of British soldiers at the French port of Dunkirk. With his motor yacht, Sundowner, he successfully rescued a total of 130 men from the advancing German onslaught, despite the small size of the craft. During the remainder of World War II, the Royal Navy engaged him to work with the Small Vessel Pool. He went onto run a boatyard called Richmond Slipways, building motor launches for the London River Police. He passed away in Richmond, London at age 78.
Bio by: Jay Lance
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