When RMS Titanic sank on 15 April 1912, it quickly became a tragic incident. Over 1,500 people lost their lives in the disaster. The massive loss of life is attributed to the lack of available lifeboats aboard the ship.
As Titanic began to sink, the limited supply of lifeboats was to be filled with women and children first. This was in accordance with regulations of the time. In addition, upper-class passengers were given priority to board the lifeboats over lower-class passengers and the ship’s crew.
This gave most men aboard a slim chance of survival, with no option but to go down with the ship. The circumstances forced them to plunge into the freezing, unforgiving Atlantic Ocean, in which the human body cannot last long. There was a small chance of survival for anyone who found themselves in the cold, dark water.
Titanic’s Baker
Yet, there was one man who became an exception to this. His name was Charles Joughin, and he served as the chief baker on Titanic with a staff of thirteen bakers under him. Joughin managed to survive the incident despite treading in the freezing waters for several hours until help could arrive. He also survived with virtually no ill effects, which is exceptional. Many have linked his fortunate survival to a certain substance he may have enjoyed on the ship: alcohol.
Filling the Lifeboats
When Titanic hit the infamous iceberg at 11:40pm, Joughin was off-duty and in his bunk. He had felt the shock from the collision and immediately left his bunk to see what happened. Word quickly spread from the upper decks that lifeboats were being prepared, and Joughin ran off to assist.
Arriving at the lifeboats, Joughin ordered his thirteen bakers to prepare and deliver provisions (mostly bread) to each lifeboat. At 12:30am, Joughin was seen loading provisions onto lifeboats. He then turned his attention to aiding the women and children into their seats, who were the only ones allowed on the lifeboats.
One woman reportedly refused to board her lifeboat, claiming that staying on the ship was safer. At that moment, many people aboard still believed Titanic was not sinking, and would not believe it until it was too late. Joughin picked the woman up and tossed her into her lifeboat. He reportedly threw several women and children into their lifeboats, potentially saving their lives.
Since each lifeboat needed a captain, Joughin was actually offered a spot on Lifeboat 10. He refused, however, and stayed behind so that two sailors could take his spot.
One Last Drink
After this, Joughin realized he would not be boarding a lifeboat and would be going down with the ship into the freezing water. He headed back down below deck to his quarters, took out a bottle of alcohol, and began drinking. Figuring these were his last moments, Joughin drank as much as he could. He then finished up and returned to the upper decks.
By the time Joughin returned, he found that all of the lifeboats had been launched. Locating some nearby deck chairs, he began throwing them overboard so that survivors could use them as floatation devices. He reportedly threw some fifty chairs into the water before Titanic sank.
According to his testimony, he then walked over to the deck pantry for a drink of “water”.
A Plunge in the Cold
At this point, Titanic began to pick up speed as her head dipped downward and her stern headed straight upward. Everyone still onboard, nearly two thousand people, was forced to latch on to any fixed object to stay upright while the mighty ship made her descent.
Joughin managed to use a safety rail to crawl to the outside of the ship. He climbed to the stern of the ship, where all he could do was hold on and ride the ship into the ocean. Due to his earlier drinking, Joughin was likely highly intoxicated by this time.
Once in the water, Joughin paddled and treaded for over two hours. In his testimony, he wrote that he never felt cold, and he even thanked the alcohol for that. In fact, most people in Joughin’s situation (and there were many) died from hypothermia. However, the alcohol in his body kept Joughin alive long enough to survive.
Rescue and Recovery
When daylight finally broke, Joughin managed to spot and swim to a lifeboat. He remained there until a nearby ship, RMS Carpathia, arrived to rescue the survivors. Joughin was rescued from sea with only swollen feet.
After his rescue, Joughin returned to England to recover. He then gave a written testimony of his experience, which was used to accurately detail this story.
Joughin may be remembered for getting drunk and surviving Titanic, though he is also remembered for deciding to put others before him and save their lives at the risk of his own. He was thirty-three years old at the time of the sinking, and he lived many more years following his survival. Yet, his survival may be largely due to his decision to sneak off and get drunk.
