Letter from Charles Lightoller to First Officer Murdoch's wife,
Ada
published in the Dumfries & Galloway
Standard and Advertiser on May 11, 1912
(contributed by Parks "Sparks" Stephenson,
& Samuel Scott Murdoch)
Hotel Continental,
Washington.
April 24th, 1912.
Dear Mrs. Murdoch,
I am writing on behalf of the surviving officers to express our deep sympathy in this, your awful loss. Words cannot convey our feelings, - much less a letter.
I deeply regret that I missed communicating with you by last mail
to refute the reports that were spread in the newspapers. I was
practically the last man, and certainly the last officer, to see
Mr. Murdoch. He was then endeavouring to launch the starboard
forward collapsible boat. I had already got mine from off the top
of our quarters. You will understand when I say that I was working
the the port side of the ship, and Mr. Murdoch was principally
engaged on the starboard side of the ship,
filling and launching the boats. Having got my boat down off the
top of the house, and there being no time to open it, I left it
and ran across to the starboard side, still on top of the
quarters. I was then practically looking down on your husband and
his men. He was working hard, personally assisting, overhauling
the forward boat's fall. At this moment the ship dived, and we
were all in the water. Other reports as to the ending are
absolutely false. Mr. Murdoch died like a man, doing his duty.
Call on us without hesitation for anything we can do for you.
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed)
C.H.Lightoller, 2d Officer;
J. Grove Boxhall, 4th Officer;
H.J. Pitman, 3d Officer;
H.G. Lowe, 5th Officer.