The RMS Titanic

Exactly ninety-seven years ago from today, on April 15th, 1912, the famous luxury ocean liner Titanic met its tragic fate and sank in the middle of Atlantic Ocean.

The following is a sad yet deeply-touching account of how one father, Arthur West, gave a flask of milk for his wife Ada and his daughters, 5-year-old Constance and 10-month-old Barbara, before returning and sharing a same fate as the doomed ship. The story was revealed after Barbara, aged 96, died in 2007.

Here are Mrs. West's accounts in her letters:

'My dear people, here's the end of my first awful week without my dear old boy.

'The experiences I have been through with all the other poor creatures have been enough for two life times.

'We were amongst the first to leave the ship. Arthur placed life belts upon the children then carried them onto the boat deck.

'After seeing us safely into the lifeboat Arthur returned to the cabin for a thermos of hot milk and finding the lifeboat let down he reached it by means of a rope, gave the flask to me, and, with a farewell returned to the deck of the ship.'

'There were men in our boat who had concealed themselves under the ladies skirts and had to be asked to stop lighting cigarettes as there was a danger of the dresses becoming ignited.'

'It was only when I saw the ship sink and heard the awful cries and groans from the poor drowning creatures that I felt the least bit of fear as to his safety.

'There was no suggestion of going back to the ship when she sank and drowning people was heard.

'The steward who seemed to be in charge called out 'Pull up men - they're singing in the other boats. Give them a shout!'

'The noise they made drowned all the cries and we gradually drew away from the scene of the wreck and did not turn back until some time after the Carpathia had appeared.'


Just four days before the tragedy, Auther West wrote a letter on board the Titanic. In his letter he writes:

'I hope we have a calm trip....till we reach our journeys end.'

I can only admire Arthur West's courage to part with his family and meet his death. He must have known that the milk flask is the last present that he can give.


So many things have changed since then...