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The lookouts on the RMS Titanic weren't provided with binoculars; is that what caused it to sink?
Who is Frederick Fleet?
Who is Frederick Fleet?
Frederick Fleet was one of the lookouts on the Titanic. He was the first person to actually spot the iceberg that the Titanic hit.
By: Titanic Universe
Researcher: Skye Pena
Revised By: Cecily Rose and Katherine Kim
The Titanic's crows nest
Citations
Citations
Text: “Titanic Survivor Stories – Lookout Frederick Fleet.” Titanic Universe RSS, www.titanicuniverse.com/titanic-survivor-stories-lookout-frederick-fleet/3496 .
Image: "RMS Titanic" Ship of Dreams, http://www.titanicandco.com/iceberg.html
Abstract
Abstract
Frederick Fleet had a childhood that consisted of no parents. He lived with family members and in foster homes until he was 16, which was when he decided to start a life at sea. When he was 20 years old he signed with the White Star Line and from the RMS Oceanic he was transferred to the RMS Titanic as one of the six lookouts. When he was testified, Frederick Fleet pointed out that if he had access to binoculars, they would've seen the iceberg sooner.
Notable quotations
Notable quotations
"After the crew and survivors returned home, Frederick Fleet testified at the Titanic Inquiry, where he stated that if he had been given a pair of binoculars, he would have certainly seen the iceberg in time for it to have been avoided" (Survivor).
"When the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking came around, the graves of the Titanic survivors were decorated with flowers and gifts, and other tokens of adoration. However, on the grave of Frederick Fleet, someone placed a pair of binoculars and a note apologizing for how late these binoculars were given" (Survivor).
By: Biography
Researcher: Oskar Liljestrand
Revised By: Katherine Kim
An image of Mr. Frederick Fleet
Citations
Citations
Text: “Frederick Fleet.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 2 Apr. 2014, https://www.biography.com/people/frederick-fleet-283644
Image: https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2012/120/89368980_133581728020.jpg
Abstract
Abstract
This article was a biography of Frederick Fleet telling his life before, while, and after working on the Titanic ship. He was abandoned as a young boy and started work at sea at age 12. He was hired on the Titanic in April 1912. On the Titanic's maiden trip, he saw a giant black object in the distance which later they learned was an iceberg. It was thought that they avoided it, but there was ice berg underneath the water which scraped against the Titanic.
Notable quotations
Notable quotations
“On April 14, 1912, Fleet was on duty with fellow lookout Reginald Lee when he saw a black mass ahead of the ship” (Biography).
“Though the ship swung out of the way, he watched as an iceberg scraped the starboard side” (Biography).
By MaritimeQuest
By MaritimeQuest
Researcher Cecily Rose
Binoculars; a tool that could've been used to see the iceberg sooner enough to make a significant difference.
Citation
Citation
Text: Pocock, Michael. “Warships, Submarines, Uboats, Passenger Liners, Sailing Ships, Fishing Vessels, Cargo Ships, Merchant Ships, Ship Database.” MaritimeQuest - Main Page http://www.maritimequest.com/liners/titanic/crew/fleet_frederick.htm
Abstract
Abstract
Frederick Fleet, a 25-year-old man with a troubled past joined the Titanic crew in March of 1912 as a designated A/B lookout along with Reginald Lee. Frederick was the first one to notice the iceberg and called the ship's bridge who took the information and started to turn the ship. Once they passed the iceberg he thought it was a “near miss.” This was until he was evacuating, and he says the results of the RMS Titanic would have been drastically different if he was provided with binoculars.
Notable Quotations
Notable Quotations
“A little after seven bells (ie about 2330 or a little later) Mr. Fleet saw a mass looming ahead. He telephoned the ships bridge and reported 'ICEBERG DEAD AHEAD'. Sixth Officer James Moody (who did not survive) responded 'Thank you'. With the phone still in his hand Mr. Fleet felt the ship start to veer the port. Shortly thereafter both lookouts from their high viewpoint saw the starboard side of the ship crunching down the iceberg. They saw great lumps of ice broken off and falling onto the starboard forecastle and well decks. Later at the board of enquiry Mr. Fleet asserted that at the time he was not alarmed because he assumed that it had been merely been a 'near-miss'” (Edmonds).
“(At the Board of Enquiry Mr. Fleet pointed out that had he been provided with binoculars as he should have been then the iceberg would have been sighted much earlier with dramatically different results. Another factor was that since the seastate was calm the customary turbulence caused by waves breaking along the edge of an iceberg was not present and thus the berg was not as visible to lookouts as would normally have been the case)” (Edmonds).
By Richard Krebes
By Richard Krebes
Researchers: Zev Cambre, Adam Gage, Katherine Kim, Cecily Rose
The fateful iceberg that caused the Titanic to sink.
Citation
Citation
Text: Krebes, Richard. “Defending Fleet and Lee.” Encyclopedia Titanica, Encyclopedia Titanica, 11 Oct. 2018, www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/defending-fleet-and-lee.html.
Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Titanic_Eisberg.jpg
Abstract
Abstract
Like “Frederick Fleet” by A&E Networks Television “Defending Fleet and Lee” from Encyclopedia Titanica have a brief backstory on Frederick Fleet. David Blair left his binoculars in his locked cabin before leaving the Titanic. Because of this when Fleet’s fellow lookout Symons asked for binoculars Lightroller said that there were none. At Frederick Fleet’s testimony, he stated that if he had binoculars, he would’ve seen the iceberg that hit the Titanic sooner enough to save the Titanic. So with this evidence, Encyclopedia Titanica concludes that Frederick Fleet is not to be blamed for being unable to see the iceberg without binoculars.
Notable Quotations
Notable Quotations
“A box or bag was kept in a ship’s crow’s nest for binoculars. David Blair, briefly second officer of the Titanic during her delivery trip from Belfast to Southampton prior to the maiden voyage, lent his own pair of glasses that were stamped according to lookout Hogg,'Second Officer S.S. Titanic.' Telling Hogg to have them locked up in his cabin when the ship arrived in Southampton. With these glasses somehow lost in the shuffle when Blair was transferred off ship as the senior officers were switched around; when Henry Wilde came over from the Olympic at Captain Smith’s request to assume the duties of Chief Officer from William Murdoch. Who then took the first officer slot and Charles Lightoller replacing Blair as second” (Krebes p9).
“After the Titanic set sail for New York, lookout Symons asked Lightoller for binoculars. With Lightoller going to confer with another officer and returning saying 'Symons there are none.' A fact Symons then reported to Fleet, Lee, Hogg, Evans, and Jewell. Whether or not they were of much use that night was much bandied about at both the American and British inquiries” (Krebes p11).
Source 5: The Titanic
Source 5: The Titanic
By: Sue Vander Hook
Researchers: Cecily Rose and Zev Cambre
Citations
Citations
Text and Image: Hook, Sue Vander. The Titanic. ABDO Pub., 2008.
Abstract
Abstract
In the book “The Titanic,” by Sue Vander Hook there is the underlying theme that one of the Titanic’s biggest faults was its lack of lifeboats. What is pointed out from this book is that Frederick Fleet was not responsible for the sinking of the Titanic, but rather the manufacturers who thought that lifeboats were not important.
Notable Quotations
Notable Quotations
“Two lookouts were perched in the crow’s nest, watching for icebergs. Usually, lookouts used binoculars, but on this voyage, none were available-they had been forgotten during the last-minute preparations for sailing” (Hook 58).
“Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee, who started their two-hour duty at 10:00 p.m., strained their eyes looking for splashing water or foam lapping against the rim of an iceberg. But on that night, the water was too calm for splashing” (Hook 58).
“If the lookouts had been able to see what was ahead of them that night, they would have caught sight of a crowded tangle of icebergs similar to a mountain range. They would have spotted one that rose 100 feet (30 m) above the water” (Hook 58-59).
If you have any questions about Frederick Fleet, please contact:
Katherine Kim, Manager, Researcher, Abstracts, Citations, and General Edits
Cecily Rose, Co-manager, Researcher, Abstracts, and Citations
Adam Gage, Graphic Designer, Grammar and Spelling
Zev Cambre, Citations, Abstracts
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