3.6 E-Deck Affair

The E-Deck Affair Staring Second Officer Lightoller

We conclude our consideration of background material for the analysis to follow with the controversial subject of the passenger door forward on E-Deck; The E-Deck Affair (now that we are big on affairs) is yet another controversial aspect of the mysterious Titanic affair in general and it revolves around Second Officer Lightoller.  Lightoller’s swaying testimony that for fifty years or more convinced everyone of Titanic’s unity at sinking could have garnered the accolade affair.  But it takes more than one person in a party to make it an affair.  Lightoller, in sworn testimony, claimed that he ordered the port side E-deck passenger forward entrance door opened shortly after the command was given to load the lifeboats.  He did this (possibly on his own authority) to aid in fully loading the lifeboats apparently in the mistaken belief that the lifeboats could not be lowered safely fully loaded.  His intent was to fill the lifeboats, after their lowering and floating on the sea, via the much lower down opening in the hull at E-Deck level.  [In all probability it was through E-deck doors that passengers boarded the Titanic from small ferry boats at Queenstown.  There were no docking facilities at Queenstown for ships as large as Titanic.]  The crewmen Lightoller sent to open the E-deck door never returned to report mission accomplished as they should have and, in fact, were never seen again by anyone.  The mystery of their disappearance will be touched on in the Analysis.

 

It was because of this lack of confirmation by returning seamen that many believe the door was never opened although one female passenger did confirm it being open (being a woman and a passenger, her testimony had two strikes against her for being believed).  If it was open, none of the lifeboats took advantage of the E-Deck door to load people.

We have then three controversial issues confronting any robust analysis if an accurate portrayal of the Titanic sinking event is to be accomplished.  The boiler issue, rooms # 1 and room #6, are testimonial linked and must be considered together and in context.  Since they are the most critical issue, they will be considered first in the ANALSIS.  The E-Deck door issue is more difficult to argue because the evidence is paltry and post sinking evidence for it having been opened is easily disputed.  The E-Deck door evidence, however limited it may be, will still be argued in the ANALYSIS as the second topic of interest.

PART II

ANALYSIS

the ANALYSIS will not be blogged--sorry