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William McMaster Murdoch
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William McMaster Murdoch
Lieutenant William McMaster Murdoch RNR (28 February 1873 – 15 April 1912) was a British sailor who was the first officer on the RMS Titanic during its ill-fated maiden voyage. He was the officer of the watch when the ship's lookouts spotted an iceberg and, despite his efforts to avoid a collision, the ship took a glancing yet fatal blow on the starboard side. He was amongst the 1,500 people who perished when the ship sank. The circumstances of his death have been the subject of controversy.
Murdoch was born in Dalbeattie in Kirkcudbrightshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), Scotland, the fourth son of Captain Samuel Murdoch, a master mariner, and Jane Muirhead, six of whose children survived infancy. The Murdochs were a long and notable line of Scottish seafarers; his father and grandfather were both sea captains, as were four of his grandfather's brothers.
Murdoch was educated first at the old Primary School in High Street, and then at the Dalbeattie High School in Alpine Street until he gained his diploma in 1887. Finishing schooling, he followed in the family seafaring tradition and was apprenticed for five years to William Joyce & Coy, Liverpool, but after four years (and four voyages) he was so competent that he passed his second mate's certificate on his first attempt.
He served his apprenticeship aboard the Charles Cosworth of Liverpool, trading to the west coast of South America. From May 1895, he was first mate on the St. Cuthbert, which sank in a hurricane off Uruguay in 1897. Murdoch gained his extra master's certificate at Liverpool in 1896, at age 23.
An officer of the Royal Naval Reserve, he was employed by the White Star Line in 1900. From 1900 to 1912, Murdoch gradually progressed from second officer to first officer, serving on a succession of White Star Line vessels, Medic (1900, along with Charles Lightoller, Titanic's second officer), Runic (1901–1903), Arabic (1903), Celtic (1904), Germanic (1904), Oceanic (1905), Cedric (1906), Adriatic (1907–1911) and Olympic (1911–1912).
During 1903, Murdoch finally reached the stormy and glamorous North Atlantic run as second officer of the new liner Arabic. His cool head, quick thinking and professional judgement averted a disaster when a ship was spotted bearing down on the Arabic at night. His superior, Officer Fox, had ordered for the ship to steer "hard-a-port," but Murdoch rushed into the wheelhouse, brushed aside the quartermaster, and held the ship on course. The two ships missed each other by inches.
The final stage of Murdoch's career began in May 1911, when he joined the new RMS Olympic, at 45,000 long tons (46,000 t). Not long before, he had shaved his moustache, apparently at his wife's prodding. Intended to outclass the Cunard Line ships in luxury and size, it needed the most experienced large-liner crew that the White Star Line could find. Captain Edward J. Smith assembled a crew that included Henry Wilde as chief officer, Murdoch as first officer, and Chief Purser Hugh McElroy. On 14 June 1911 Olympic departed on her maiden voyage to New York, with a planned arrival on 21 June.
On 20 September 1911, the Olympic collided with the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hawke, badly damaging her hull. Since Murdoch was at his departure station at the stern, he appeared at the incident inquiry and gave evidence. The collision was a major financial loss for the White Star Line, as the voyage to New York was abandoned and the ship returned to Belfast for repairs, which took six weeks.
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William McMaster Murdoch
Lieutenant William McMaster Murdoch RNR (28 February 1873 – 15 April 1912) was a British sailor who was the first officer on the RMS Titanic during its ill-fated maiden voyage. He was the officer of the watch when the ship's lookouts spotted an iceberg and, despite his efforts to avoid a collision, the ship took a glancing yet fatal blow on the starboard side. He was amongst the 1,500 people who perished when the ship sank. The circumstances of his death have been the subject of controversy.
Murdoch was born in Dalbeattie in Kirkcudbrightshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), Scotland, the fourth son of Captain Samuel Murdoch, a master mariner, and Jane Muirhead, six of whose children survived infancy. The Murdochs were a long and notable line of Scottish seafarers; his father and grandfather were both sea captains, as were four of his grandfather's brothers.
Murdoch was educated first at the old Primary School in High Street, and then at the Dalbeattie High School in Alpine Street until he gained his diploma in 1887. Finishing schooling, he followed in the family seafaring tradition and was apprenticed for five years to William Joyce & Coy, Liverpool, but after four years (and four voyages) he was so competent that he passed his second mate's certificate on his first attempt.
He served his apprenticeship aboard the Charles Cosworth of Liverpool, trading to the west coast of South America. From May 1895, he was first mate on the St. Cuthbert, which sank in a hurricane off Uruguay in 1897. Murdoch gained his extra master's certificate at Liverpool in 1896, at age 23.
An officer of the Royal Naval Reserve, he was employed by the White Star Line in 1900. From 1900 to 1912, Murdoch gradually progressed from second officer to first officer, serving on a succession of White Star Line vessels, Medic (1900, along with Charles Lightoller, Titanic's second officer), Runic (1901–1903), Arabic (1903), Celtic (1904), Germanic (1904), Oceanic (1905), Cedric (1906), Adriatic (1907–1911) and Olympic (1911–1912).
During 1903, Murdoch finally reached the stormy and glamorous North Atlantic run as second officer of the new liner Arabic. His cool head, quick thinking and professional judgement averted a disaster when a ship was spotted bearing down on the Arabic at night. His superior, Officer Fox, had ordered for the ship to steer "hard-a-port," but Murdoch rushed into the wheelhouse, brushed aside the quartermaster, and held the ship on course. The two ships missed each other by inches.
The final stage of Murdoch's career began in May 1911, when he joined the new RMS Olympic, at 45,000 long tons (46,000 t). Not long before, he had shaved his moustache, apparently at his wife's prodding. Intended to outclass the Cunard Line ships in luxury and size, it needed the most experienced large-liner crew that the White Star Line could find. Captain Edward J. Smith assembled a crew that included Henry Wilde as chief officer, Murdoch as first officer, and Chief Purser Hugh McElroy. On 14 June 1911 Olympic departed on her maiden voyage to New York, with a planned arrival on 21 June.
On 20 September 1911, the Olympic collided with the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hawke, badly damaging her hull. Since Murdoch was at his departure station at the stern, he appeared at the incident inquiry and gave evidence. The collision was a major financial loss for the White Star Line, as the voyage to New York was abandoned and the ship returned to Belfast for repairs, which took six weeks.
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