Frederick Fleet (15 October 1887 – 10 January 1965) was a British

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

crewman Crewman is a generic term for a crew member serving in the operation of an aircraft, naval vessel, or train. The term may also refer to individuals serving in a military capacity on weapon system platforms, such as those operating a tank. In so ...

and a survivor of the sinking of the . Fleet, along with fellow lookout

Reginald Lee Reginald Lee (19 May 1870 – 6 August 1913) was a lookout stationed in the crow's nest of the RMS ''Titanic'' when the ship collided with an iceberg at 23:40 on 14 April 1912. Biography Born in Benson, England, Lee served in the Royal Navy as ...

, was on duty when the ship struck the iceberg; it was Fleet who first sighted the iceberg, ringing the bridge to proclaim: "Iceberg, right ahead!"United States Senate Inquiry Day 4
Testimony of Frederick Fleet. Both Fleet and Lee survived the sinking. Fleet testified at the subsequent inquiries into the disaster that, if he and Lee had been issued with

binoculars Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...

: "We could have seen it (the iceberg) a bit sooner." When asked how much sooner, he responded, "Well, enough to get out of the way." In later life, Fleet suffered severe depression, likely at least in part due to the Titanic disaster, and died by suicide by hanging in January 1965.

Early life and maritime career

Fleet was born in

Liverpool, England Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

on 15 October 1887. He never knew his father, and his mother abandoned him and ran off with a boyfriend to

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, never to be seen or heard from again. Fleet was raised by a succession of foster families and distant relatives. In 1903 he went to sea as a deck boy, working his way up to

able seaman An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination ...

.Stories from The Titanic
National Archives UK. Before joining the crew of the RMS ''Titanic'', he had sailed for over four years as a

lookout A lookout or look-out is a person in charge of the observation of hazards. The term originally comes from a naval background, where lookouts would watch for other ships, land, and various dangers. The term has now passed into wider parlance. ...

on the RMS ''Oceanic''. As a seaman, Fleet earned five pounds per month plus an extra 5

shilling The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 12 pence o ...

s for lookout duty. It was as a lookout that Fleet joined the ''Titanic'' in April 1912, along with five other watchmen.

RMS ''Titanic''

Fleet boarded the ''Titanic'' in

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

on 10 April 1912. The ship made two stops, first in

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Feb ...

, France, and then in Queenstown, Ireland. The lookouts, six in total, made two-hour shifts due to extreme cold in the

crow's nest A crow's nest is a structure in the upper part of the main mast of a ship or a structure that is used as a lookout point. On ships, this position ensured the widest field of view for lookouts to spot approaching hazards, other ships, or land by ...

. The trip was uneventful until the night of 14 April 1912. At 22:00 (10 p.m.) that night, Fleet and his fellow lookout

replaced George Symons and

Archie Jewell Archibald Jewell (4 December 1888 – 17 April 1917) was a sailor who was on the crew of the Titanic. He survived the sinking of the ''Titanic'' and '' Britannic'', but died during the sinking of the SS ''Donegal'' when it was torpedoed withou ...

at the nest. They were passed the order given earlier by second officer

Charles Lightoller Charles Herbert Lightoller, (30 March 1874 – 8 December 1952) was a British mariner and naval officer. He was the second officer on board the and the most senior member of the crew to survive the ''Titanic'' disaster. As the officer in ch ...

to watch out for small ice. The night was calm and moonless, which made it difficult to spot the

iceberg An iceberg is a piece of freshwater ice more than 15 m long that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open (salt) water. Smaller chunks of floating glacially-derived ice are called "growlers" or "bergy bits". The ...

s due to the lack of waves breaking against the base of the iceberg and

reflection Reflection or reflexion may refer to: Science and technology * Reflection (physics), a common wave phenomenon ** Specular reflection, reflection from a smooth surface *** Mirror image, a reflection in a mirror or in water ** Signal reflection, in ...

. Despite Fleet and his fellow lookouts having repeatedly requested to be provided with binoculars, they were not available for the lookouts. This is sometimes attributed to the last-minute change in the hierarchy of the ship when officer David Blair was removed from the maiden voyage crew (due to the knock-on effect of

Henry Tingle Wilde Henry Tingle Wilde, RNR (21 September 1872 – 15 April 1912) was a British naval officer who was the chief officer of the . He died in the sinking. Early life Henry Tingle Wilde was born on 21 September 1872 in Walton, north of Liverpool, En ...

being appointed chief officer) without mentioning where the binoculars had been located. It has been also mentioned that Blair accidentally took the keys of the cabinet containing the binoculars with him. Despite both inquiries into the disaster, nothing clarified why the lookouts were not provided with binoculars, although there are many possible explanations such as one that the

White Star Line The White Star Line was a British shipping company. Founded out of the remains of a defunct packet company, it gradually rose up to become one of the most prominent shipping lines in the world, providing passenger and cargo services between t ...

steamers' lookouts did not particularly use them. Some experts have said that even using binoculars, neither Fleet nor Lee could have spotted the iceberg any sooner given the conditions of the night.10 causes of the Titanic tragedy
NBC news. At 23:39 (11:39 p.m.), Fleet first spotted the iceberg and rang the nest's bell three times to warn the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

of something ahead. Then, using the nest's telephone, he contacted the bridge. It was answered only a few seconds later by sixth officer

James Paul Moody James Paul Moody (21 August 1887 – 15 April 1912) was the sixth officer of the and the only junior officer to die when the ship sank on her maiden voyage. Early life James Paul Moody was born in Scarborough, England, on 21 August 1887, t ...

, who asked Fleet immediately, "What did you see?" He pronounced the infamous "Iceberg! Right Ahead!" warning to Moody. Moody acknowledged Fleet's warning and immediately notified first officer

William McMaster Murdoch William McMaster Murdoch, RNR (28 February 1873 – 15 April 1912) was a British sailor, who was the First Officer on the . He was the officer in charge on the bridge when the ship collided with an iceberg, and was one of the more than 1, ...

, who was in charge of the bridge. After the collision, Fleet and Lee remained on duty in the crow's nest for twenty more minutes.Fred Fleet did his duty on Titanic, now resting in peace
Herald Dispatch. At 00:00 (12 a.m.), Fleet and Lee were relieved by Alfred Frank Evans and George Hogg. Fleet went down to the boat deck and helped to prepare Lifeboat No. 6. Minutes later, once the boat was prepared, second officer Lightoller put

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In m ...

Robert Hichens in charge of the lifeboat and ordered Fleet aboard as well. As they were lowered away, Hichens and American socialite

Margaret Brown Margaret Brown (née Tobin; July 18, 1867 – October 26, 1932), posthumously known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", was an American socialite and philanthropist. She unsuccessfully encouraged the crew in Lifeboat No. 6 to return to the debris ...

realized there were only two sailors, including Fleet, to man the boat, and called for another sailor to be sent. As no able seaman was near, Canadian Colonel

Arthur Godfrey Peuchen Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Godfrey Peuchen (April 18, 1859 – December 7, 1929) was a Canadian businessman and RMS ''Titanic'' survivor. Early life Born in Montreal, Quebec, Peuchen was the son of a railroad contractor; his maternal grandfath ...

volunteered to join the boat saying he had experience in sailing. He was ordered by Lightoller to reach the boat by climbing down a rope, which he did successfully. Once away from the sinking ship, the boat tried to reach the lights of a ship in the distance, thought to be the SS ''Californian''. While Hichens remained at the

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...

, Fleet and Peuchen managed the oars. Arguments and problems arose on boat 6 as quartermaster Hichens kept insulting and mistreating the rowers, including Margaret Brown and

Helen Churchill Candee Helen Churchill Candee (October 5, 1858 – August 23, 1949) was an American author, journalist, interior decorator, feminist, and geographer. Today, she is best known as a survivor of the sinking of RMS ''Titanic'' in 1912, and for her late ...

. Later in the night, there was an argument about whether to return for survivors, with Hichens warning against returning saying they would be swamped by swimmers. The lifeboat finally reached the RMS ''Carpathia'' by 6:00 a.m. on Monday, 15 April 1912. After the disaster, Fleet underwent two inquiries: first, the U.S. Inquiry; secondly, the British Wreck Commissioner's inquiry. In the United States, he was questioned by Senator

William Alden Smith William Alden Smith (May 12, 1859 – October 11, 1932) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan. After the 1912 sinking of the ''Titanic'', Smith chaired the Senate hearings into the disaster. The audience ...

, to whom he repeatedly said that had they been equipped with binoculars, the disaster would not have happened. Before the British inquiry, he underwent a long examination, often repetitive, for which he refused to answer many of the questions.

Lord Mersey John Charles Bigham, 1st Viscount Mersey, (3 August 1840 – 3 September 1929) was a British jurist and politician. After early success as a lawyer, and a less successful spell as a politician, he was appointed a judge, working in commercial la ...

, Chairman of the Commission, concluded Fleet's interrogation by telling him that he was grateful for his willingness to answer questions despite his wariness when responding to every question. Fleet replied with a sarcastic "Thanks."

World War I, World War II, and later life

Fleet served on the ''Titanic''s sister ship RMS ''Olympic'' before leaving the

in August 1912 after noticing that the company treated those involved with the ''Titanic'' differently. For the next 24 years he sailed for different shipping companies, including the

Union-Castle Line The Union-Castle Line was a British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line. It merged with ...

. Fleet served on merchant ships throughout World War I. Later, he was the ship's lookout again on the ''Olympic'' during the 1920s and early 1930s.On A Sea Of Glass: The Life & Loss Of The RMS Titanic" by Tad Fitch, J. Kent Layton & Bill Wormstedt. Amberley Books, March 2012. p 371 When he left the sea in 1936, he was hired by

Harland & Wolff Harland & Wolff is a British shipbuilding company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It specialises in ship repair, shipbuilding and offshore construction. Harland & Wolff is famous for having built the majority of the ocean liners for the Wh ...

to work at the company's shipyards in

. While working there, he lived with his wife's brother. He served again during World War II. Later, when he was about to retire, he became a newspaper salesman, going through difficult economic times.

Death

Shortly after Christmas, on 28 December 1964, Fleet's wife died, and her brother evicted him from the house.Edmonds, Robert (2009)
"Frederick Fleet (1887–1965)"
Maritime Quest. Retrieved 12 August 2018. Consequently, Fleet fell into a downward spiral of depression. He returned to his brother-in-law's home and

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

himself in the house's garden on 10 January 1965. Fleet was buried in a

pauper's grave A potter's field, paupers' grave or common grave is a place for the burial of unknown, unclaimed or indigent people. "Potter's field" is of Biblical origin, referring to Akeldama (meaning ''field of blood'' in Aramaic), stated to have been p ...

at Hollybrook Cemetery, in

. This grave remained unmarked until 1993, when a headstone bearing an engraving of the ''Titanic'' was erected through donations raised by the

Titanic Historical Society The ''Titanic'' Historical Society, Inc. (THS) is a non-profit organization founded on whose purpose is the preservation of the history of the famous ocean liner RMS ''Titanic'', which sank in 1912, in one of the greatest maritime disasters i ...

.Frederick Fleet biography
.

Biography.com ''Biography'' is an American documentary television series and media franchise created in the 1960s by David L. Wolper and owned by A&E Networks since 1987. Each episode depicts the life of a notable person with narration, on-camera interviews ...

. 12 August 2018.

References

External links

Frederick Fleet Encyclopedia Titanica biography

Frederick Fleet Titanic Pages biography
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fleet, Frederick 1887 births 1965 deaths 1965 suicides 19th-century English people 20th-century English people British Merchant Navy personnel of World War II British Merchant Service personnel of World War I Burials in Hampshire Sailors from Liverpool RMS Titanic survivors Suicides by hanging in England Burials at Hollybrook Cemetery