Joseph Barlow Ranson

Captain Joseph Barlow Ranson OBE was a commander of White Star Line liners. He was born in 1864. His marine career began at the age of 14, when he joined the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. He joined the White Star Line in 1891 and retired in February 1921.

Rescue of RMS ''Republic''

Ranson was the captain of the ship , which rescued 1700 passengers and crew from the stricken liner (sailing from New York to Gibraltar and Mediterranean ports) when it collided with the Italian liner ''Florida'' in fog off the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts on January 23, 1909. Submarine bells, depth sounding, and radio signals were used by Ranson to locate the drifting RMS ''Republic''.

Ranson was awarded the Lloyd’s Life Saving Medal "as an honorary acknowledgement of his extraordinary exertions in contributing to the saving of life on the occasion of the steamships ''Republic'' and ''Florida'' being in collision in the vicinity of the Nantucket Lightship on the 23 January 1909".

As a joint expression of the gratitude of saloon passengers from the White Star's ''Baltic'' and ''Republic'', Ranson received a special commemorative award CQD "Gold" Medal, in recognition of the gallantry of the seamen who had taken part in the rescue.

American wrist-watch millionaire, Ralph Ingersoll, undertook the striking and distribution of the medals, presented to all crew members and captains involved in the incident.

Sinking of ''Titanic''

As captain of RMS ''Baltic'', he was sailing from New York City to Liverpool on 11 April 1912. On 14 April 1912, ''Baltic'' warned by radio that icebergs had been sighted. ''Titanic'' hit an iceberg at 11:40 that same night. This warning became notable after the sinking when Edward Smith took the warning from the bridge and handed it to White Star Line managing director J. Bruce Ismay. He took it and reportedly later showed it to some other passengers. Ismay later said he gave the warning back when Captain Smith asked for it later that evening. Some Ismay critics have pointed to this as evidence that Ismay had convinced Captain Smith to increase the ship's speed, which Ismay denies, and that this was Captain Smith showing Ismay there was danger.

At 00:30, the ship ''Caronia'' relayed a CQ message from ''Titanic'' to the ''Baltic'', and at 00:53 another CQD. At 01:15, ''Baltic'' responded "Please tell ''Titanic'' we are making towards her". At 01:35, ''Baltic'' reported receiving the message "Engine room getting flooded" from ''Titanic'', and responded "We are rushing to you".

Later in the morning, at 08:07 ''Baltic'' radioed to offer assistance with survivors. ''Baltic'' travelled 134 miles west toward the scene of the sinking of ''Titanic'' before turning back toward Liverpool. Ranson subsequently provided testimony about the warnings of icebergs and standard operating procedure, to the British inquiry into the ''Titanic'' disaster on June 18, 1912. In "EXPENSES OF INQUIRY PAID BY THE BOARD OF TRADE", Ranson is shown to have received 15 shillings in his capacity as master of ''Baltic''.

Other awards

Ranson received an O.B.E. as a Senior Captain in World War I. He commanded the ''Baltic'' from the outbreak of hostilities until October 1915, and thereafter, the ''Adriatic'' until the end of the War. He was also awarded the British War and Mercantile Marine Medals.

Other forms of name (including misspellings)

*J B Ranson
*J Barlow Ransom
*Joseph B Ranson
*John Barlow Ranson (as listed in transcriptions of Titanic Enquiry testimony, in error)
*J. B. Ransom (as minted on his C.Q.D Gold Medal, in error)

Photos

Photos of J.B. Ranson with Captain Inman Sealby of the RMS ''Republic'' are known to exist (on the RMS ''Republic'' official salvage web site, see ).

Known commands

*23 January 1909 Ranson is the commander of ''Baltic''. He rescues the passengers of ''Republic'' after a collision with ''Florida''.
*11 April 1912 Captain Ranson sails ''Baltic'' across the Atlantic, warning ''Titanic'' of icebergs. He turns the ship around to participate in the rescue effort.
*12 December 1915 Captain Ranson is recorded as the commander of RMS ''Britannic'', sailing into Liverpool dock to complete commissioning as a hospital ship.
*18 September 1918 Captain Ranson is listed as J. B. Ranson, O.B.E., Lieut. Commander R.N.R. (ret'd) and the commander of RMS ''Adriatic'' on its voyage from Liverpool to New York City.

Quotes

*In a magazine article about the use of radio to locate RMS ''Republic'' in fog, he said ''"the passenger on a well-equipped transatlantic liner is safer than he can be anywhere else in the world"'' .
*Asked about icebergs in the ''Titanic'' inquiry he said; ''"We go full speed whether there is ice reported or not", "I always keep my course whether ice is reported or not, on the track"''

Footnotes

External links

*The Outlook, February 6, 190
Article Describing the Rescue of the RMS Republic

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ranson, J.B.
1864 births
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Year of death missing