On April 14th 1912 at approximately 11.45pm the ocean liner the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic. It’s story is well known, but what isn’t as well known is the story of the ship that saved many of the Titanic’s passengers and it’s heroic dash to the site of the disaster.
The RMS Carpathia was at least a hundred miles away from the Titanic as it began to sink,, Captain Rostron had heeded the warnings about pack ice ahead, and had stopped his ship for the night at the edge of the affected area, unlike Captain Smith of the Titanic.
As soon as he heard of the disaster Captain Rostron had the Carpathia dash at full speed to the spot where the Titanic had sunk, his engineer warned him that he was destroying his ships engines and yet the Captain kept the ship at full speed, determined to pick up as many of the survivors as possible. Without his and his crews quick thinking many more victims of the sinking would have died of exposure in the frigid temperatures of the North Atlantic.
The RMS Carpathia rescued 706 Titanic survivors.
If you want to enjoy the story of the Titanic, we have a musical for you
THE SHIP OF DREAMS – The Voyage of the RMS Titanic.
It tells the story of the mighty Titanic, one the largest moving objects ever built, that sets sail on her maiden voyage. The passengers revel in her luxury, while waiting ahead in the dark, an unavoidable disaster looms.
You can download this 50-minute show at https://www.history-portal.comproduct/the-ship-of-dreams/
supplied ready to perform by 15 to 100 children with script, (including stage directions) historical Fact Sheets, Art Pack showing how to make the scenery, costumes, and props along with 24 MP3 files, being both performance and rehearsal tracks.
Isn’t history fun?
5 questions to discuss:
- Compared to the RMS Titanic, how did Captain Rostron’s response to the ice warnings contribute to the Carpathia being able to rescue survivors?
- What risks did Captain Rostron take by pushing the Carpathia’s engines to their limits during the rescue mission?
- Apart from speed, what other factors aided the Carpathia in reaching the survivors quickly?
- How did the crew of the Carpathia ensure they could accommodate and care for a large number of unexpected passengers?
- Beyond Captain Rostron and his crew, do you think other individuals or factors played a part in the successful rescue operation? If so, who or what were they?
These questions encourage deeper analysis of the text by examining strategic decisions, potential challenges, logistical considerations, and acknowledging any broader influences on the rescue effort.
For more information go to
https://www.irishpost.com/news/rms-carpathia-12-facts-titanics-rescue-165987
https://mediachomp.com/the-story-of-the-carpathia-and-the-titanic/
© Text and Artwork: Anthony James.