Wikipedia

Joseph Boxhall

Commander Joseph Groves Boxhall RD RNR (23 March 1884 – 25 April 1967) was a British merchant seaman and naval officer who was the fourth officer on the RMS Titanic. When the ship struck the iceberg, Boxhall was on watch and subsequently became the only on-watch officer that night to survive the sinking.

Commander
Joseph Boxhall
RD RNR
Boxhall, c. 1919
Born(1884-03-23)23 March 1884
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died25 April 1967(1967-04-25) (aged 83)
Christchurch, Hampshire, England
Resting place
North Atlantic Ocean
41°46′N 50°14′W / 41.767°N 50.233°W / 41.767; -50.233
OccupationsMerchant seaman, Naval officer
Known forFourth Officer on RMS Titanic
Spouse
Marjory Bedells
​
(m. 1919)​
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch
Royal Naval Reserve
Rank
Commander
Conflicts
World War I
Awards

During the sinking, Boxhall was in charge of firing distress rockets in an attempt to signal a nearby ship, now known to be the SS Californian, and also made a second calculation of the Titanic's final position. He was ordered into Emergency Cutter No. 2 and, after the ship sank, was responsible for lighting green flares which helped attract the RMS Carpathia to the wrecksite, subsequently leading to a successful rescue of all the lifeboats. He subsequently took part in both the U.S. and U.K. inquiries.

Boxhall went on to have a long career in the Merchant Navy as a senior officer and served in World War I. He retired from seafaring in 1940. Though he seldom spoke of his experience on Titanic, in retirement, he was persuaded to help out with the production of A Night to Remember and later gave an interview on the BBC on the 50th anniversary of the sinking. Boxhall died in 1967. At the time of his death, he was the last living officer of Titanic.

Early life

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Boxhall was born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the second child and only son of Miriam (née Groves) and Captain Joseph Boxhall. He had three sisters, two of whom, Violet and Mabel, survived into adulthood. The youngest, Enid, died a few months after birth.[1]

He was born into an established seafaring tradition: His grandfather had been a mariner, his uncle was a Trinity House buoymaster and Board of Trade official, and his father was a respected master with the Wilson Line of Hull.[2]

Early maritime career

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Boxhall during his time aboard RMS Oceanic, c. 1909

Boxhall followed in the footsteps of his family on 2 June 1899, when he joined his first ship, a barque of the William Thomas Line of Liverpool. Boxhall's apprenticeship lasted four years, during which time he travelled extensively. He then went to work with his father at Wilson Line, and obtained his Master's and Extra-Master's certifications in September 1907.[3] Afterwards, he joined the White Star Line.[4]

He joined the White Star Line November 1907, his first ship with the line being the RMS Celtic on which he served as sixth officer. He was then transferred to the RMS Oceanic in June 1908 where he served alongside Charles Lightoller, the only officer of the Titanic he knew before joining the ship. In February 1910, he served aboard SS Runic on the Australian run before returning to the New York route aboard the RMS Cedric and then sailing on the Canadian run aboard SS Megantic.

From December 1911 to January 1912, Boxhall served aboard the SS Arabic. He was subsquently transferred to the RMS Titanic, White Star's newest liner and the largest in the world, as Fourth Officer for the ship's maiden voyage; he was then 28 years old.[2]

On 1 October 1911, he was made a probationary sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, and was confirmed in the same rank on 5 March 1912.[5]

RMS Titanic

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Like the ship's other junior officers, Boxhall reported to White Star's Liverpool offices at nine o'clock in the morning on 26 March 1912, and travelled to board the ship at Belfast the following day. Before the trials, Boxhall and Fourth Officer Herbert Pitman were tasked with inspecting the port lifeboats and their equipment. In Southampton on 10 April, Boxhall assisted with the ship's lifeboat drill.[6]

The White Star Line operated a watchkeeping system whereby the three senior officers worked the same four-hour watches in every 12-hour period while the junior officers stood the traditional system of four hours on/four hours off with the rest of the Titanic's deck department. This was divided into two watches, designated Port and Starboard, and pairs of junior officers were assigned to each watch. Boxhall was assigned to the Starboard Watch with Sixth Officer James Moody.[7] During delivery trip from Belfast to Southampton, and then again during departure from Southampton, Boxhall's departure position was on the navigating bridge, in charge of the engine telegraphs, as well as assisting the captain and the harbour pilot.[8]

After the Titanic left Southampton, Boxhall – along with his fellow junior officers – settled into his regular duties; these included scheduled watches, aiding in navigation, and assisting passengers and crew when necessary.

Final watch and collision

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On the evening of 14 April, Boxhall began his last watch at 8:00 PM, set to last until midnight,[4] and spent "a great deal of time in the chartroom, evaluating previous navigational data and stellar fixes from Third Officer [Herbert] Pitman." He updated Titanic's position and reported the information to Captain Smith. He updated the ship's position once again at 10:00, incorrectly determining that any ice was to the north of the ship.[2]

When Titanic collided with an iceberg at around 11:40 pm on 14 April, Boxhall was on duty but was not on the bridge. At the two inquiries held into the sinking in 1912 he stated he was standing just outside the officers' quarters where his cabin was. However, in his 1962 BBC interview he stated that he was in his cabin, having gone there to have a cup of tea.[9] Hearing the lookout bell, he headed immediately to the bridge, arriving just after the impact. Captain Smith, who had also just arrived on the bridge, assessed the situation as best he could while the senior officers gathered in the bridge. Boxhall went off to inspect the damage and on his way down he came across passengers on the forward well-deck playing with ice.[10]

Boxhall went as far as F-Deck and found no damage, but was later intercepted by the ship's carpenter who informed him that the ship was taking water, which was later confirmed by a mail clerk to Boxhall and Captain Smith. On the return trips up, he also noticed light ice scattered across the forward well deck.[2] On his second trip down, Boxhall himself saw the damage in the mail hold as well as two of the postal clerks struggling to bring up mail bags.[9]

Mystery ship and Titanic's position

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Officer Boxhall sighted lights in the distance, likely the masthead light of the cargo steamer SS Californian, and attempted in vain to signal by using the morse lamp located atop Titanic's starboard bridge wing cab.[11][12] Boxhall once again charted Titanic's position so that a distress signal could be sent out, incorrectly finding it as 41° 46' N, 50° 14' W.[a][2][15]

After giving the updated position to the wireless room, Boxhall began to fire distress rockets from the starboard bridge wing in an attempt to signal to the distant ship. The rockets were designed to be fired about 600 to 800 feet into the air and detonated with a loud report which Fifth Officer Harold Lowe, working at Lifeboat No. 1, described as "deafening." After Quartermaster George Rowe called the bridge from the stern, Boxhall ordered him to bring the remaining rockets from the stern to the bridge. Rowe and Boxhall subsquently fired a total of eight rockets, though that task also proved fruitless as the ship did not indicate they had seen them. After asking Captain Smith about Titanic's condition, he was told that she would sink in about an hour.[2][16]

Lifeboat No. 2 and Carpathia

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Boxhall was ordered into lifeboat No. 2 by Captain Smith, which was lowered from the port side at 1:45 am with 18 people aboard out of a possible 40. Boxhall was ordered to pull towards the starboard aft gangway doors, which he attempted to do but eventually the lifeboat rowed away from the ship for fear of being pulled down by suction. Boxhall later stated that he did not actually see Titanic founder, as her lights had gone out and his lifeboat was about 3⁄4 nautical mile (1.5 kilometres) distant.

Boxhall spotted the RMS Carpathia on the horizon around 4:00 am and guided her towards Titanic's lifeboats with green flares he had placed into the boat just before getting into it himself. As the lifeboat pulled alongside Carpathia, a passenger in the boat named Mahala Douglas, whom Boxhall had placed in charge of the tiller, called out "The Titanic has gone down with everyone aboard!" Boxhall quickly replied with "Shut up!" He later apologised for his outburst, and Douglas agreed that it was acceptable, given the circumstances they had just endured and their current conditions.[17][18]

Once aboard the ship, Boxhall was taken to Captain Arthur Rostron who asked him, "The Titanic has gone down?" According to eyewitnesses, Boxhall's voice broke as he responded with, "Yes. She went down at about two-thirty." He subsequently informed Rostron the other lifeboats were nearby and assisted Carpathia's crew as they came up to the rescue ship one by one.[19]

Inquiries

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Titanic's four surviving officers. Standing, left to right: Charles Lightoller, Herbert Pitman, and Boxhall. Sitting: Harold Lowe

After arriving in New York on April 18, Boxhall, along with his fellow surviving officers, were served with subpoenas to testify at the American inquiry into the sinking. Initially, he testified on Day 3 of the hearings and was noted to be unwell. Soon after, he was examined by a doctor who diagnosed him with pleurisy due to exposure whilst in the lifeboats. He would testify again about a week later.[2] He and his fellow surviving officers were allowed to leave New York on the RMS Adriatic on 2 May.[20]

After returning to England, Boxhall bore witness again, this time at the British inquiry. Much of his testimony concerned details of the lifeboat lowerings and Titanic's navigation, including the ice warnings, a number of which Boxhall marked down. He was also the first person to testify that he saw another vessel in proximity while Titanic sank.[21]

Later career and retirement

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Following the sinking of Titanic, Boxhall briefly served as Fourth Officer on White Star's RMS Adriatic and then as Third Officer of the SS Persic. In November 1912, Boxhall received a promotion to senior officer, becoming Second Officer aboard the SS Irishman of the Dominion Line, on the Australian route. In June 1913, he appeared as a witness in the case of Ryan v. The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company.[22]

Lieutenant Boxhall during the First World War; photo taken during his time aboard a torpedo boat

He was promoted to lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve on 27 May 1915.[23] During the First World War, he was commissioned to serve for one year aboard the HMS Commonwealth before being dispatched to Gibraltar, where he commanded a torpedo boat.[3][2]

Boxhall returned to White Star following the war in May 1919.[24] On 27 May 1923, he was promoted to lieutenant-commander in the RNR.[25] He signed on as second officer on board RMS Olympic – the lead ship of the three Olympic-class vessels which Titanic was the second ship constructed – on 30 June 1926. After the White Star-Cunard merger in 1933, he served in senior capacity as First and later Chief Officer of the RMS Aquitania, although he was never made a captain in the merchant marine. He also served as First Officer on RMS Berengaria and as Chief Officer on RMS Scythia.[2]

After 41 years at sea, Boxhall retired in 1940. His RNR records describe him as working as a clerk in the Lymington Borough Council, in Lymington, Hampshire where he resided later in his career. His final listing is dated 20 May 1944 and 23 May 1944 where he is listed as being employed as "Marine Superdt" by the U.S. Army.

A Night to Remember

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Boxhall was a generally taciturn and quiet man, usually reluctant to speak about his experiences on Titanic. However, in 1957, he acted as a technical advisor to William MacQuitty for the film adaptation of Walter Lord's historical account, A Night to Remember. It took the persuasion of an old friend, Captain Harry Grattidge, and from his family to get him to agree with the project.

Boxhall visited the set three times and was photographed with the film cast and crew. He later to attend the film's worldwide premiere in Odeon Leicester Square alongside Third Officer Herbert Pitman.[26][27]

During a talk given at the Christchurch Red House Museum in May 1959, Boxhall remarked that he was "not too displeased" with the result, saying, "I've a great admiration for those film chaps who had to endure each shot being taken three times over in cold October whilst floundering about in Ruislip Reservoir."[28]

In 1962, for the 50th anniversary of the sinking, Boxhall gave an interview on the BBC regarding the disaster.[29]

Personal life

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Boxhall married Marjory Bedells, the daughter of a Yorkshire industrialist, after the war. By all accounts, the marriage was a happy one. The couple had no children.

His health deteriorated rapidly in the 1960s, and he was eventually hospitalised. The last surviving deck officer of Titanic, Boxhall died of cerebral thrombosis on 25 April 1967 at the age of 83. His body was cremated and according to his last wishes, his ashes were scattered to sea at 41°46N 50°14W—the position he had calculated as Titanic's final resting place over 50 years earlier.[2][30]

Recognition

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A green plaque on Boxhall's former home in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire

Boxhall is commemorated with a green plaque located at his former home at The Avenues, Kingston upon Hull.[31]

He has been portrayed on screen several times:

Notes

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  1. ↑ This miscalution in position was due to a previous error of one minute made in calculations by Third Officer Pitman as well as the unusual atmospheric conditions of the night which is likely why even Captain Smith's initial calculations were incorrect.[13][14]

References

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  1. ↑ "Joseph Groves Boxhall: Titanic Fourth Officer". Encyclopedia Titanica. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "RMS Titanic: Fourth Officer Boxhall" (PDF). A Quiet Sea. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  3. 1 2 "RMS Titanic Fourth Officer, Joseph G. Boxhall". www.ggarchives.com. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  4. 1 2 "United States Senate Inquiry Day 3". Titanic Inquiry Project. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "No. 28587". The London Gazette. 5 March 1912. p. 1663.
  6. ↑ Georgiou, Ioannis. "The forgotten drills aboard Titanic". Encyclopedia Titanica. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Babler, Günter (2019). Guide to the Crew of Titanic. The History Press. ISBN 978-0750992336.
  8. ↑ Parkes, Dan; Krom, Gavin. "Titanic Officers On Duty". Titanic's Officers. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Titanic: 'I heard the screams' recalls officer". BBC News. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Leased Wire, The United Press (23 April 1912). "Vivid Stories Told of how Great Ship Sank". The Tacoma Times. p. 1. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "LIGHTS MAY HAVE BEEN STARS; Gen. Uhler Thinks Titanic's Officers May Have Been Deluded by Them". The New York Times. 24 April 1912. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  12. ↑ Milford, Joshua Allen. "Timeline Article: Fourth Officer Boxhall Notices A Light in the Distance". Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  13. ↑ Gabriel, Angeli (14 April 2022). "How the Titanic was taken down by a mirage". Fox Weather. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  14. ↑ Halpern, Samuel (2016). Report into the Loss of the SS Titanic: A Centennial Reappraisal. The History Press. pp. 96, 145–146. ISBN 978-0750967990.
  15. ↑ Bartlett 2011, p. 120.
  16. ↑ Fitch, Layton & Wormstedt 2012, p. 183.
  17. ↑ "United States Senate Inquiry, Day 15: Affidavit of Mahala Douglas". Titanic Inquiry Project. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Lord, Walter (2005) [1955]. A Night to Remember. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0805077643.
  19. ↑ Rostron, Arthur H. (1931). "The Loss of The Titanic". Home From The Sea. Cassell & Company Ltd. pp. 55–84.
  20. ↑ Othfors, Daniel (23 March 2018). "Adriatic (II)". The Great Ocean Liners.
  21. ↑ "British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry, Day 13". Titanic Inquiry Project. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  22. ↑ Molony, Senan. "The Third Titanic Inquiry: Ryan v. OSNC". Encyclopedia Titanica. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  23. ↑ "London Gazette, 25 June 1915".
  24. ↑ "Joseph Groves Boxhall - The Last Man Standing". museumcollections.hullcc.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "London Gazette, 12 June 1923".
  26. ↑ Ward, Greg (2012). The Rough Guide to the Titanic. London: Rough Guides Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4053-8699-9
  27. ↑ "Belfast's MacQuitty made unsinkable film". Irish Echo Newspaper. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  28. ↑ Sandrey, William (May 1959). "A Talk by the Fourth Officer of the Titanic". Nautical Magazine.
  29. ↑ Titanic Archive (4 September 2023). Titanic's Fourth Officer, Joseph Boxhall - BBC Radio Interview (1962). Retrieved 28 February 2025 – via YouTube.
  30. ↑ "Joseph Boxhall: Obituary". Southern Evening Echo. 27 April 1967 – via Encyclopedia Titanica.
  31. ↑ Plaques, Open. "Joseph Groves Boxhall (1884-1967) Fourth Officer of RMS Titanic and survivor of the disaster lived here". openplaques.org. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  32. ↑ Havert, Nik (2019). The Golden Age of Disaster Cinema: A Guide to the Films, 1950-1979. Jefferson, NC, USA: McFarland & Company. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-4766-6730-0.
  33. ↑ Marsh, Ed (1998). Kirkland, Douglas (ed.). James Cameron's Titanic. Boxtree. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7522-2404-6. OCLC 43745407.
  34. ↑ "Titanic Sinks Tonight". BBC. 2025. Retrieved 9 January 2026.

Bibliography

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  • Bartlett, W.B. (2011). Titanic: 9 Hours to Hell, the Survivors' Story. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-0482-4
  • Fitch, Tad; Layton, J. Kent; Wormstedt, Bill (2012). On A Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the R.M.S. Titanic. Amberley Books. ISBN 978-1-84868-927-5
  • Havert, Nik (2019). The Golden Age of Disaster Cinema: A Guide to the Films, 1950-1979 Jefferson, NC, USA: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-6730-0
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