Herbert Stone was the Second Officer of the SS Californian on the night of April 14th. He was one of two officers who were on deck of the ship while the Titanic was sinking.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Herbert Stone was born around 1887 in Northam, Devon in England. He would marry Annie Beattie.
Titanic Disaster[]
On April 14, around 12:10 A.M, Stone came up on bridge to relieve Third Officer Groves from watch and take over, he began to operate middle-watch until 4 A.M, watching the light of a ship in the distance just off the starboard beam which had stopped about 30 minutes before.
Groves and Stone on watch[]
Main Article: SS Californian
Earlier during Groves watch, he and Captain Lord both saw the steamer coming up from the east, and then stop for the night. They weren’t surprised however, as a few hours earlier around 10:20 P.M, some crewmen reported ice, and Lord ordered full-speed astern to stop the ship and wait for daylight, the ship rounded at the edge of a large ice-field.
Stone tried signalling the ship with the Morse lamp as did Groves but without success. Around 12:45 A.M. Stone witnessed a flash of white which he mistook as a shooting star, as he would then see another one. He witnessed about 5 rockets being fired from the ship when 20 year old Apprentice Mate James Gibson, a man who agreed on apprenticeship by the Leyland Line to work on the Californian. joined him up on deck as they continued to watch the distant ship.
At 1:15 A.M, Stone would contacted Captain Lord about the rockets using a speaking tube, however it’s unclear how many rockets he stated to the captain, Lord asked if it has been a company signal, to which Stone reply’s with an uncertain answer. Lord tells Stone to report to him if anything about the ship changes as-well to continue signalling it with the Morse lamp. As Stone and Gibson continued their watch on the distant ship for another hour. The mysterious lights eventually disappeared by then; Stone sent Gibson down to report it to the Captain.
Around 4:00 A.M. they saw a new ship, this was the Carpathia.
After the disaster[]
Herbert Stone testified at the British Inquiry.
Later life[]
Herbert Stone passed away in Bootle, Lancashire, England.
Portrayals[]
A Night to Remember (1958 film)[]
“ |
Captain thinks she’s signalling to another ship about the ice.” “Looks a bit clear isn’t she?” “I’ll try signalling her again,” “As if she’s listing.” “It’s because of the angle we’re at.” |
” |
—Herbert Stone and James Gibson |
Herbert Stone is portrayed by actor Harold Siddons in A Night to Remember.
He first appears on the morning of April 14th with Captain Stanley Lord; and Third Officer Groves on the bridge, when Wireless Operator Cyril Evans comes up on deck to give ice reports from the SS Amerika and the RMS Baltic. Lord and Stone both head to the chart room while Groves stays on deck.
1996 Titanic Miniseries[]
Herbert Stone is portrayed by actor Ron Halder in the 1996 Miniseries 'Titanic'.
Sources[]
- 'Titanic' ©1996 (second print, 1998) Edward P. De Groot