Olof Edvin Wendel was a passenger on Titanic.
Early life[]
Olof Edvin Wendel was a Sweden native, born in Östra Sallerup, Malmöhus or Skåne, on May 2nd 1891. He was one of at least 5 children, of which one name is unknown. His parents were Per Olsson Wendel and Karna Jönsdotter. Olov had an elder sister: Hilma Elina, born in 1888.
Two brothers, Erik and Henning Hildegard, were born after him in 1896 and 1898 respectively.
He took a journey together with August Ferdinand Nilsson, another Swede from Östra Sallerup. He and his friend had gone on a route via Copenhagen to England, where they would be on a voyage with the mightiest liner the world ever saw: Titanic. Their tickets are presumed to have been bought in Denmark. Ultiamte destination of Wendel’s crossing would be Saint Paul in Minnesota, where he was going to stay with relatives.
Titanic[]
Olof and August went with the Titanic in Southampton, taking passage in Third Class. On April 10, the ship left the piers to start her Maiden Voyage. Wendell was 22 years old at the time.
On April 14, disaster struck as an iceberg was spotted too late and couldn’t avoid. Titanic had scrachted alongside the thick mass of the berg on the starboard side, leaving gashes which enabled water to enter the ship. On April 15, shortly after midnight, Captain Smith had discussed Titanic’s situation with her designer Thomas Andrews, who calculated that she would founder despite the pumps and the watertight doors. Smith immediately prepared for the passenger to evacuate.
Olof didn’t surive the sinking of Titanic when she went down on April 15 at 2:20 A.M. Many passengers in steerage died that night. His travelling mate also became one of over 1500 victims in this terrible disaster. Their body would not be found.
After his death[]
On January 23, 1913, his parents were aided with relief money given to them by The Mansion House Fund, a sum of 418.83 Kr (£25). Additional money was given in terms of damage: 1366.50 Kr (£75) on December 17, 1914.