Thanks to his remarkable courage and calmness, the chief baker of the Titanic survived nearly three hours in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.
Charles Joughin is believed to have been one of the last people on board the Titanic when it sank into the icy waters of the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912. Somehow, the ship’s chief baker survived for hours in sub-zero temperatures until he found a lifeboat. What allowed this baker to remain so composed and survive one of the greatest disasters in history?
The Disaster Strikes
Born in Birkenhead, England in 1878, Charles Joughin was drawn to the call of the ocean at an early age. Following in the footsteps of his two older brothers, who joined the Royal Navy, Joughin began working on ships at the age of 11.
His maritime career eventually led Joughin to a position on the RMS Titanic, the largest and most luxurious ship in the world at the beginning of the 20th century. He worked as the chief baker when the legendary ship struck an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912.
Charles Joughin.
Waking up after the ship shook violently from the collision, Joughin saw the crew members in a state of panic and confusion, with no one taking charge. Instead of succumbing to fear, he immediately grasped what had happened and began to take control of the situation.
The first thing he did upon realizing he was facing death was to instruct his fellow bakers to bring more than 50 loaves of bread up on deck to ensure that those in the lifeboats would have food until they were rescued.
As the cold water flooded the ship and most people were in a state of panic, Charles Joughin calmly returned to his cabin and took a sip of whiskey. After bolstering his spirits, he made his way to his designated lifeboat. However, instead of stepping in himself, he helped a group of men get women and children onto the boats. By this time, the ship was sinking rapidly, and there were almost no lifeboats left.
After relinquishing his “right to survive,” the baker returned to his cabin once more, seemingly unfazed by the sight of water pouring into the compartments. He then went back up and began tossing deck chairs into the sea, hoping that those unfortunate enough not to make it onto the lifeboats could cling to them and survive.
The moment Titanic sank into the sea.
After returning to the deck one last time to drink a glass of water, Joughin reported hearing “a crash as if something was being wrenched.” This was actually the sound of the Titanic breaking apart due to immense pressure.
Although this moment was terrifying for everyone left on board, Joughin later recounted that it “wasn’t a big shock or anything.”
Joughin quickly made his way to the stern of the ship and clung to the railing. In the final moments as the ship sank, he secured a lifebuoy, took some items from his pockets, and calmly stood pondering what to do next.
At around 2:20 AM, the remaining half of the Titanic was lifted vertically and plunged into the abyss, with Joughin among those trapped on the ship.
Surviving in the Frigid Waters
For the vast majority of people, entering water at -2°C would result in immediate shock. As Charles Lightoller, the Titanic’s second officer, recalled: “When I hit the surface, it felt like thousands of knives were stabbing into my body.”
In fact, this immediate shock and the subsequent panic were enough to cause many to drown within minutes, or their bodies to lose too much heat to survive for long.
But this was not the case for Joughin. The brave baker plunged into the water with his characteristic calm demeanor. Joughin continued to float in the freezing darkness for two and a half hours. Eventually, as the first rays of sunlight appeared, he spotted an overturned lifeboat and swam toward it.
Unfortunately, the boat had about 25 people on it, leaving no room for Joughin. However, after a while, he found another lifeboat with space and was finally pulled from the icy water.
Not long after, the survivors from the Titanic were rescued by another ship, the RMS Carpathia. Aside from swollen feet, the baker showed no signs of injury after his long time in the water.
Survivors from the wreck of the Titanic preparing to board the RMS Carpathia.
Charles Joughin’s Life After the Titanic
For many, surviving a horrific shipwreck that claimed the lives of more than a thousand people would be a lifelong haunting. Most would never dare to set foot on a ship again. But Charles Joughin was different. When World War I broke out, he joined the Navy and returned to baking at sea.
After a lifetime of adventure on the blue ocean, he passed away in 1956 at the age of 78. His character was later portrayed in the 1958 film A Night to Remember and the blockbuster Titanic in 1997.
Charles Joughin in the Titanic movie.
To this day, it remains unknown exactly how Joughin survived. But the most plausible explanation is quite simple: his courageous mindset, lack of panic, and ability to make smart decisions, such as staying away from the water until the very last moment, may have been the key factors that helped him survive.
