This is how the world came together to help the victims of the Titanic in 1912

While sailing between Southampton, England, and New York, USA, the RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean during the night between 14 and 15 April 1912. This incident resulted in the death of more than 1,500 Titanic passengers, among others. What ranks as one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters.

After the collision of the Titanic with the iceberg, international efforts joined forces to save the ship’s passengers from death, as many countries tried to extend a helping hand to the passengers of the stricken ship, among whom were a significant number of dignitaries such as the American businessman John Jacob Astor IV and Pioneer American businessman Benjamin Guggenheim and British businessman and ship engineer Thomas Andrews Jr.

Canada’s distress signal

Between 1912 and 1922, Thomas Bartlett was stationed at the Marconi wireless telegraph station near Cape Bear Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In addition, the latter was entrusted with the task of communicating with the icebreaker ships that sailed near the Northumberland Strait. During the night between 14 and 15 April 1912, the latter received the distress signal sent by the Titanic while it was sinking off the coast of Newfoundland Island.

The station at which Thomas Bartlett was located was the first to receive the Titanic’s distress signal in Canada. In addition, the latter ensured that this signal was sent to Charlottetown, before it was later sent to Halifax.

Photo of several survivors on board the Carpathia

RMS Carpathia

Receiving the Titanic’s distress signals, the British liner RMS Carpathia sailed at full speed towards the accident site in hopes of saving the Titanic’s passengers from death. Thanks to Captain Arthur Rostron’s orders to change course, the RMS Carpathia was the first ship on the scene to proceed with the rescue of survivors.

Although it was not ready, the Carpathia crew prepared the deck to receive as many survivors as possible and provide them with the necessary services. Thanks to Carpathia’s quick intervention, hundreds of Titanic’s passengers escaped death.

Photo of the Carpathia

New Yorkers Aid

When they heard the news of the Titanic disaster, the people of New York rushed, along with many local American associations, to extend a helping hand to the survivors who later settled in the Manhattan area. Upon their arrival, the survivors were given food, clothes and blankets, and necessary medical assistance was provided.

On board the Carpathia, there was a medical staff of three doctors. These doctors initially ensured the provision of urgent medical aid to the survivors picked up from the lifeboats. Near their arrival site in New York, about 20 ambulances were present in the area to quickly transport the injured to hospitals. On the other hand, the American ship Thomas S. Brennan was located near New York. At that time, city officials ensured that it was converted into a hospital ship, by providing the necessary medical materials for it, with the aim of receiving the wounded and sick.

A picture of a number of New Yorkers receiving the survivors

In the process of helping the survivors, some New York women formed what was known as the Women’s Committee for Relief. Despite the lack of a clear aid plan, this women’s group managed to provide significant amounts of humanitarian aid to passengers, especially migrants, on board the Titanic. Also, a significant number of volunteers were present on the spot, in addition to representatives of the Jewish Women’s Association, which enabled many of the survivors to live in temporary housing pending greater government intervention.