Dark5 | 5 Little Things That Could Have Entirely Changed History @dark5tv | Uploaded 3 years ago | Updated 1 day ago
Second Officer David Blair had been a part of the Titanic crew as far back as its initial trial runs, and also in the journey from its construction site in Belfast to Southampton. But days before the Titanic's first and only voyage in April of 1912, Blair was removed from his post. Due to his sudden departure, Blair neglected to leave the key to the locker that held the crow’s nest binoculars. The small mistake may have radically changed the fate of the Titanic.
Officer Blair was replaced by Henry Wilde, Chief Officer of the RMS Olympic, another ship that was undergoing renovations and a layover. Executives at the White Star Line shipping company believed that Wilde's experience trumped Blair's early appointment.
Due to Officer Blair's hasty retreat from the Titanic, he returned home with the key to the crow's nest locker that held the binoculars used by lookouts to spot any hazards.
The absence of binoculars is believed to be one of the main reasons why the Titanic crashed into an iceberg. Had this error of haste not occurred, the lookouts in the doomed ship's crow's nest would have been able to better scan the sea.
Instead, the crew only saw the infamous iceberg when it was too late. On April 14, 1912, the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean after an iceberg ripped a hole into the 46,000-ton ocean liner’s hull. More than 1,500 seamen and civilians lost their lives.
The key was donated by Blair's daughter to the International Sailors Society. On September 22, 2007, it was sold in an auction along with a group of items that included a postcard in which Blair expressed his frustration at not being on the Titanic's maiden voyage.
The key was eventually purchased by millionaire Shen Dongjun for 90,000 Euros and is currently on display in Nanjing, China. Had Office Blair left it behind, the infamous iceberg could have been avoided.
Second Officer David Blair had been a part of the Titanic crew as far back as its initial trial runs, and also in the journey from its construction site in Belfast to Southampton. But days before the Titanic's first and only voyage in April of 1912, Blair was removed from his post. Due to his sudden departure, Blair neglected to leave the key to the locker that held the crow’s nest binoculars. The small mistake may have radically changed the fate of the Titanic.
Officer Blair was replaced by Henry Wilde, Chief Officer of the RMS Olympic, another ship that was undergoing renovations and a layover. Executives at the White Star Line shipping company believed that Wilde's experience trumped Blair's early appointment.
Due to Officer Blair's hasty retreat from the Titanic, he returned home with the key to the crow's nest locker that held the binoculars used by lookouts to spot any hazards.
The absence of binoculars is believed to be one of the main reasons why the Titanic crashed into an iceberg. Had this error of haste not occurred, the lookouts in the doomed ship's crow's nest would have been able to better scan the sea.
Instead, the crew only saw the infamous iceberg when it was too late. On April 14, 1912, the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean after an iceberg ripped a hole into the 46,000-ton ocean liner’s hull. More than 1,500 seamen and civilians lost their lives.
The key was donated by Blair's daughter to the International Sailors Society. On September 22, 2007, it was sold in an auction along with a group of items that included a postcard in which Blair expressed his frustration at not being on the Titanic's maiden voyage.
The key was eventually purchased by millionaire Shen Dongjun for 90,000 Euros and is currently on display in Nanjing, China. Had Office Blair left it behind, the infamous iceberg could have been avoided.
