Reginald_Lee

Reginald Robinson Lee

Reginald Robinson Lee

Lookout and survivor of R.M.S. Titanic

Reginald Robinson Lee (19 May 1870 – 6 August 1913) was a British sailor who served as a lookout aboard the Titanic in April 1912. He was on duty with Frederick Fleet in the crow's nest when the ship collided with an iceberg at 23:40 on 14 April 1912; both Lee and Fleet survived the sinking.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Biography

Reginald Robinson Lee (date of photograph is unknown)

Born in Benson, England, Lee served in the Royal Navy as Assistant-Paymaster until placed on the retired list in February 1900.[1]

He joined the Titanic's crew on 6 April 1912, having been transferred from its sister ship, RMS Olympic.[2] On 14 April at 22:00, Lee joined lookout Frederick Fleet in the crow's nest replacing Archie Jewell and George Symons. The binoculars were unavailable, as the keys to the case in which they were locked were not on board,[3] forcing the lookouts to rely on their eyesight; it is doubtful the use of binoculars would have aided in spotting the iceberg.[2]

When the Titanic began to founder, Lee was ordered to man lifeboat No. 13, which was launched from the ship's starboard side at 01:30. As a result, Lee survived the sinking, as did Fleet, and testified before the Board of Trade inquiry into the disaster.

Lee returned to sea, last serving aboard the Kenilworth Castle, before dying from pneumonia-related complications in Southampton on 6 August 1913.[2]

References

  1. [1]
    "No. 27160". The London Gazette. 2 February 1900. p. 691.
  2. [2]
    "Reginald Robinson Lee". Encyclopedia Titanica. 6 January 2004. Archived from the original on 17 February 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  3. [3]
    Lord, Walter (November 1955). A Night to Remember. Henry Holt and Company. p. 260. ISBN 0-03-027615-2. OCLC 1075502.
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