Mr.
JAMES "JAY" HAM BROOKS, Saloon Class Passenger
[No Picture Provided]
James Brooks, 41, grew up in Maine, United States near the Androscoggin
River. As an adult, he lived in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and was
a salesman with the Weed Chain Company. His company made auto
chains. His wife's name was Ruth and together the couple had four
sons. They also had a Miss Hicks in their employ to look over the
children, who as of 1915, were all under 6 years of age.
Before departing New York on the Lusitania, Jay and Ruth stayed
in the Biltmore Hotel. It was only after her husband left the
hotel was Ruth informed of the German warning.
James Brooks' cabin on the Lusitania was E-48.
As the Lusitania neared the coast of Ireland, Brooks claimed to
have seen Fastnet Rock. He had also noticed, while on deck, that
even though the lifeboats had been swung out, all but two were still
chained
to the ship. While at coffee in the dining saloon, Brooks felt
that
the ship's speed had been reduced "very appreciably" and that filled
him
with unease.
After lunch he walked up the staircase to the Boat Deck. Reaching
the outside, he heard Montagu and Chastina Grant call for him from the
deck above, next to the Marconi room. James Brooks climbed the
companionway to join them. They made plans to play shuffleboard
and were waiting for a fourth to join them when he noticed a white
streak approaching diagonally from the starboard side. Brooks
noted the torpedo to be "between
ten and fifteen feet in length, two feet in diameter and appeared to be
traveling about 35 miles an hour" (Hickey/Smith, 183). He said
flatly,
"That's a torpedo."
James Brooks felt "a solid shock" go through the Lusitania and
"instantly up through the decks went coal, debris of all kinds . . . in
a
cloud, up in the air and mushroomed up 150 feet above the Marconi
wires." This was accompanied by "a volume of water thrown with
violent force" that knocked him flat on his face. Brooks got back
up again and heard Chastina weakly call for her husband. Jay ran
between the second and third funnels to find Montagu and Chastina lying
on the deck on the starboard side. Then came "a slight second
shock" that enveloped him in steam. He felt that he was going to
suffocate. When the steam cleared, the Grants were gone.
Panicking, Brooks ran down to the Boat Deck port side and ran into the
smoking room from the rear door. The room was deserted. He
then ran to the starboard side of the room and saw stokers emerge from
below. He didn't want to go back inside to fetch a lifejacket and
continued around the decks. Passing beneath the bridge, he saw Captain
Turner hold up his hands and order, "Lower no more boats!
Everything
is going to be all right!"
As he passed a lifeboat station, he heard one crewman mutter to
another, "To hell with him. We'll damn well get this one away!"
Brooks was calming down in his walk. Then he saw the first
lifeboat spill.
He thought that maybe if the Lusitania were slowed down enough
the lifeboats would get away safely. The ship, however, seemed to
be
plowing straight towards the Old Head of Kinsale instead.
Next, a crewman passed, waving a revolver saying that no one could get
into the boats. Brooks said aloud, "Who in hell is trying to?"
Jay then saw Staff Captain Anderson running to the stern without his
coat. Apparently at least sixty or so women were hanging onto an
iron pipe railing on the starboard side, afraid to let go and lower
themselves
into a lifeboat. Brooks lent his help, holding onto a lifeboat
davit
with one arm and assisting women one by one into the lifeboat.
The
deck was becoming level with the water but the chains prevented the
lifeboat
from being freed. Before the clamps could be released, the boat's
keel was afloat and the waters smashed the lifeboat into the davits,
spilling
most of the women into the sea.
Without taking off his shoes, Brooks jumped into the ocean. The
water was clogged with wreckage and he had no idea how it could have
happened in such a short time. Compared to the Androscoggin, he
felt that
the water was "mild." He swam as fast as he could and saw the
Marconi
aerials coming down on him. He eluded the first one, pushed away
the
second on while it was in the air and it passed right by his feet.
The
wire had cut his hand.
He saw the Lusitania, pointing at the land just out of reach,
go down "with a thunderous roar as of the collapse of a great building
during a fire." He thought that maybe the innards of the ship had
broken loose and crashed towards the bow.
Brooks climbed aboard a collapsible and went to work to raise the sides
with Leslie Morton, Fred Gauntlett,
Samuel Knox, and Charles Lauriat.
With great difficulty
they tried to persuade those hanging on the sides to cling onto the
ropes
attached so they could raise the sides. Those in the water were
convinced
that the men were trying to push them off. After the sides went
up,
the seats had to be slid in place. Then they had to look for oars
among the floating wreckage; however, they were fully manned.
Carefully, they rowed, trying to avoid "the dead and living among
the debris."
Their lifeboat was picked up by the Peel 12. Soon the
rescue vessel was so crowded that Brooks had to dangle his legs over
the side.
He was transferred to the Flying Fish.
In Queenstown, Brooks did what he could to help the American consul.
He identified Charles Klein by
his
clubfoot.
Brooks report of the disaster was printed in The New York Times,
Monday, 10 May 1915, page 3.
Brooks retired to South Paris, Maine, where he lived well into his
eighties.
Contributors:
Judith Tavares
References:
Hickey, Des and Gus Smith. Seven Days to Disaster.
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1981.
Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling. The Last Voyage of the Lusitania.
Madison Books, 1956.
Preston, Diana. Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy.
Berkeley Books, 2002.
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