James Battersby, 40, of Stockport, England, was a British subject traveling aboard Lusitania. His ticket number was 46084 and he stayed in cabin A-6. Battersby’s dining room companions were James Leary, Thomas King, Alexander Campbell, and Charles Hardwick. They had just finished lunch and were going outside when the ship was torpedoed. Battersby survived the Lusitania sinking.
Lusitania
Battersby had a late lunch with James Leary, Thomas King, Alexander Campbell, and Charles Hardwick. Their table was three tables from the entrance. King excused himself immediately after lunch to take his medications, while the other four sat in the dining room and conversed. The luncheon party started out to the deck, and just got out the threshold of the doorway when the ship was torpedoed.
The following is an account from fellow survivor Friedrich August Schwarte:
I met a friend of mine, Mr. Battersby, of Stockport, who had a cabin close to me, and he also put on a lifejacket. We rushed together to the boat deck, where the people had congregated, and even as we went we could perceptibly feel the vessel sinking. The captain refused to let any of the boats down for a while, probably thinking the Lusitania might be kept afloat, or judging it would be too risky to lower them owing to the movements of the ship.
Battersby survived the Lusitania disaster.
Contributors:
Jim Kalafus, USA
Michael Poirier, USA
References:
Kalafus, Jim and Michael Poirier (2005) Lest We Forget Part 2: As the Lusitania Went Down ET Research. <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lusitania-lest-we-forget-2.html>
“Survivors’ Accounts from the Lusitania, 7th May 1915.” Small Town, Great War. Hucknall 1914 – 1918. Online. <http://www.facebook.com/notes/small-town-great-war-hucknall-1914-1918/survivors-accounts-from-the-lusitania-7th-may-1915/293207364031341>.
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