Drinks, Dough, and Disaster
When the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Chief Baker Charles Joughin was off duty. After helping load lifeboats and giving away provisions, he returned to his cabin and drank what he later described as “a good deal” of liquor before going topside as the ship sank.
Refusing a Lifeboat
Though assigned to Lifeboat 10, Joughin chose not to board. Instead, he threw deck chairs overboard for others to cling to. He was last seen on the stern as it lifted into the air before the final plunge.
Into the North Atlantic
Joughin entered the freezing ocean without a life vest and claimed he paddled for over two hours in water estimated at 28°F (-2°C). He said he barely felt the cold and was later spotted and pulled aboard Lifeboat B, a partially submerged collapsible raft.
Rescue and Recovery
He was transferred to the RMS Carpathia, where he received basic treatment and rest. Remarkably, he suffered only swollen feet. Joughin later testified before the British inquiry into the disaster and lived until 1956, dying in New Jersey at the age of 78.
