The ‘iceberg that sunk the Titanic’: Eerie photograph showing towering mound of ice pictured by passing ship two days before ill-fated liner was sunk reemerges after it was put up for sale
- Captain W Wood of SS Etonian captured a photo of the huge iceberg on camera
- He noted the sight two days before the Titanic collided with a massive iceberg
- The geographic coordinates and unusual shape suggest this was the same one
- Titanic sank in just under three hours on April 14, 1912, killing 1,522 people
- Historic photograph is set to fetch £12,000 when it goes to auction this week
A remarkable photograph showing the ‘iceberg that sank the Titanic’ has surfaced 108 years after the historic disaster that claimed more than 1,500 lives.
The black-and-white picture was taken by coincidence two days before the sinking by the captain of another passenger liner crossing the Atlantic.
The seaman, a Captain W Wood who served on board the SS Etonian, was interested in photography and captured the huge iceberg on his camera.
This photograph, showing an iceberg thought to have been the same one struck by the Titanic, was taken just two days before the ill-fated disaster that killed 1,522 people on April 14, 1912
Crucially, he made a note of the geographic coordinates, which were almost the same for when the Titanic struck an iceberg 40 hours later and sank with the loss of 1,522 lives.
Once he reached New York, Wood had the photograph developed and sent a print of it to his great-grandfather, along with a letter in which he stated that it was the iceberg that sank the Titanic.
He wrote: ‘I am sending you a sea picture, the Etonian running before a gale and the iceberg that sank the Titanic.
Once he reached New York, Captain Wood wrote to his great-grandfather to tell him about the huge iceberg he had seen while making his Atlantic crossing on the SS Etonian
‘We crossed the ice tracks 40hrs before her and in daylight, so saw the ice easily and I got a picture.’
He wrote a caption in black ink on the accompanying photo, noting ‘iceberg taken by Captain Wood SS Etonian in 41°50N 49°50W April 12th at 4pm.’
The Titanic struck an iceberg at 10.20pm on April 14, 1912 and sank just under three hours later.
Captain Wood’s photograph and letter are now being sold at auction for an estimated £12,000
Several photos of the icebergs in the Titanic’s vicinity taken before and after the collision have come to light over the past century.
However, Wood’s photograph of the unusually-shaped iceberg seems to closely match sketches and eyewitness descriptions of the one that the Titanic struck.
The photograph and letter are now being sold at auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts, for an estimated £12,000.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: ‘There were never any photographs taken on board the Titanic of the iceberg, only images of ones in the same area in the days before and after.
‘But Captain Wood’s photograph must be the most likely of all of these images.
‘Fredrick Fleet was the lookout who first spotted the iceberg and he later drew a sketch of it, as did crew member and eye-witness Joseph Scarrott.
A photo of Titanic leaving Southampton on Aptil 10, 1912, four days before disaster struck
‘Their sketches both appear similar to the iceberg in this photo and have the same distinctive odd shape at the top.
‘But the letter from Captain Wood adds far more weight to this iceberg being the one. He seems unequivocal that this was the iceberg that sank the Titanic.
‘It was pure luck that Captain Wood took the photo when he did.’
The 5ins by 4ins photograph will be sold on June 20.
THE TITANIC DISASTER TIMELINE
Ned Parfett, the ‘Titanic paperboy’, outside of the White Star Line offices in London
April 10, 1912 (12:00):
The Titanic sets sail from Southampton to New York, calling at Cherbourg and Cork en route.
April 14 (09:00–22.30, ship’s time):
Marconi Company radio officers on the Titanic received a total of six warnings of ice in the vicinity, not all of which were passed on to the crew.
April 14 (23:39):
Lookout Frederick Fleet, in the crow’s nest, spots an iceberg dead ahead of the ship. Turning to port, the vessel managed to avoid a direct collision, but suffered a ‘glancing blow’ instead.
April 15 (00:05):
Captain Edward Smith orders abandon ship and has radio operators issue distress signals.
April 15 (02:05):
The Titanic’s final lifeboat is launched. Ten minutes later, the liner’s angle in the water increased rapidly, ultimately reaching over 30 degrees, as water reached previously unflooded parts of the ship through deck hatches.
April 15 (02:20):
The Titanic finally disappeared beneath the waves, some two hours and forty minutes after striking the iceberg.