Stealth Hunter
05-24-08, 01:36 AM
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
28 June, 1942
Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, or a subcommittee thereof, is hereby authorized and directed to investigate the sinking of the Cunard liner: the RMS Aquitania, with its attendant loss of life so shocking to the civilized world.
Resolved further, That said the committee or subcommittee thereof is hereby empowered to summon witnesses, send for persons and papers belonging to the British government, and to administer oaths. Henceforth, such information shall be used to prevent such a disaster as this in future times of war.
Resolved further, That the committee shall inquire particularly into the number of lifeboats, liferafts, and life preservers (along with other equipment) used to protect and save the lives of the saved passengers and crew from the RMS Aquitania. Furthermore, inquires shall be made to survivors, whether passengers or crewmen, towards inspections made regarding the vessel in view of the large number of American passengers travelling over a route commonly regarded as dangerous in these times due to the presence of uboats; and whether it is feasible for Congress to take steps looking to an international agreement to secure the protection of sea traffic, including regulation and restriction without interfering in the business of the Third Reich and the Kriegsmarine thereof.
Resolved further, That in the report of said committee it shall recommend such legislation as it shall deem expedient; and the expenses incurred by this investigation shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers to be approved by the chairman of said committee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTEST:
Charles M. Walters, Secretary.
By Johnathan H. Matthews, Assistant Secretary
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I will ask Mr. D. Marcus Platt to come forward and take the stand.
Mr. D. Marcus Platt, being duly sworn by the chairman, testified as follows:
Senator KARLSSON: Mr Platt, for the purpose of simplifying this hearing today, I will ask you a few preliminary questions, if you permit.
Mr. PLATT: I shall.
KARLSSON: State your full name, please.
PLATT: Donald Marcus Platt.
KARLSSON: Your place of residence.
PLATT: Norfolk.
KARLSSON: Your age.
PLATT: I am 33 as of August 10th.
KARLSSON: Your occupation.
PLATT: I own a small hotel in the countryside; 5 bedrooms.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, when and where did you board the Aquitania?
PLATT: I boarded her in Southampton at about 10:30 in the morning.
KARLSSON: What was the exact date?
PLATT: June 20th.
KARLSSON: What was your destination?
PLATT: New York, sir.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I know this might seem a bit broad, but would you please tell the committee any details regarding the voyage that you might believe to be helpful in this inquiry?
PLATT: I can recall several, sir.
KARLSSON: Chiefly?
PLATT: I can recall the radio operator rushing into the dining room to inform the captain that a uboat warning had been dispatched to all British ships within the area.
KARLSSON: What day was this?
PLATT: June 25th.
KARLSSON: This is not also the same date that the Aquitania was sunk, correct?
PLATT: It is indeed the same date.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, what was the captain's reaction to this warning?
PLATT: He did not appear concerned, sir.
KARLSSON: How so?
PLATT: He simply excused himself from the table, and took the radioman aside near my position as of the moment. I was near the starboard side's windows, you see. I recall him saying to the radio operator to command the helmsman to begin a zig-zag pattern. He walked out of the dining room, and the captain went back to his meal, sir.
KARLSSON: Radio operator?
PLATT: I meant "radioman", sir.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, were none of the other passengers aware that the captain had spoken to the radioman? Around what time did this all occur?
PLATT: I believe some were aware of it. This whole event happened around 9:30 p.m.
KARLSSON: Do you believe the surrounding passengers heard, in detail, the warning presented to the captain?
PLATT: A few, sir, but much less than those who just saw him take him aside. I was sitting with about 5 others.
KARLSSON: Can you name the 5?
PLATT: Excluding myself, I only knew 2 of the 5: Thomas Harrison and Wallace Nicols. The other 3 were complete strangers, sir.
KARLSSON: Who were you sitting with?
PLATT: I sat alone, sir.
KARLSSON: Going back a short bit, are Mr Harrison or Mr Nicols present?
PLATT: I do not know, sir.
KARLSSON: You do not know?
PLATT: When last I looked, they were both unaccounted for. I believe Mr Nicols perished in the sinking, sir. When I last saw him, just minutes before the ship went down, he was back inside the main lounge looking for a ruby cuff link which he had lost around noon. He hadn't noticed it at the time, sir.
KARLSSON: Moving along, what do you feel regarding Captain McCawley's course of action towards notification of such dangers in the present area?
PLATT: I feel now that they were reckless and he was slacking off as his duty to be commander of the liner.
KARLSSON: What did you feel at the time?
PLATT: I cannot recall my feelings.
KARLSSON: Skipping along quickly, when did you feel the impact of the torpedo or torpedoes?
PLATT: Around 11:00 p.m.
KARLSSON: Was there more than one impact?
PLATT: There were 2, sir.
KARLSSON: Can you be specific on when the second one occurred?
PLATT: I do not know precisely, sir. I can tell you that it could not have happened a minute after the first one struck us.
KARLSSON: Where did the torpedoes strike you?
PLATT: I have heard they hit us on the starboard side, but that is only hearsay.
KARLSSON: Were the impacts violent?
PLATT: Somewhat. The first one only shook the ship by a bit. There wasn't much of an impact. You could hear some of the things inside the cabin rattling, such as the alarm clock on my nightstand and the brass key on my coffee table, but nothing was shaken around too badly. The second one, however, moved the bed by about a foot. It was the more violent one of the two.
KARLSSON: What cabin were you in, Mr Platt?
PLATT: A45.
KARLSSON: What did you do immediately after the second impact?
PLATT: I turned on the lamp, got out of bed, got dressed, and found the brass key to my room, which had been shaken off onto the floor.
KARLSSON: What did you dress in, Mr Platt?
PLATT: My evening clothes and my coat.
KARLSSON: What did your evening clothes consist of?
PLATT: The white undershirt that went to my dining tuxedo, a black pair of dress pants, dress socks, and black dress shoes. I pulled out what I had dressed in hours before.
KARLSSON: Were you warm?
PLATT: Yes. It was actually fairly cold out that night. I should imagine that the air temperature was around 50 degrees.
KARLSSON: What should you think the water temperature was?
PLATT: Perhaps 40 degrees. I don't know for certain, sir. I'm not a sailor.
KARLSSON: Of course, of course. Mr Platt, would you please tell the committee what you did then.
PLATT: After I found my key and had gotten my coat out of the dresser, I went out into the hallway, locked the door, and put my room key in my pocket. My first reaction was to get up on deck and find out what was happening. That's just what I did, too. I noticed that we were taking on a slight list to starboard, and I wasn't entirely convinced by the claimed safety of the ship. I wasn't taking chances.
KARLSSON: What deck were you going to?
PLATT: The boat deck, sir.
KARLSSON: What time did you make it there?
PLATT: Around 11:18 p.m., sir. It had taken me about 10 minutes to get dressed and about 8 to make it through the crowd that was starting to form inside and outside the ship.
KARLSSON: Were any lifeboats being launched?
PLATT: No sir. They were preparing to launch them, but none had actually been dropped or were being lowered with passengers inside.
KARLSSON: When did the lifeboats finally launch?
PLATT: The first one I saw was lowered away at 11:30, about 25 minutes before the Aquitania went down. She'd begun to take on a considerable list, and I was fearful that she'd go down before half of the boats could even be launched.
KARLSSON: Did you get in a boat?
PLATT: No sir. Women and children first. Captain McCawley's management style reminded me like that of the old captains of the late 1800's and early liners of this very century. He somewhat reminded me of Captain Smith of the Titanic when his ship began to sink.
KARLSSON: In the final 20 minutes of the ship's sinking, what exactly happened with you?
PLATT: Well, I caught up to Harrison and Nicols outside the ship's forward main staircase entrance. Harrison had his luggage with him, Nicols had nothing. Harrison was in attire very similar to mine, though he had a full tuxedo on. He was trying to save everything that he could which belonged to him. Nicols was dressed in nothing more than pajamas with a robe. He had red slippers on, too. We discussed our plans for about 5 minutes, shook hands, and split up. That's the last time I ever saw them.
KARLSSON: Continue.
PLATT: I went forward to one of the last remaining lifeboats on the bow. I was going to try to get off. I was fairly certain the ship was doomed, and I didn't want to be pulled into the cold water.
KARLSSON: How many lifeboats had been launched by that time?
PLATT: I could not say for certain, sir. Perhaps 8. Not many.
KARLSSON: How many people had life preservers on?
PLATT: Most of them did. I never got one, however. Too slow on my part.
KARLSSON: Were there enough for everyone?
PLATT: I do not know for sure, sir.
KARLSSON: Were most of the life boats that you saw filled to capacity?
PLATT: I cannot say, but the one I saw that seemed to have the most passengers aboard had around 45 or 50 people.
KARLSSON: What were your thoughts as you went to the bow to find a boat?
PLATT: I was disturbed. I realized that I might not make it off the ship before it sank. I was scared, too. There was a very real understanding in my mind that I could die, and I knew that there would be people who would definitely die. It was upsetting, disturbing, scary, and gut-wrenching all at the same time.
KARLSSON: What did you do when you got to the bow?
PLATT: I was on the starboard side. There was one boat left, and there were about 20 people trying to get in it.
KARLSSON: How many people were already in it?
PLATT: About 30.
KARLSSON: Did you get in?
PLATT: No sir. There was a young woman behind me, pretty thing, with a baby. I let her have my spot instead. The women and children order had almost been completely abandoned by this time, sir. There were grown men and women and children alike mixed together with about 12 crewmen. Total disorganization and chaos.
KARLSSON: What happened next?
PLATT: The ship took a sudden lunge forward. Wasn't very violent, though. We knew that she was going to be gone pretty soon, so the lifeboat I was planning to get in was launched immediately. A-deck's promenade at the bow had water pouring over the railing, and the lifeboat only had to drop down a short distance before touching the water.
KARLSSON: As of that moment, how many people were standing with you on deck?
PLATT: I should imagine around 40. More came out from below deck, you see. I overheard one say, "This is a cruel joke!" He was distraught over all the boats on our side being away. There were 4 others, but they were all collapsible ones, and there wouldn't be enough time to launch them. We'd have to float them off.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I'm going to resume asking my questions later, but as of this moment, would you please tell the committee the entire story of what happened to you next to your rescue?
PLATT: Certainly, Mr Karlsson. I went up on top of the deckhouse where the collapsibles were. We got them ready, and left them there. I helped the passengers climb up to get in the collapsibles. After they were all up, we got them in the boats, and we prepared to float off. I wasn't in yet. I went to check the port side of the ship. There were more passengers over there, from the bow to the stern. There must have been hundreds. The starboard side, which we were on, only had about a hundred, but not hundreds. A minute later, water was flowing over the boat deck on the starboard side. The stern was lifting out of the air, and the bow was dropping beneath the sea. The lights from the bridge and deckhouses and cabins caused a green illumination of the seawater. It was an eerie effect. I tried to climb back up on top of the deckhouse to get to the collapsibles, but the water was rising too quickly. In seconds, it was at my ankles. In a few more seconds, it was to my waist. I was carried off the deck by it. My feet no longer felt the wood planks. I was floating. I could now reach a metal bar on the deckhouse roof, but when I grabbed it, I had no time to pull myself atop the roof. The water submerged me entirely. I was pulled down about 5 feet before I let go. I swam to the surface, and reached a collapsible. There were bursts of bubbles on the surface. I assume it was the windows to the deckhouses giving away. It was terrible. I looked over to the port side, where all those people had been. It was going under quickly. There were many people and crewmen floating in the sea. Some of the boats which were preparing to be launched that had people in them never made it away. They were still tied to their davits. The people in them floated out when the boats were pulled down with the ship, and many of them succumbed to hypothermia. There was a groaning noise as the ship went down even more. The forward funnels were giving away, and they toppled off into the sea. The other two did the same. The ship rolled completely over onto her side and then the entire ship's stern reared up into the air. Then, she went down vertically. That was it. She was gone. People were screaming for help, but we didn't go back. I just laid down in the collapsible's bottom, and passed out. I guess I passed out, anyway. I can't remember anything after that other than being picked up a few hours later by a tramp steamer. Several others arrived later and picked up the others.
KARLSSON: Thank you, Mr Platt. Where were all the officers during the sinking?
PLATT: All of them that hadn't made it off on a lifeboat had scurried away to the port side, away from the rising water on the starboard side. They didn't bother to help anyone else.
KARLSSON: Where was Captain McCawley?
PLATT: The last time I saw Captain McCawley was as the bridge was going under. He stepped out of the bridge, looked around, and walked back inside. He went down with the ship. He left the door open, but I don't think he was washed out, sir. I'm certain he drowned.
KARLSSON: Do you think he was a hero?
PLATT: No. He didn't maintain order during the sinking, and he didn't take appropriate action when he was informed of possible uboats in the area, in my opinion.
KARLSSON: Were there many people trapped inside the ship?
PLATT: When the water was rising to my ankles, sir, I looked inside the forward staircase's windows. There were roughly 2-dozen people still inside. I don't think many, if any, got out in time. With that said, I'm sure more were deeper down inside the ship. The lights stayed on until the end. The workers in the engine rooms definitely were trapped.
KARLSSON: Was it bright out?
PLATT: Sir?
KARLSSON: Was the moon very bright?
PLATT: Oh! Yes sir, it was. Lights probably weren't necessary on the boat deck. I could see fine without them.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I've got to wrap this up quickly. I've got a meeting regarding a textile production proposal, but before we go, can I ask you if you'd be willing to take the stand tomorrow?
PLATT: Certainly, sir.
KARLSSON: Very good. The committee is already aware that this hearing would need to be short as of today, but before we close for today, I'd like to ask Mr Platt one final question, if he permits.
PLATT: I will.
KARLSSON: How many people do you think perished exactly?
PLATT: I couldn't say for certain, sir. Perhaps a thousand. Maybe even more than a thousand.
KARLSSON: Thank you, Mr Platt. We'll start the session back up tomorrow.
28 June, 1942
Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce, or a subcommittee thereof, is hereby authorized and directed to investigate the sinking of the Cunard liner: the RMS Aquitania, with its attendant loss of life so shocking to the civilized world.
Resolved further, That said the committee or subcommittee thereof is hereby empowered to summon witnesses, send for persons and papers belonging to the British government, and to administer oaths. Henceforth, such information shall be used to prevent such a disaster as this in future times of war.
Resolved further, That the committee shall inquire particularly into the number of lifeboats, liferafts, and life preservers (along with other equipment) used to protect and save the lives of the saved passengers and crew from the RMS Aquitania. Furthermore, inquires shall be made to survivors, whether passengers or crewmen, towards inspections made regarding the vessel in view of the large number of American passengers travelling over a route commonly regarded as dangerous in these times due to the presence of uboats; and whether it is feasible for Congress to take steps looking to an international agreement to secure the protection of sea traffic, including regulation and restriction without interfering in the business of the Third Reich and the Kriegsmarine thereof.
Resolved further, That in the report of said committee it shall recommend such legislation as it shall deem expedient; and the expenses incurred by this investigation shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers to be approved by the chairman of said committee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTEST:
Charles M. Walters, Secretary.
By Johnathan H. Matthews, Assistant Secretary
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I will ask Mr. D. Marcus Platt to come forward and take the stand.
Mr. D. Marcus Platt, being duly sworn by the chairman, testified as follows:
Senator KARLSSON: Mr Platt, for the purpose of simplifying this hearing today, I will ask you a few preliminary questions, if you permit.
Mr. PLATT: I shall.
KARLSSON: State your full name, please.
PLATT: Donald Marcus Platt.
KARLSSON: Your place of residence.
PLATT: Norfolk.
KARLSSON: Your age.
PLATT: I am 33 as of August 10th.
KARLSSON: Your occupation.
PLATT: I own a small hotel in the countryside; 5 bedrooms.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, when and where did you board the Aquitania?
PLATT: I boarded her in Southampton at about 10:30 in the morning.
KARLSSON: What was the exact date?
PLATT: June 20th.
KARLSSON: What was your destination?
PLATT: New York, sir.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I know this might seem a bit broad, but would you please tell the committee any details regarding the voyage that you might believe to be helpful in this inquiry?
PLATT: I can recall several, sir.
KARLSSON: Chiefly?
PLATT: I can recall the radio operator rushing into the dining room to inform the captain that a uboat warning had been dispatched to all British ships within the area.
KARLSSON: What day was this?
PLATT: June 25th.
KARLSSON: This is not also the same date that the Aquitania was sunk, correct?
PLATT: It is indeed the same date.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, what was the captain's reaction to this warning?
PLATT: He did not appear concerned, sir.
KARLSSON: How so?
PLATT: He simply excused himself from the table, and took the radioman aside near my position as of the moment. I was near the starboard side's windows, you see. I recall him saying to the radio operator to command the helmsman to begin a zig-zag pattern. He walked out of the dining room, and the captain went back to his meal, sir.
KARLSSON: Radio operator?
PLATT: I meant "radioman", sir.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, were none of the other passengers aware that the captain had spoken to the radioman? Around what time did this all occur?
PLATT: I believe some were aware of it. This whole event happened around 9:30 p.m.
KARLSSON: Do you believe the surrounding passengers heard, in detail, the warning presented to the captain?
PLATT: A few, sir, but much less than those who just saw him take him aside. I was sitting with about 5 others.
KARLSSON: Can you name the 5?
PLATT: Excluding myself, I only knew 2 of the 5: Thomas Harrison and Wallace Nicols. The other 3 were complete strangers, sir.
KARLSSON: Who were you sitting with?
PLATT: I sat alone, sir.
KARLSSON: Going back a short bit, are Mr Harrison or Mr Nicols present?
PLATT: I do not know, sir.
KARLSSON: You do not know?
PLATT: When last I looked, they were both unaccounted for. I believe Mr Nicols perished in the sinking, sir. When I last saw him, just minutes before the ship went down, he was back inside the main lounge looking for a ruby cuff link which he had lost around noon. He hadn't noticed it at the time, sir.
KARLSSON: Moving along, what do you feel regarding Captain McCawley's course of action towards notification of such dangers in the present area?
PLATT: I feel now that they were reckless and he was slacking off as his duty to be commander of the liner.
KARLSSON: What did you feel at the time?
PLATT: I cannot recall my feelings.
KARLSSON: Skipping along quickly, when did you feel the impact of the torpedo or torpedoes?
PLATT: Around 11:00 p.m.
KARLSSON: Was there more than one impact?
PLATT: There were 2, sir.
KARLSSON: Can you be specific on when the second one occurred?
PLATT: I do not know precisely, sir. I can tell you that it could not have happened a minute after the first one struck us.
KARLSSON: Where did the torpedoes strike you?
PLATT: I have heard they hit us on the starboard side, but that is only hearsay.
KARLSSON: Were the impacts violent?
PLATT: Somewhat. The first one only shook the ship by a bit. There wasn't much of an impact. You could hear some of the things inside the cabin rattling, such as the alarm clock on my nightstand and the brass key on my coffee table, but nothing was shaken around too badly. The second one, however, moved the bed by about a foot. It was the more violent one of the two.
KARLSSON: What cabin were you in, Mr Platt?
PLATT: A45.
KARLSSON: What did you do immediately after the second impact?
PLATT: I turned on the lamp, got out of bed, got dressed, and found the brass key to my room, which had been shaken off onto the floor.
KARLSSON: What did you dress in, Mr Platt?
PLATT: My evening clothes and my coat.
KARLSSON: What did your evening clothes consist of?
PLATT: The white undershirt that went to my dining tuxedo, a black pair of dress pants, dress socks, and black dress shoes. I pulled out what I had dressed in hours before.
KARLSSON: Were you warm?
PLATT: Yes. It was actually fairly cold out that night. I should imagine that the air temperature was around 50 degrees.
KARLSSON: What should you think the water temperature was?
PLATT: Perhaps 40 degrees. I don't know for certain, sir. I'm not a sailor.
KARLSSON: Of course, of course. Mr Platt, would you please tell the committee what you did then.
PLATT: After I found my key and had gotten my coat out of the dresser, I went out into the hallway, locked the door, and put my room key in my pocket. My first reaction was to get up on deck and find out what was happening. That's just what I did, too. I noticed that we were taking on a slight list to starboard, and I wasn't entirely convinced by the claimed safety of the ship. I wasn't taking chances.
KARLSSON: What deck were you going to?
PLATT: The boat deck, sir.
KARLSSON: What time did you make it there?
PLATT: Around 11:18 p.m., sir. It had taken me about 10 minutes to get dressed and about 8 to make it through the crowd that was starting to form inside and outside the ship.
KARLSSON: Were any lifeboats being launched?
PLATT: No sir. They were preparing to launch them, but none had actually been dropped or were being lowered with passengers inside.
KARLSSON: When did the lifeboats finally launch?
PLATT: The first one I saw was lowered away at 11:30, about 25 minutes before the Aquitania went down. She'd begun to take on a considerable list, and I was fearful that she'd go down before half of the boats could even be launched.
KARLSSON: Did you get in a boat?
PLATT: No sir. Women and children first. Captain McCawley's management style reminded me like that of the old captains of the late 1800's and early liners of this very century. He somewhat reminded me of Captain Smith of the Titanic when his ship began to sink.
KARLSSON: In the final 20 minutes of the ship's sinking, what exactly happened with you?
PLATT: Well, I caught up to Harrison and Nicols outside the ship's forward main staircase entrance. Harrison had his luggage with him, Nicols had nothing. Harrison was in attire very similar to mine, though he had a full tuxedo on. He was trying to save everything that he could which belonged to him. Nicols was dressed in nothing more than pajamas with a robe. He had red slippers on, too. We discussed our plans for about 5 minutes, shook hands, and split up. That's the last time I ever saw them.
KARLSSON: Continue.
PLATT: I went forward to one of the last remaining lifeboats on the bow. I was going to try to get off. I was fairly certain the ship was doomed, and I didn't want to be pulled into the cold water.
KARLSSON: How many lifeboats had been launched by that time?
PLATT: I could not say for certain, sir. Perhaps 8. Not many.
KARLSSON: How many people had life preservers on?
PLATT: Most of them did. I never got one, however. Too slow on my part.
KARLSSON: Were there enough for everyone?
PLATT: I do not know for sure, sir.
KARLSSON: Were most of the life boats that you saw filled to capacity?
PLATT: I cannot say, but the one I saw that seemed to have the most passengers aboard had around 45 or 50 people.
KARLSSON: What were your thoughts as you went to the bow to find a boat?
PLATT: I was disturbed. I realized that I might not make it off the ship before it sank. I was scared, too. There was a very real understanding in my mind that I could die, and I knew that there would be people who would definitely die. It was upsetting, disturbing, scary, and gut-wrenching all at the same time.
KARLSSON: What did you do when you got to the bow?
PLATT: I was on the starboard side. There was one boat left, and there were about 20 people trying to get in it.
KARLSSON: How many people were already in it?
PLATT: About 30.
KARLSSON: Did you get in?
PLATT: No sir. There was a young woman behind me, pretty thing, with a baby. I let her have my spot instead. The women and children order had almost been completely abandoned by this time, sir. There were grown men and women and children alike mixed together with about 12 crewmen. Total disorganization and chaos.
KARLSSON: What happened next?
PLATT: The ship took a sudden lunge forward. Wasn't very violent, though. We knew that she was going to be gone pretty soon, so the lifeboat I was planning to get in was launched immediately. A-deck's promenade at the bow had water pouring over the railing, and the lifeboat only had to drop down a short distance before touching the water.
KARLSSON: As of that moment, how many people were standing with you on deck?
PLATT: I should imagine around 40. More came out from below deck, you see. I overheard one say, "This is a cruel joke!" He was distraught over all the boats on our side being away. There were 4 others, but they were all collapsible ones, and there wouldn't be enough time to launch them. We'd have to float them off.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I'm going to resume asking my questions later, but as of this moment, would you please tell the committee the entire story of what happened to you next to your rescue?
PLATT: Certainly, Mr Karlsson. I went up on top of the deckhouse where the collapsibles were. We got them ready, and left them there. I helped the passengers climb up to get in the collapsibles. After they were all up, we got them in the boats, and we prepared to float off. I wasn't in yet. I went to check the port side of the ship. There were more passengers over there, from the bow to the stern. There must have been hundreds. The starboard side, which we were on, only had about a hundred, but not hundreds. A minute later, water was flowing over the boat deck on the starboard side. The stern was lifting out of the air, and the bow was dropping beneath the sea. The lights from the bridge and deckhouses and cabins caused a green illumination of the seawater. It was an eerie effect. I tried to climb back up on top of the deckhouse to get to the collapsibles, but the water was rising too quickly. In seconds, it was at my ankles. In a few more seconds, it was to my waist. I was carried off the deck by it. My feet no longer felt the wood planks. I was floating. I could now reach a metal bar on the deckhouse roof, but when I grabbed it, I had no time to pull myself atop the roof. The water submerged me entirely. I was pulled down about 5 feet before I let go. I swam to the surface, and reached a collapsible. There were bursts of bubbles on the surface. I assume it was the windows to the deckhouses giving away. It was terrible. I looked over to the port side, where all those people had been. It was going under quickly. There were many people and crewmen floating in the sea. Some of the boats which were preparing to be launched that had people in them never made it away. They were still tied to their davits. The people in them floated out when the boats were pulled down with the ship, and many of them succumbed to hypothermia. There was a groaning noise as the ship went down even more. The forward funnels were giving away, and they toppled off into the sea. The other two did the same. The ship rolled completely over onto her side and then the entire ship's stern reared up into the air. Then, she went down vertically. That was it. She was gone. People were screaming for help, but we didn't go back. I just laid down in the collapsible's bottom, and passed out. I guess I passed out, anyway. I can't remember anything after that other than being picked up a few hours later by a tramp steamer. Several others arrived later and picked up the others.
KARLSSON: Thank you, Mr Platt. Where were all the officers during the sinking?
PLATT: All of them that hadn't made it off on a lifeboat had scurried away to the port side, away from the rising water on the starboard side. They didn't bother to help anyone else.
KARLSSON: Where was Captain McCawley?
PLATT: The last time I saw Captain McCawley was as the bridge was going under. He stepped out of the bridge, looked around, and walked back inside. He went down with the ship. He left the door open, but I don't think he was washed out, sir. I'm certain he drowned.
KARLSSON: Do you think he was a hero?
PLATT: No. He didn't maintain order during the sinking, and he didn't take appropriate action when he was informed of possible uboats in the area, in my opinion.
KARLSSON: Were there many people trapped inside the ship?
PLATT: When the water was rising to my ankles, sir, I looked inside the forward staircase's windows. There were roughly 2-dozen people still inside. I don't think many, if any, got out in time. With that said, I'm sure more were deeper down inside the ship. The lights stayed on until the end. The workers in the engine rooms definitely were trapped.
KARLSSON: Was it bright out?
PLATT: Sir?
KARLSSON: Was the moon very bright?
PLATT: Oh! Yes sir, it was. Lights probably weren't necessary on the boat deck. I could see fine without them.
KARLSSON: Mr Platt, I've got to wrap this up quickly. I've got a meeting regarding a textile production proposal, but before we go, can I ask you if you'd be willing to take the stand tomorrow?
PLATT: Certainly, sir.
KARLSSON: Very good. The committee is already aware that this hearing would need to be short as of today, but before we close for today, I'd like to ask Mr Platt one final question, if he permits.
PLATT: I will.
KARLSSON: How many people do you think perished exactly?
PLATT: I couldn't say for certain, sir. Perhaps a thousand. Maybe even more than a thousand.
KARLSSON: Thank you, Mr Platt. We'll start the session back up tomorrow.