Titanic Survivor served in the RFA

Allen Mardon Baggott was born in London on 13 April 1884 and went to sea as a Steward on various ships. His home was in Itchen, Southampton

Allen_Baggott    RMS_Titanic_3

 

He signed on the RMS Titanic at Southampton on 4 April 1912 as a first class steward for which his monthly salary was £3 15sh 0d. Previously he had served on the Oceanic.

He boarded the Titanic at Southampton at 6am on 10 April 1912 shortly before she sailed with her first port of call being at Cherbourg, France and then at Queenstown, Ireland on 11 April 1912 before the ship commenced the crossing of the Atlantic with 2,240 people onboard.

 

 

Allen Mardon Baggott was born in London on 13 April 1884 and went to sea as a Steward on various ships. His home was in Itchen, Southampton 

 

Allen_Baggott

 

RMS_Titanic_3

RMS Titanic

 

He signed on the RMS Titanic at Southampton on 4 April 1912 as a first class steward for which his monthly salary was £3 15sh 0d. Previously he had served on the Oceanic.

He boarded the Titanic at Southampton at 6am on 10 April 1912 shortly before she sailed with her first port of call being at Cherbourg, France and then at Queenstown, Ireland on 11 April 1912 before the ship commenced the crossing of the Atlantic with 2,240 people onboard.

The story of the RMS Titanic’s sinking on 14 April 1912 is well documented and also the women and children first policy enforced by the crew as she sank. This women and children policy first policy wasn’t 100% successful – as detailed below.

First Class Steward Baggott went in Lifeboat No 9 with twenty six passengers and five members of the crew – six of the passengers were first class, seventeen were second class and three were third class. Seventeen of the passengers were female and nine were men. Some of the crew members were plainly to man the lifeboat – a Quartermaster, a Bosun’s Mate and an Able Seaman.

The occupants of Lifeboat No 9 were rescued by the S S Carpathia and Steward Baggott and the others rescued by this ship were landed at New York on 18 April 1912.

 

Perthshire-01

RFA Perthshire

Mr Baggott next comes to notice when he signed on RFA Perthshire as Chief Steward. At this time he plainly was an alcoholic and he appears in the ships log on numerous occasions for drunkenness. On 26 and 27 January 1920 at Constantinople he was found drunk throwing his clothing over the side. He was confined to his cabin under guard to prevent his suicide and whisky found in his cabin was removed. On 28 January 1920 he struggled with the guard and caused damage to his cabin. He was removed to a locker forward. The next day he was examined by a Surgeon Lieutenant, Royal Navy from HMS Iron Duke and removed from the RFA to a Naval Hospital.

On 11 February 1920 he returned from the Hospital and resumed his duties on 12 February 1920. He was suffering from Delirium Tremens.

On 3 November 1920 while ashore on duty appeared at the British Naval Base at Constantinople while under the influence of liquor. The Captain (RN) of the Naval Base directed he be detained on HMS Heliptope. He was released from detention on 6 November 1920 and returned to RFA Perthshire.

On 25 November 1920 RFA Perthshire sailed from Constantinople to Malta arriving on 1 December 1920.

On 21 February 1921 in Grand Harbour, Malta Chief Steward Baggott was taken suddenly ill and a doctor was called from HMS Emperor of India. He was examined by Surgeon Lieutenant W A Joliffe Royal Navy who directed that he be taken to the Royal Naval Hospital ashore. Chief Steward Baggot was accompanied by the Surgeon Lieutenant in the steam launch but suffered some type of seizure from which he died while going across Grand Harbour.