Blog 156 - TITANIC - Part XVI - Chapter 1 - An Iceberg, a Teenage Ham Operator, a Coast Guard Sergeant and a ‘Nimitz’ Class Air Craft Carrier

Foreword

This is a work of science fiction, a road less travelled by most readers.

The story has its inspiration from two places.

Long ago, I saw a movie in which a modern Air Craft Carrier hits a ‘time warp’ in the Pacific and emerges - goes back in time - on 07th Dec 1941.

Lately, I saw a query in a Social Media sector. “What if the Titanic - immediately after hitting the iceberg, emerges into the modern age?”

In the following story, I have let my imagination roam freely. 

The story is totally mine, may all the  faults be on mine head alone.

The story - and any variants - is not for reproduction in any form or media, without my express permission.

On the RMS Titanic

The Titanic's Tryst with the Iceberg

Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee were braving the elements, on ‘Look Out’ duty on the Titanic, on the eerie, calm night of 12th April 1912.

The ship was travelling at a speed of 21.5 knots.

The look outs in the Crow’s Nest of the Titanic were rubbing their hands together and huddling deeper into their jackets to ward off the icy winds that were streaming past the open Crow’s Nest.

Their watch was to end in another 20 minutes or so and they were looking forward to the warmth of the ship’s accommodation and the prospect of something more than a hot cup of tea.

Not having binoculars, they were staring into the glum darkness, hoping against hope that they would not see anything to alarm them.

But their luck had run out.

Frederick Fleet was the first to see a black shape looming more or less directly ahead, about 500 metres away. He was the first to raise the alarm.  

A cry of “Iceberg Ahead” rent the placid air of the North Atlantic Ocean. Immediately, one of the Lookouts was on the hooter to the Bridge. The bell sounded. 

It was 11.40 pm on 14th April 1912.

A flurry of activity took place on the Bridge of the Titanic. All three telegraphs conveyed the same order ’Stop Engines’ and ‘Full Astern’.

But it was already too late. The impact of the Titanic’s starboard side hitting the iceberg came within 45 seconds.

(Both, the Port Engine and Starboard Engine, driven by steam operated Triple Expansion Engines, were capable of abiding by the ‘Astern’ movement).

The centre engine, a Parson’s turbine, driven off the exhaust steam of the TE Engines, was not capable of being reversed.

Deep within the bowels of the Engine Room, three sets of Engineers were shocked for only a moment, before training took over. Each set rushed to his charge to comply with the telegraphic order. There was a flurry of activity as one set of valves on each of the Triple Expansion Engines were closed and another set opened for the shuttle valves to change direction.

As the engines were about to start running astern, there was the sound of hard scraping of the hull on the starboard side followed by a sudden lurch to the port side, as if the vessel had been released from the clutches of whatever it was that was scraping against it.

All this, within the space of just ten seconds.

Meanwhile, those two lookouts in the Crows’ Nest and the others on the Bridge - First Officer William Murdoch and the Quartermaster Robert Hichens - heard the screeching of metal being torn and felt the lurch as she impacted with the iceberg.

Ten seconds was all it took for 300 feet of her starboard hull to scrape against the iceberg.

At the end of those ten seconds, a strange phenomenon occurred, seen by the two on the Crows’ Nest, the two on the Bridge and 3 passengers who were sitting on deck.

The ship passed through a strange hoop of white light which was  interspersed with flashes of various colours. 

The vessel had pushed off the iceberg and had turned to port and, even though an ‘astern’ movement had been given, the momentum of 21.5 knots ahead still prevailed over the ship as she kept moving forward. As soon as the sounds of impact had receded, the First Officer stopped all engines and, running to the Bridge Wing, looked aft to see where the ship was in relation to the iceberg. 

There was no looming chunk rearing up into the sky, completely contrary to what was expected. The sea was bare.

Meanwhile, as all Bridge and Engine staff had awakened, some of the junior officers were sent forward to check for damage, assess and report in.

Most of the off duty Firemen - part of the Engine Staff - were rudely awakened by the impact, as their quarters were right forward. Donning their work clothes, they quickly went through the alley connecting their quarters to the Boiler Room, knowing extra hands may be wanted.

Firemen’s Room in the Fore Part of the Ship

The Junior Officers who had gone forward for checks reported in that the Fore Peak tank was flooding fast, as evidenced by the rush of air from the air pipe, indicating that forward keel and / or sides had been ruptured. 

Another reported in, that # 1 and 2 Cargo Holds were flooding.

A report from the Engine Room said that a gash of almost 40 feet had appeared in the starboard hull, more than 70% of it in # 6 Coal Bunker Space and about 30% in # 6 Boiler Spaces, with water ingressing fast. Trying to shore up the ruptured areas were under way, but not expected to be successful.

The closure of all Water Tight Doors was ordered.

Meanwhile, several starboard side areas were filling with water. # 1 Water Tight Compartment overflowed into an already filling # 2 Compartment, both together overflowing into # 3 Compartment and rising up to enter # 4 Compartment.

It only required a forward trim of 10 to 12 degrees for the waters from a full forward compartment to overflow into the next (supposed) water tight compartment.

By 1215 am (15th April 2012), it was clear to the top few that their condition was hopeless.

The first Wireless message was sent out at 12.15 am (15th April 1912).

The message read:

Quote

From Titanic. CQD require assistance position 41.46 N 50.14 W struck iceberg Titanic

Unquote

(The message was not sent as text - it was sent in Morse).

(‘CQD’ was the Marconi Company’s ‘Come Quick Danger’).

The range of the Titanic’s transmitter was 600 miles. By all rights, at least a few acknowledgements should have come in.

But, eerily, there were none on an immediate basis.

The Titanic’s Wireless Operator continued sending out the SOS, again and again.

In Boothbay Harbour, Maine, USA

Alex Rowinson, all of 15 years, was in the attic of his house in Boothbay Harbour, Maine, in the mainland of the USA  - as he usually was each night - operating his passion, his sophisticated Ham Radio set, traversing the air waves.

From the age of eight his interest in Radio Telephony had led him to slowly put together his pride, his Ham Radio set. He was used to chatting with other like minded Ham Operators from all over the world at that time of night.

His call sign was ZEAR, the ‘Z’ indicating his amateur status.

The date and time was 14th April 2020, 11.25 pm, close to midnight.

In 2020, there were not many amateur Ham Radio Operators in the world, some of them continuing because of the pride and passion. But the few left were dedicated and were, at times, a help to law enforcement forces, passing on any suspicious messages that they heard over the air waves.

Alex was slowly traversing the air waves when he passed through the 500 KHz range. Thinking he had heard something, he dialed back and, close to the 500KHz range, he heard a Wireless Message being transmitted in Morse. Immediately he switched on his recorder. Pushing his wheeled chair across the room to his bookshelf, he quickly retrieved his Morse Code Book and set himself at his desk to decipher what was being transmitted. 

A few minutes later, with a decoded message on his desk, a shocked Alex did not believe what he was seeing in the message.

A shred from past history vaguely reminded him - what he had read a few years ago - of a passenger ship of the name of the Titanic lost with all on board. ‘Googling’ it, he came upon a flood of information.

But there was not much time. Already 2 or 3 minutes had passed while he sat on the message. Then, realising there would be a time difference of one hour from where he was and the co-ordinates of the ship, he dialled the local office of the US Coast Guard.

Boothbay Harbour, population 2115, was a small fishing village off the coast of Maine. Alex was well known in the small office of the USCG, now staffed by Sgt Theodora Goodsir, who was on the night roster. She picked up the phone and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was Alex at the other end. In that small sea side town, most knew each other. But the Coast Guard staff of three knew Alex well, as he had been instrumental in sending them on two trips to nab two boats off the coast with narcotics.

Listening to an excited but clear Alex, she did not doubt him for a second. If Alex says he had heard it, he had indeed.

Sgt Theodora Goodsir was from solid Naval stock, her father and brother being in the US Navy. She had heard stories that her ancestors had been pirates for the Crown, later given ranks in the Royal Navy. At sometime previously, one of her forefathers, disillusioned by the inhuman slave trade, had made it across the Atlantic to the US and had wedded themselves to the Stars and Stripes.

Asking him to come to the small office immediately, she sat in thought for the space of one minute, wondering how best to convey the message in the speediest possible way for maximum effect. She picked up the secure USCG phone and dialled the number of a trusted acquaintance in the US Navy, very well known to both, her father and brother, with some pertinent questions.

Alex had bicycled himself to the office and met Theodora. With the co-ordinates and the recording, she zeroed in on the exact location of the ship. Her Naval colleague rang back and, with the added information of the co-ordinates, told Theodora that the US Sixth Fleet was in the vicinity of the co-ordinates.

Theodora did not hesitate to use the numbers her Naval colleague had given her. 

Theodora was unaware that the 6th Fleet had been transferred from the Mediterranean theatre of operations to the North Atlantic theatre to carry out some specific, classified exercises. The suspicion was that they concerned anti-NATO tasks. It was the time that the US Government and Europe were not seeing eye-to-eye on many matters, including that of funding for NATO.

Boldly, she dialed the Sixth Fleet’s Nimitz class Air Craft Carrier USS Gerald R Ford on the Navy’s secure Satellite Link. The phone on the Bridge rang for a few seconds and was picked up by the Duty Officer.

The USS Gerald R Ford

Theodora : Is this the Gerald R Ford?

Bridge: Who are you and how did you get this classified number?

(At the same time, one of the other Duty Officers, picking up a sign from the Officer of the Watch, dialled an internal number, woke up the Captain, informing him of the unauthorised call, terming it a breach of security. The Captain told the Duty Officer to allow the Officer of the Watch to prolong the conversation till he got there. NavComm immediately started tracking the number and found it to be as represented by Sgt Goodsir).

Meanwhile, Sgt Theodora Goodsir was trying to convince the Officer that she wanted to speak to the Captain. 

The Captain was on the Bridge in under thirty seconds, clad in his pajamas.

Donning his jacket that was on the Bridge - it was cold up there - he took the phone.

“This is Captain Andy Srinivasan here. State your business”.

Theodora : Sir, I am Sergeant Theodora Goodsir of the US Coast Guard at Maine and I have received reliable information that a ship named Titanic is in your vicinity and has sent a different form of SOS that she is in danger. The co-ordinates are 41.46 N and 50.14 West.”

Even before she could continue, Capt Andy signed to the Duty Officers to check the Radar,  chart and the ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aids).

He continued “ Why is it a different form of SOS?”

Theodora’s soft and mesmerising voice, now on the Bridge speaker, flowed from the speaker, now to be heard by all on the Bridge.

Theodora : “Sir, I have reason to believe it was a Wireless Transmission in Morse, at a bandwidth close to 500 KHz and all in Morse.”

This transmission of SOS using Morse Code was totally contrary to present day methods, which used GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) since being adopted by IMO in 1988, installed in a phased manner between 1992 and 1999 and secure, classified Satellites for Naval communications.

Although the US Navy had no compulsion to follow IMO guidelines, they preferred to adopt and install a few of the more advanced technological ones.

One of the Officers called up the Communications Radio Room, telling them to zoom in on the transmission.  

Capt Andy : “Hold a minute”.

The Gerald R Ford’s sophisticated Radar and ARPA now showed a target that had been previously seen but not tracked, about 24 nautical miles, (about 44.45 kms), from their own position.

The reason why the target had not been tracked prior to this was that the Gerald R Ford had been steaming east, away from the target.

But it crossed Capt Andy’s mind that the same target should have been identified and plotted about 30 minutes or so ago, as their courses were nearly identical.

(A later inquiry and playing back images from the ARPA, revealed that prior to 11.40 PM, the target had not existed on the screens).

Captain Anantharam Srinivas (Andy) was a very highly regarded officer of the US Navy, known widely for his intelligence, courage in the face of danger, with an Admiral’s rank awaiting him. Son of immigrants from India, he had no choice but to study and excel in his academics and, later, in his Naval career. 

In the meantime, the Radio Room in the Communications Centre had latched on to the same transmission and were hurriedly searching for a Morse Code book. Only a grizzled veteran, on the cusp of retirement, calmly took a notebook and pencil and transcribed the Morse message that was still being transmitted. A minute later, the message went up to the Bridge, to the Captain.

Captain Andy had been half suspicious, not wanting to believe Sgt Goodsir, thinking it was some kind of extreme hoax.

But now, he had the proof in his hands.

The XO ( Executive Officer) and the CAG (Carrier Air Wing Commander), who had been alerted, came to the Bridge almost simultaneously.

Capt Andy’s instructions were precise.

– Turn the ship around and head for the target. The USS Gerald R Ford was capable of close to 30 knots.

– Two jets to scramble immediately and flyby the area in question, relaying their reports. 

– Two VTOL aircraft to be readied. 

– Four helicopter crews were to be readied. 

– Two of the Fleet’s Battle Cruisers were to immediately turn around and head for the target, as their speeds were in the range of 40 knots.

– Half the crew were to report for duty and assist. 

– A “Limited Emergency” was declared.

He went back to Sgt Goodsir, who could hear the wheels churning on the Bridge of the Gerald R Ford, over the still connected telephone. 

He asked her to remain on the line for any further information. 

He pointedly asked her “How did you come across this Wireless Transmission?”

Theodora introduced Alex to the Captain, who gave him a brief outline of his Ham Radio operations and how he had latched on to the Morse transmission.

(For information, Morse Code had been officially buried in 2000).

Capt Andy : “Son, whatever be the circumstance of this transmission, you and I are going to meet up soon. You too Sgt Goodsir.”

AR

(To be continued)