Who was the second officer of the Titanic?

Charles Lightoller was the second officer of the Titanic. He was the most senior member of the Titanic’s crew to survive the sinking and later became one of the disaster’s important witnesses.

Lightoller joined the Titanic shortly before its maiden voyage. A last-minute reshuffling of the senior officers placed Henry Wilde as chief officer, William Murdoch as first officer, and Lightoller as second officer. The change also left original second officer David Blair off the final voyage.

During the evacuation, Lightoller supervised the port side of the boat deck. He interpreted Captain Edward Smith’s order as “women and children only,” and therefore launched some lifeboats with empty seats when no women or children were immediately available. He survived after being swept onto the upturned Collapsible B.

The other names in the choices held different roles: Henry Wilde was chief officer, William Murdoch was first officer, and Harold Lowe was fifth officer. After Titanic, Lightoller served in both world wars and commanded the yacht Sundowner during the Dunkirk evacuation.