Passengers of the RMS Titanic April 1912 at around 11:40 pm, while the RMS "Titanic" was sailing about south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, the ship struck an iceberg and began to sink. Shortly before midnight, Captain Edward Smith ordered the ship's lifeboats to be readied and a distress call was sent out. The closest ship to respond was Cunard Line's away, which would arrive in an estimated four hours—too late to rescue all of "Titanic" passengers. Forty-five minutes after the ship hit the iceberg, Captain Smith ordered the lifeboats to be loaded and lowered under the orders women and children first. The first
Polar the Titanic Bear York. The family traveled frequently, and she kept detailed diaries of the trips. In April, 1912, the Speddens booked passage on the "Titanic". After the ship sank, Daisy was rescued by the RMS "Carpathia". All members of the Spedden entourage survived the disaster. The next year, Spedden wrote and illustrated a book which told the story of the trip, sinking, and rescue from the point of view of Douglas' toy bear. She gave the storybook to Douglas as a Christmas present. Two years later, Douglas was killed in an automobile accident. Daisy died February 10, 1950, and the storybook remained