# Bosun's Call



## JWJ1 (Apr 16, 2012)

A friend has a hall-marked silver Bosun's Call on a silver chain in superb condition. It is said to have been on Titanic.

It belonged to an engineer who perished. He handed it to another crew member in a boat so that it could be used as a whistle.

The crew member subsequently returned it to the owners family where it is today, with a letter stating the events.

The owner believes it was issued to engine room personnel for signalling purposes. Could this be true ?

Were they generally used on merchant ships ? I was under the impression they were RN articles.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Ha ha ha ha!

It was passed to the engineer from Captain Smith's dying hands....


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Any chance of some details of the hallmarks? That would be a great start. Gives a date, possibly maker and town assayed in.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Let me expand upon my cynical earlier post.

Bosun's calls are not normally used in Merchant Ships.

The principal use for a Bosun's call is to "pipe the side" on a warship when a senior officer or the ship's Commanding Officer comes aboard.

It is unlikely that a Bosun's call would be used as a lifeboat whistle on the Titanic, as the ship's officers were issued with their own whistles for just this purpose.

Moreover, there is evidence that none of Titanic's engineers made it topside, so unless the person who received the whistle in question was a greaser and he made it out of the engine room and into a lifeboat, the story is flawed.

Not saying it is not true, but it may be unlikely.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Troppo, you're becoming a grump in your old age! I'd say the bosun's call was attached to the torch in the engineer's back pocket - what a generous gesture he made.

On a site called Nauticalia (flogs a variety of nautical bric-a-bac from Ships' captains freebie barographs to inflatable Jessica Watsons), they have an "authentic replica" of the Titanic's Mate's whistle for 15 quid. Good to hear their replicas are authentic. Apparently it's identical to the one used by Kate Winslett to warn Leonardo di Crapio that her Dad was prowling about.

John T


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

In "Titanic and other ships" Lightoller mentions talking to the engineers on deck after all the lifeboats had gone. Mind you he also suggests that Smith was Master for the delivery voyage to Southampton when in fact it was Haddock. No mention of a violin either.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

trotterdotpom said:


> Troppo, you're becoming a grump in your old age! I'd say the bosun's call was attached to the torch in the engineer's back pocket - what a generous gesture he made.
> 
> On a site called Nauticalia (flogs a variety of nautical bric-a-bac from Ships' captains freebie barographs to inflatable Jessica Watsons), they have an "authentic replica" of the Titanic's Mate's whistle for 15 quid. Good to hear their replicas are authentic. Apparently it's identical to the one used by Kate Winslett to warn Leonardo di Crapio that her Dad was prowling about.
> 
> John T


My heart will go on.


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

I don't believe it, Duncan! A real Captain Haddock at last!

Thundering typhoons! Blistering barnacles in a thundering typhoon! Mountebank! Popinjay! Coelacanth! 

(Sorry for the seeming irreverence - none intended - but anyone who knows the immortal Tintin will understand...)


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Here he is going home from Southampton, Duncan. Getting out of the Tintinic was a smart move .... Lived to leave a lot of little Dux all over Belgium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Captain_Haddock.png

John T


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## JWJ1 (Apr 16, 2012)

Some people seem to have confused the issues in my OP.

The authenticity of the Call is not in question. It is Hall Marked and is of the correct vintage.

The supporting letter is almost certainly authentic. It would therefore appear that the story is probably correct as well. Both have been in the families possession continually since the incident.

I wasn't asking for anyone to try and add authenticity, I simply posed two queries. I repeat:

1. Is there any record or reference to Calls being used on Merchant vessels ?

2. Were Calls used in engine rooms as a means of communication ? Possibly because of background noise ?


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

Sorry to hi-jack the thread again, but although none of the engineer officers or electricians survived, there were some engine room crew got off. like the ab's they were assigned to each lifeboat and were essential to launch and row them. of course their pay stopped the moment titanic sunk.


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

The best people to approach to find out if it is authentic Titanic memorabilia rather than something of the correct age would be Aldridge's auctioneers in Devises who are the worlds experts on authenticating Titanic artifacts.


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## JWJ1 (Apr 16, 2012)

Duncan112 wrote 

"The best people to approach to find out if it is authentic Titanic memorabilia rather than something of the correct age would be Aldridge's auctioneers in Devises who are the worlds experts on authenticating Titanic artifacts. "

Many thanks Duncan, most helpful.


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## Tmac1720 (Jun 24, 2005)

I can confirm none of the H&W engineers were supplied with Bosun's whistles, they did have mobile phones however (Smoke)


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