Charles Lightoller

Commander Charles Herbert Lightoller (30 March 1874 – 8 December 1952) was a British mariner and naval officer who was the second officer on board the ocean liner RMS Titanic during its ill-fated maiden voyage, and was the most senior crewmember to survive the disaster. During the sinking, and as the officer in charge of loading passengers into lifeboats on the port side, Lightoller strictly enforced the "women and children only" protocol, allowing only female passengers and children onto boats and turning away male passengers and female crewmembers. Lightoller went down with the ship and survived the night balancing on Collapsible B with several others. Lightoller served as a commanding officer in the Royal Navy during World War I and he was twice decorated for gallantry. During World War II, in retirement, he voluntarily provided his personal yacht, the Sundowner, and sailed her as one of the "little ships" in the Dunkirk evacuation.