Scarborough man's Titanic story 104 years on

Today is 104 years to the day that the RMS Titanic sank - claiming the life of a young Scarborough man among those who perished.

James Paul Moody, aged just 24, was the sixth and youngest officer on the vessel, which sank overnight from April 14 to 15, 1912.

He was the man who answered the bridge phone from the lookout and uttered the now famous, yet fateful words: “Iceberg right ahead”.

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A blue plaque to honour Mr Moody was unveiled in 2012 at 17 Granville Road, South Cliff, the place of his birth in 1887

Philippa Webster, who now lives in Hovingham, is his great niece and was extremely proud of what he had done.

She said, at the time of the unveiling,: “He gave up his life for other people. We are very proud.”

The blue plaque was provided by the Friends of HMS Conway – Moody attended the training ship HMS Conway from the age of 14 and later attended King Edward VII Nautical School in London where he passed his Masters Examination in April 1911.

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He was last seen by Second Officer Charles Lightoller trying to launch a collapsible boat at about 2.18am and he was the only junior officer to lose his life in the disaster.

His sacrifice has also been marked on a monument in Woodlands Cemetery and another at St-Martin-on-the-Hill Church.

More information about James Moody and Scarborough’s links to the Titanic is available to the public at Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre at 45 Eastborough.

The centre is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 11am to 4pm or you can visit the website at www.scarboroughsmaritimeheritage.org.uk

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