Robert Hichens (sailor)

Common card · No. 286416

Robert Hichens (16 September 1882 – 23 September 1940) was a British merchant sailor who was part of the deck crew on board the RMS Titanic when she sank on her maiden voyage. He was one of six quartermasters on board the vessel and was at the ship's wheel when the Titanic struck an iceberg at around 11:40 PM on 14 April. Hichens was put in charge of Lifeboat No. 6 where, according to some occupants of the boat, including socialite Margaret Brown, he refused to return to rescue people from the water due to fear of the boat being sucked into the ocean due to any suction created by the Titanic as it sank, or being swamped by desperate swimmers. He also argued with passengers throughout the night, until the boat was picked up by RMS Carpathia, and they later accused him of being drunk. Hichens went on to testify at both the American and British inquiries into the sinking, and denied the allegations made against him. After Titanic, Hichens spent most of the remainder of his life at sea and...

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