What were Titanic's captain, Edward Smith's final words?

Question

I have read many accounts and it usually comes down to these 3:

1) "It's every man for himself, that's the way of it at a time like this."

2) "Be British !"

3) A gurgling sound, very similiar to that fo someone trying to say something with their mouth underwater.

I'm sure there's a Titanic buff who knows.

Answer 1

I think it was, "Boy, this water is COLD!"

Answer 2

It is reported that during the hearing conducted after the sinking, one of the Titanic's surviving officers, Edward Lighttoller, supposedly said the last thing he himself heard Captain Smith say was, "Be British, boys! Be British!"

Answer 3

Wiki says

They might have been "Be British Boys, Be British!" Or they might have been "Every Man for Himself!" Or, after supposedly delivering a baby to a lifeboat, he refused to be brought aboard, saying "Good-Bye Boys, I'm going to follow the ship!".

Answer 4

Smith refused to be rescued and went down with his ship. His body was never recovered. So anyone that heard his final words was with him and can not inform us for certain

Answer 5

You could ask the person who was with him at the time- but that's an awful long ways down to where the boat is now and I don't think he talks too much these days.

Answer 6

Of course no one knows. Anyone who was with him at the time died when he did

Answer 7

Is there anyone who really knows? I doubt if anyone was recording his words for posterity at that time. If it had been me, it probably would have been, "Oh (bleep) it really is sinking."

Answer 8

"Good-Bye Boys, I'm going to follow the ship!".

Answer 9

Curtain #3...

Answer 10

"bottoms up, i am going to meet davy jones locket" and then held out a toast.

Answer 11

no one could know for sure unless they were with him when he uttered them and they'd have drowned too, unable to pass them on...