Thomas Collett was a sophomore classical studies student at Syracuse University when he received news that the RMS Titanic, carrying his brother, Sidney, sank.

The night of April 14, 1912, the ‘unsinkable’ ship struck an iceberg and sank to the depths of the Atlantic. Less than half of its passengers survived.

Now 100 years since the most famous maritime disaster in history, Titanic is more likely associated with the fictional blockbuster love story of Jack and Rose, recently re-released in 3-D, than the tragedy that took the lives of more than 1,500 people. Fortunately for Thomas Collett, his brother was not one of them.

In 1910, the family emigrated from their home in Hamstead, England, to Port Byron, N.Y., about 30 miles outside of Syracuse, according to the Collett family history website. Sidney Collett stayed behind in England to become an ordained minister, following in his father’s footsteps. When he was ready to join his family in the United States, he attempted to book a ticket on two separate vessels only to be denied because of a coal strike.

Collett finally purchased a second-class ticket on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Before leaving, he sent a message to his mother urging her to remind Thomas Collett that he had promised to return a small pocket Bible the next time they should meet.

Devoutly religious, the Collett family spent much of their time at church. Just hours before Titanic struck the fatal iceberg, Collett conducted mass in the second-class dining saloon. He led the congregation in singing several hymns, ending with ‘Now the Day is Over’ before going to bed.

From the moment the iceberg struck the Titanic, Collett wrote in his journal that he prayed constantly.

‘Never was there a wireless message that went so quickly and straight as my prayers to the throne of God,’ he wrote.

Collett credits his survival with being placed in charge of two young women. Though most men were not allowed to board the lifeboats, Sidney was permitted on board.

But the horror wasn’t over. He sat in lifeboat No. 9, drifting in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, waiting for an immeasurable amount of time to be rescued, or more likely, face the same grim fate as the majority of the other passengers.

‘Never will I forget those horrible hours after the sinking of the ship, it was maddening. Minutes seemed like hours and hours like days,’ he wrote.

Collett did what he could to help the remaining passengers in his lifeboat who might be sick or injured. After what seemed like forever, the RMS Carpathia rescued Sidney and 704 other survivors. He was one of just 14 men from second-class to survive.

When news of the catastrophe reached Syracuse, Thomas Collett anxiously awaited each revised list of survivors at the Syracuse Post-Standard office, according to an April 17, 1912, article. He was about to lose hope when The Associated Press wired a supplemental list. Trembling, he looked at the list and gasped when he saw that the 15th name was his brother’s. The first thing he did was contact his parents to tell them the good news.

According to a Syracuse Post-Standard article on April 20, 1912, Rev. M.E. Collett received a telegram from his son Thomas Collett: ‘Sidney safe and will wire you. Proved himself a hero rescuing passengers.’

Overjoyed at the news, the Collett family would not be fully relieved until they saw him in person. Before being reunited with his family in New York, Collett stayed behind to help the sick and wounded.

The Syracuse Post-Standard article also ranthe Collett family motto ‘dum spiro sperc,’ meaning ‘while I live I hope,’ which was truly put to the test. The hope and prayers paid off when the brothers were reunited. The first thing Thomas Collett did was give back his brother’s Bible, just as he promised.

Collett eventually returned to England, where he lived the rest of his life. He died peacefully on May 10, 1941, at age 53.

bihumper@syr.edu

Published on April 12, 2012 at 12:00 pm