City remembers Titanic victims on 114th anniversary

Southampton has stopped to remember its more than 540 residents who died during the sinking of the Titanic 114 years ago.

Many of those from city who lost their lives were crew members on board the vessel, which sank after hitting an iceberg early in the morning on 15 April 1912.

People have gathered at the Titanic Engineers' Memorial in East Park to pay tribute to those seafarers, who included 35 engineer and electrical officers.

Crowds heard how they bravely remained at their posts to keep the lights burning and the pumps running to allow the ship to be abandoned.

On 10 April 1912, the Titanic departed Southampton bound for New York.

However, it tragically sank just five days into its maiden voyage, with 1,500 lives lost.

Neil Atkinson, who worked as an engineer at sea for 18 years and is now the deputy chair of the Guild of Benevolence, said days like this meant a lot to him.

His organisation was originally established to support the families of the marine engineers and electricians who died in the tragedy.

"Their sacrifice resulted in many more lives being saved," Atkinson said.

He added that the sinking of the Titanic had a "profound effect on Southampton", and it was "excellent" to see so many people at the memorial event.

"It just goes to show how alive the Titanic story still is," he said.

Geoff Ball, who travelled from Swanmore in Hampshire to be at the event, worked at the Marine Accident Investigation Branch for a number of years and felt he had a connection with those crew members.

"I felt it was only right to come along and pay my respects," he said.

"I worked with a lot of seafarers in the past and it taught me respect for the jobs that seafarers do and the hazards that they work amongst."

The service was organised by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) in partnership with the Institute of Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists and the Guild of Benevolence.

Hymns and readings were read either side of a two-minute silence at the commemoration, which ended with The Lord Mayor of Southampton and maritime organisations laying wreaths at the foot of the memorial.

Deputy chief executive of MNWB, Sharon Coveney said the event was "very poignant" for her as her parents were both seafarers.

Putting herself in the shoes of those who lost relatives on the Titanic, she said: "The work that has been done today I hope shows that they are still thought of and in our memories."

She said it was hoped to make the occasion an annual tradition, adding that more needs to be done nationally to remember those who lost their lives on the Titanic.in the disaster.

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