Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Godfrey Peuchen (April 18, 1859 – December 7, 1929) was a Canadian businessman and RMS Titanic survivor. Early life Born in Montreal, Quebec, Peuchen was the son of a railroad contractor; his maternal grandfather managed the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. He was educated in private schools. “Born in Montreal in 1859, Peuchen what is the son of German immigrant parents. His father has been a railroad contractor in South America and his grandfather had managed the London, Brighton and Midland Railway. In 1871 he moved to Toronto....” from Titanic, the Canadian Story by Alan Hustak (1998). In 1888, he entered military life and became a lieutenant of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Peuchen moved up the ranks, and in 1911, was marshalling officer at the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. In 1897, Peuchen perfected plans for extracting useful chemicals from coarse hardwoods and waste woods, the principal products being acetic acid, acetate of lime, acetone, methanol, and formaldehyde. The acids were used by dyeing industries, formaldehyde was used by wheat growers in Canada, and acetone was used to manufacture high explosives like cordite. Peuchen subsequently became president of Standard Chemical, Iron & Lumber Company of Canada, Ltd. The company had many plants and facilities in Canada, as well as refineries located in Canada (Montreal), France, (Germany), and the UK (London). Because some company facilities were located abroad, Peuchen often traveled to Europe by ship. Peuchen owned a yacht named Vreda which crossed the Atlantic under its own canvas. For a time, he was Vice-Commodore and Rear-Commodore of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. He also owned a vast, Victorian estate and mansion called "Woodlands," located on Kempenfelt Bay, near Barrie, Ontario just north of Toronto. Titanic Peuchen boarded Titanic at Southampton, on April 10, 1912, as a first-class passenger on his 40th transatlantic voyage. He reportedly was concerned that Captain Smith was in command, because he thought Smith was a poor commander and too old. On the night Titanic sank, Peuchen was near Lifeboat No. 6 as it was being lowered, until Quartermaster Robert Hichens shouted above that the boat was poorly manned. Second Officer Lightoller asked if there were any other seamen available, and when Peuchen saw none were present, he stepped forward to volunteer, telling Lightoller that he was a yachtsman. Captain Smith was standing nearby and suggested Peuchen go