<P> It was not until about 12 : 45 a.m. , an hour after Titanic struck the iceberg at 11 : 40 p.m. on 14 April , that the first lifeboat was lowered into the sea . The boats were lowered in sequence , from the middle forward then aft , with First Officer William McMaster Murdoch , Third Officer Herbert Pitman and Fifth Officer Harold Lowe working on the starboard side , and Chief Officer Henry Tingle Wilde and Second Officer Charles Lightoller working on the port side , with the assistance of Captain Smith . The collapsible boats were dealt with last , as they could not be launched until the forward davits were clear . </P>
<P> It was not until about 12 : 45 a.m. , an hour after Titanic struck the iceberg at 11 : 40 p.m. on 14 April , that the first lifeboat was lowered into the sea . The boats were lowered in sequence , from the middle forward then aft , with First Officer William McMaster Murdoch , Third Officer Herbert Pitman and Fifth Officer Harold Lowe working on the starboard side , and Chief Officer Henry Tingle Wilde and Second Officer Charles Lightoller working on the port side , with the assistance of Captain Smith . The collapsible boats were dealt with last , as they could not be launched until the forward davits were clear . </P>
when was the first lifeboat launched on the titanic
when was the first lifeboat launched on the titanic
12 : 45 a.m. , an hour after Titanic struck the iceberg at 11 : 40 p.m. on 14 April
12 : 45 a.m. , an hour after Titanic struck the iceberg at 11 : 40 p.m. on 14 April