Resort honours brave Titanic officer

The memorial to James Moody, who was born in the town, was revealed on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ship.

Moody was the sixth and youngest officer on board RMS Titanic when it struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912.

During the evacuation, which took two hours and 40 minutes, he is thought to have filled three five-ton lifeboats but refused to go in one himself.

The 24-year-old was last seen trying to launch a collapsible boat at about 2.18am. He was the only junior officer to lose his life.

The plaque was unveiled in Granville Road, where he was born in 1887, by Mary Conlan, Moody’s niece.

The tribute in Yorkshire came as a large memorial was opened in Belfast marking the centenary of the sinking.

A minute’s silence was held to remember the dead.

During the ceremony, a great, great nephew of the ship’s doctor helped unveil bronze plaques listing more than 1,500 passengers, crew and musicians who died.

The ship was built in Belfast and relatives of workmen who made and crewed it were present for the memorial.

Jack Martin, a 12-year-old descendant of Dr John Simpson, also laid a wreath and said: “I am proud that I am keeping the memory of my ancestor alive and it keeps memories fresh.”

The names of the dead, from all classes on the doomed liner, are engraved in alphabetical order on five bronze plaques.

When the Titanic, with its three classes of passenger, sank, a disproportionate number of victims were in third class. This is the first time all, including crew, are recognised on one memorial.

Una Reilly, head of the Belfast Titanic Society, said: “The focus of the world is on Belfast and we are doing her proud.”

She said shock had stunned local people into silence for many years but now they had found their collective voice.

“We are all proud of this ship. What happened was a disaster, she was not,” she said.