Captain Joseph Barlow Ranson (13 December 1860 – 12 August 1935) was a British sea captain and commander of White Star Line liners. He is notable for his role in the rescue of the passengers of the in 1909 using wireless technology, the first marine rescue made possible by radio. In 1912, he was captain of the ship that contacted the ill-fated to report the sighting of icebergs.
Ranson was born in Liverpool to Thomas Anthony and Mary Ranson.[1] [2] His marine career began in November 1875, when, one month shy of 15 years old, he became indentured to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. He joined the White Star Line in 1891 and retired in February 1921. He died in 1935 in Southport, Lancashire.
Ranson was the captain of the ship, which rescued 1700 passengers and crew from the stricken liner (sailing from New York to Gibraltar and Mediterranean ports) when it collided with the Italian liner Florida in fog off the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts on January 23, 1909.[3] Submarine bells, depth sounding, and radio signals were used by Ranson to locate the drifting RMS Republic.
Ranson was awarded the Lloyd’s Life Saving Medal "as an honorary acknowledgement of his extraordinary exertions in contributing to the saving of life on the occasion of the steamships Republic and Florida being in collision in the vicinity of the Nantucket Lightship on the 23 January 1909".
As a joint expression of the gratitude of saloon passengers from the White Star's Baltic and Republic, Ranson received a special commemorative award CQD "Gold" Medal, in recognition of the gallantry of the seamen who had taken part in the rescue.
American wrist-watch millionaire, Ralph Ingersoll, undertook the striking and distribution of the medals, presented to all crew members and captains involved in the incident.
As captain of RMS Baltic, he was sailing from New York City to Liverpool on 11 April 1912. On 14 April 1912, Baltic warned by radio that icebergs had been sighted. Titanic hit an iceberg at 11:40 that same night. This warning became notable after the sinking when Edward Smith took the warning from the bridge and handed it to White Star Line managing director J. Bruce Ismay. He took it and reportedly later showed it to some other passengers. Ismay later said he gave the warning back when Captain Smith asked for it later that evening. Some Ismay critics have pointed to this as evidence that Ismay had convinced Captain Smith to increase the ship's speed, which Ismay denies, and that this was Captain Smith showing Ismay there was danger.
At 00:30, the ship Caronia relayed a CQ message from Titanic to the Baltic, and at 00:53 another CQD. At 01:15, Baltic responded "Please tell Titanic we are making towards her". At 01:35, Baltic reported receiving the message "Engine room getting flooded" from Titanic, and responded "We are rushing to you".
Later in the morning, at 08:07 Baltic radioed to offer assistance with survivors. Baltic travelled 134 miles west toward the scene of the sinking of Titanic before turning back toward Liverpool. Ranson subsequently provided testimony about the warnings of icebergs and standard operating procedure, to the British inquiry into the Titanic disaster on June 18, 1912. Ranson received 15 shillings in his capacity as master of Baltic.
Ranson was appointed an O.B.E. as a Senior Captain in the merchant marines in World War I.[4] He commanded the Baltic from the outbreak of hostilities until October 1915, and thereafter, the Adriatic until the end of the War. He was also awarded the British War and Mercantile Marine Medals.
Photos of J.B. Ranson with Captain Inman Sealby of the RMS Republic are known to exist (on the RMS Republic official salvage web site, see [5]).