William McMaster Murdoch, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

William McMaster Murdoch

British sailor

Date of Birth: 28-Feb-1873

Place of Birth: Dalbeattie, Scotland, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 15-Apr-1912

Profession: chief mate

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

William McMaster Murdoch, RNR (28 February 1873 – 15 April 1912) was a Scottish sailor who served as First Officer aboard the RMS Titanic.
He was notable as the officer in charge when the Titanic collided with an iceberg.
Mystery also surrounds his death. Born from a family of sailors, William Murdoch was an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve; he was employed by the White Star Line in 1900 and quickly rose to the rank of officer.
In 1903, his leadership became recognized when he avoided a collision with the Arabic.
In April 1912, Murdoch served as First Officer aboard the RMS Titanic.
He is notable as the officer in charge on the bridge the night the Titanic struck an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.
He was one of 1,500 people who died in the disaster.Murdoch became an iconic Scottish hero, a status that is maintained and reflected by the memorial in his hometown of Dalbeattie.
However, debate revolves around the adequacy of instructions given to avoid the iceberg. In the aftermath of the sinking, a number of eyewitness testimonies arose of a shooting/suicide by an officer during the launching of the last lifeboat.
Though these facts are unconfirmed, it is possible that Murdoch was that officer. Murdoch has become a figure of controversy, with mystery surrounding the circumstances of his death and his actions during the collision with the iceberg.