LAWRENCE BEESLEY (1877 - 1967) was a science teacher, journalist and author who was a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. He was born in Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Beesley's book about his experience was published just nine weeks after the disaster was a huge success. During the filming of A Night to Remember, Beesley famously gate crashed the set during the sinking scene, hoping to 'go down with the ship' that time. But he was spotted by the director who vetoed this unscheduled appearance, due to actors' union rules. NICHOLAS WADE is Lawrence Beesley's grandson and has provided the new preface to this edition and the new illustrations from the family archives. He is the science correspondent for the New York Times and remembers his grandfather telling thrilling tales of the fight for survival aboard the Titanic. He lives in New Jersey, USA.