Jack Phillips - Titanic Radio Operator

Jack Phillips, the senior wireless operator aboard the RMS Titanic, played a crucial role in sending distress signals during the ship's sinking. When the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Phillips and his colleague Harold Bride immediately began transmitting distress signals using Morse code.

Initially, Phillips sent out the distress call "CQD," which was the standard distress signal at the time. However, he later adopted the newly introduced distress signal "SOS" (· · · — — — · · ·) as it was more easily recognizable and understood internationally. The SOS signal was not an abbreviation for any particular phrase; it was simply chosen for its distinctiveness in Morse code.

Phillips and Bride worked tirelessly to send distress signals and communicate with other ships in the area. Their efforts helped to alert the RMS Carpathia, which arrived several hours later to rescue the survivors.

Tragically, both Phillips and Bride remained at their posts until the very end and did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. Their actions in sending distress signals and coordinating rescue efforts have been recognized as instrumental in saving lives and are remembered as acts of heroism.