Titanic hero's postcard to sister could fetch £20k

A rare postcard written by the Titanic's senior wireless operator to his sister in Surrey days before the ship's doomed maiden voyage is expected to sell for up to £20,000 at auction.

Jack Phillips, 25, wrote the card to Elsie, who lived in Godalming, while the ship was docked in Southampton on 6 April 1912.

Four days later the Titanic, which was the world's largest passenger vessel at the time, set sail for New York. It sank in the early hours of 15 April, with the loss of around 1,500 lives.

Phillips, who died in the disaster, remained at his post sending wireless distress calls and helped to coordinate rescue efforts as the ship went down.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd in Devizes, Wiltshire, described him as "one of the true heroes of the disaster".

"After abandoning ship when water flooded around his feet, he ended up on an overturned collapsible lifeboat where he later died of exposure to the severe cold," he added.

"Harold Bride, the Titanic's junior wireless operator, always remembered Phillips as 'the man who saved us all'."

The auctioneer said Phillips had been in regular contact with Elsie.

"This card holds particular significance as it was written on 6 April, 1912, while Titanic was docked in Southampton, and contains an image of the ship," he explained.

"Quite simply one of the rarest postcards of its type in existence."

The postcard reads: "Thanks very much for your letter. Having glorious weather, went to Cowes yesterday. Will write later before we sail."

The postcard is due to go under the hammer at Henry Aldridge and Son on 21 November.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Surrey on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.