X-Nico

4 unusual facts about Walter Lord


Murphy drip

A curious anecdote involving the Murphy drip is related by Walter Lord in his book on the Battle of Midway.

Walter Lord

(October 8, 1917 – May 19, 2002), was an American author, best known for his documentary-style non-fiction account A Night to Remember, about the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

In July 1926 at the age of 9 he travelled across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Cherbourg and Southampton on the RMS Olympic, the sister ship of the Titanic.

Shortly after going to work as a copywriter for the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in New York City, Lord published The Fremantle Diary, edited and annotated from the journals of the British officer and Confederate sympathizer, Arthur Fremantle, who toured the South for three months in 1863.



see also

Archibald Joyce

Harold Bride's recollection that the orchestra was playing "Autumn" as the Titanic foundered in 1912 has led to speculation by Walter Lord that he was in fact referring to Songe d'Automne, which was part of the repertory of the White Star Line orchestras and with which he would undoubtedly been familiar.

Robert Hungerford

Robert Hungerford, 2nd Baron Hungerford (1409–1459), the second but eldest surviving son of Walter, lord Hungerford, served in the French wars