1912 14th April
Receives Iceberg Warning
Receives the lookout's telephone warning from the crow's nest and passes the danger to the bridge watch.
RMS Titanic · permanent subject timeline
Titanic Lookouts and Iceberg Sighting
The crow's-nest watch and the first sighting of the iceberg. This page combines historical context with 15 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Titanic archive.
Historical context
Titanic Lookouts and Iceberg Sighting: overview and significance
What happened?
Lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee were stationed in Titanic's crow's nest on the night of 14 April. Fleet sighted the iceberg ahead and telephoned the bridge warning shortly before the collision.
Why was it important?
The lookout system, visibility and timing of the warning were examined closely after the sinking. Lookout testimony became important evidence in reconstructing the final approach to the iceberg.
World History Database records
Titanic Lookouts and Iceberg Sighting timeline
The records below are selected from the 241-record RMS Titanic archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1912
1912 14th April
Three Bell Iceberg Signal
Strikes three bells from the crow's nest immediately after sighting the iceberg ahead.
1912 14th April
Titanic Bridge Iceberg Warning
Telephones the bridge after sighting the iceberg ahead of Titanic.
1912 14th April
Titanic Collision Manoeuvre
Directs emergency manoeuvring after the lookout reports the iceberg ahead.
1912 14th April
Titanic Crow's Nest Watch
Shares the crow's nest watch with Frederick Fleet shortly before Titanic strikes the iceberg.
1912 14th April
Titanic Iceberg Sighting
Sights the iceberg directly ahead of Titanic.
1912 14th April
Titanic Lookout Watch
Keeps lookout from Titanic's crow's nest with Reginald Lee on the night of the collision.
1912 15th April
Emergency Lifeboat One Command
Takes charge of emergency lifeboat 1 after it is lowered from Titanic.
1912 15th April
Lifeboat Seven Survival
Escapes Titanic in lifeboat 7 after earlier serving as a lookout.
1912 15th April
Lifeboat Six Survival
Escapes Titanic in lifeboat 6 after completing lookout duties on the night of the collision.
1912 3rd May
British Inquiry Lookout Evidence
Gives evidence about lookout duties and conditions aboard Titanic before the collision.
1912 24th May
Fleet Titanic Inquiry Evidence
Gives evidence to the British inquiry about the lookout watch, iceberg sighting and absence of binoculars.
1912 May
British Inquiry Lifeboat Evidence
Gives evidence about lookout duties and his command of emergency lifeboat 1.
1912 May
British Inquiry Lookout Evidence
Gives evidence about Titanic's lookout organisation and the watch preceding Fleet and Lee.
1912 May
British Inquiry Lookout Evidence
Gives evidence about the crow's-nest watch, visibility and the iceberg sighting.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Titanic records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Continue exploring