Timeline Article: Collapsible Lifeboat D is the Eighteenth and the Last to be Successfully Launched from Titanic

Monday, April 15th, 1912
2:05am

Collapsible D is the eighteenth to be launched.
Lowered by: Chief Officer Wilde, 2nd Officer Lightoller
Crew member in charge: Quartermaster Arthur Bright

At this point during the night the panic among the passengers had become severe. Water was starting to pour over the sides and onto the promenade deck just below the bridge. Testimonies later state that warning shots had been fired in the vicinity of collapsible D, and that the crew had to link their arms together to keep groups of men from rushing into the lifeboat. The "women and children first" order was becoming irrelevant. Counting collapsible D, only 3 of the 20 lifeboats were left, and Titanic was sinking faster and faster.

Water spills over the side and onto the promenade deck just below the bridge,
as depicted in James Cameron's film "Titanic".

Just like the case with lifeboat 4 earlier, Titanic's slight list to port was making the loading of collapsible D difficult due to a gap that formed between the ship's deck and the lifeboat. Passengers would have to jump across the gap and into the lifeboat. This was a daunting task for some people.
While loading, Chief Officer Wilde ordered 2nd Officer Lightoller to man the lifeboat, but Lightoller refused, and stayed aboard the ship. Quartermaster Arthur Bright was put in charge, and the lowering of the lifeboat commenced. The descent was short, due to the fact that the sea was only about 10 feet from the deck where collapsible D was located.

First Class passengers, Hugh Woolner and Mauritz Bjornstrom-Steffansson were standing on the promenade deck beneath collapsible D. When the water started to flood the deck, the two jumped aboard the lifeboat just as it was being lowered past them and about to make contact with the water. Once on the surface, another first class passenger, Frederick Hoyt was pulled from the water and into the lifeboat. The people aboard collapsible D immediately began to row away to avoid any possible suction.

Collapsible Lifeboat D is the last to be successfully launched,

and leaves Titanic with 23 out of 47 seats occupied.

Timeline Article: Collapsible Lifeboat C is the Seventeenth to be Launched / Bruce Ismay Leaves Titanic

Monday, April 15, 1912
2am

Collapsible C is the seventeenth to be launched.
Lowered by: Chief Officer Wilde, 1st Officer Murdoch
Crew member in charge: Quartermaster George Rowe

By 2am, Titanic's forecastle deck was almost completely submerged while the forward well deck was starting to flood. Seeing this must have been a frightening sight, considering that both of these decks used to stand about 40 feet above the water.

A sight that Captain Smith may have seen from the bridge,
as the forecastle and well deck began to submerge.

1st Officer Murdoch

After firing the last distress rocket, Quartermaster George Rowe was ordered by Captain Smith to take command of collapsible lifeboat C that was being prepared by Chief Officer Wilde and 1st Officer Murdoch. Once the lifeboat was ready to be filled, Wilde leaves Murdoch to load the lifeboat while he goes to assist collapsible lifeboat D on the port side. 1st Officer Murdoch began loading the boat with the women and children that were standing near by. Murdoch allowed men to board the lifeboat, just as long as all the women and children in the area were aboard first. Unlike 2nd Officer Lightoller, who allowed women and children only, Murdoch loaded women and children first. Many of the men who survived in a lifeboat, most likely had Murdoch to thank for it.

J. Bruce Ismay, president of the White Star Line and owner of Titanic, was among the group of people that were standing near lifeboat C. Ismay spent most of the night helping passengers into the lifeboats, but once everyone in the area had boarded, Ismay jumped aboard as well. Watching Ismay leave the ship, didn't sit well with many people. Yet some thought it was acceptable since there was space in the boat. It is uncertain if Ismay boarded on his own, or if Murdoch ordered him in. Nevertheless, Ismay would be branded as a coward by the public for leaving Titanic. 

J. Bruce Ismay
President, Chairman, and Director of the White Star Line,
and owner of Titanic.

Although, Ismay and Rowe denied it, some had claimed that there was some commotion while loading lifeboat C. First class passengers, Jack Thayer and Hugh Woolner along with Third class passengers Emily and Frankie Goldsmith, said that warning shots had been fired into the air to keep men from rushing into the lifeboat.

Commotion or not, collapsible C leaves Titanic with 43 out of 47 seats occupied. Originally thought to be 39 passengers aboard, until 4 men were found hiding between the seats later in the morning.