Joan Adams, 2, was the daughter of Albert E. Adams and Gertrude Pollett. They were British by nationality. Gertude survived the Lusitania sinking, Joan did not.
At the time of the Lusitania‘s last voyage, Albert had joined the Canadian army and was already serving in France. Gertrude and Joan were returning to the UK to live with Gertrude’s family in Bath (near Bristol in Gloucestershire), so that her husband could see her when he was on leave.
When Lusitania was sinking, Gertrude was given a lifejacket by Basil Wickings-Smith and then jumped into the water clutching Joan in her arms. In later family accounts, she remembered sinking to great depth and losing Joan. But from accounts closer to the time of the sinking show that both mother and daughter surfaced together. Gertrude swam to a piece of wreckage and placed Joan on it; however, Joan soon succumbed to exposure, with Gertrude watching and powerless to do anything to help her daughter. She recounted, “my baby had passed away then and I felt I must kiss her goodbye.”
Gertrude survived. Albert survived the war and, with Gertrude, moved to Australia with Gertrude’s brother. Gertrude and Albert went on to have another four children.
Links of interest
Encyclopedia Titanica: Lest We Forget – Part 1
Contributor:
Hugh Thomson (grandnephew of Gertrude Adams)
Jim Kalafus
Michael Poirier
References:
Kalafus, Jim and Michael Poirier (2005) Lest We Forget : Part 1 ET Research. <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/lusitania-lest-we-forget.html>
Photo of victium
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