To find out more details about my new paperback book on the Titanic and the Californian, including ordering details, please look here.

NB: Augusta Ogden had dreadful handwriting, and was illegible in places. My best guesses, where possible are in square brackets.

19th July, 1955

I will tell you to the best of my ability what I remember about the "Titanic". But it was a long time ago and I have no notes. I awakened to a cold cabin and a speeding ship, but with great [?] noises overhead and felt something must be wrong. So I called my husband, who said the noise was hearing [?] the chocks [?] from the lifeboats overhead. He opened our door and I saw a line of crew men coming up the companionway carrying [???] and mattresses [?]. Not very reassuring. An officer, whom we later knew as the Doctor asked please to stay in our cabins "Captains Orders" "Yes but what is the matter?" "An accident, but not to our ship. Stay inside."
Mr Ogden was sure that our ship was on fire and that we were speeding for help. He slipped onto the near [next?] deck and found a quarter master that he knew, who told him that there had been an accident to the "Titanic."
"You'll have to give me something better than that, " said Mr. Ogden. "Titanics on the northern route and we are on the southern."
"We're going north like hell" was the answer, "get back in your room". Mr Ogden came and told me.
"Do you believe it?" said I. "No" said he "get up and put on your warmest clothes". So we managed to get outside and hide behind a boat on a stanchion [?] - something - and I looked over the beautiful calm water, not a ripple or a small [??]
The whistle[?] blew [?] and shortly after we were alongside a lifeboat, on it the White Star emblem and in it a crowd of people all in white (the lifebelts). The deck side was brilliantly lighted up it was a simply [??] appalling sight to look down on the dark water, (it was still night at 4am) to see a boat full of people. Then we knew it was the "Titanic" and [learned?] these were the sole survivors. The Captain had [???]

The following was written in the left margin, at 90 degrees to the rest of the letter:

Mostly women and children, as I think only two men were in that boat and the women in nightclothes and fur coats needed to row.

Notes:

1. Spelling and punctuation have been preserved, where possible (!).