Bertha Antonin Meine is a passenger of the ill-fated Titanic, which drowned in the waters of the Atlantic. Everyone knows that the ship was never able to complete its maiden voyage, having split in two after colliding with an iceberg. The huge liner sank to the ocean floor on April 15, 1912. More than 1,500 of 2,240 passengers and crew were reported to have died that tragic night. But there are people who still managed to survive, but no one believed them that they were on board. One of them is Bertha.
Unplanned trip
Bertha Antonin Meine might not have planned to go on a trip on a luxury ship, if not for a chance meeting with her first love. The heroine of the story was born in the city of Ixelles in 1887. She worked as a cabaret singer and had an affair with a French soldier named Fernand de Villiers. The young man accompanied a foreign legion and left for the Belgian Congo.
Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws provided a bit more information about her personality, describing Bertha as “well known in Brussels in the entertainment community. She is often seen in the company of people who love wine, delicious food and delights."
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Decisive meeting
In the winter of 1911, Bertha met a young Montreal hockey player, Quigg Edmond Baxter. Baxter was born in Montreal but came from a wealthy family. Young people quickly became lovers.
Before meeting Meine, Baxter had already made a name for himself. He was considered a fantastic hockey player and star footballer. Unfortunately, a blow to the eye with a stick while playing hockey in 1907 ended his playing career. Having lost his sight, Baxter began his career as a coach, and he is even credited with hosting one of the first international ice hockey tournaments ever held in Paris.
This is destiny
Baxter was touring Europe with his mother and sister when he first encountered Meine. The return of the family was planned for the Titanic. Baxter's ticket was booked from Cherbourg, a city in northwestern France overlooking the English Channel. He and his family were to be first class passengers.
Baxter didn't want to go home without Meine. He was persistent enough to convince Bertha to accompany him on the journey. She was registered under the pseudonym "Mrs. de Villiers" and was placed in a first class cabin, C-90.
Tragic events
However, the couple's enjoyment of each other did not last long. Baxter was in his cabin that night, B-60. His mother demanded to know why the ship suddenly stopped. The young man came out of the cabin to see what was happening and saw the captain of the ship. He spoke to Bruce Ismay, a man who will be remembered as the highest-ranking official of the White Star Line Steamship Company to survive the sinking of the Titanic.
The captain supposedly told him, "Baxter, there was an accident, but it's okay." When he threw himself onto the bridge, Ismay approached him, telling him to save his family and go to the boats.
This is Love
Baxter called his mother and sister, but did not forget about Bertha Meine, who put on a long wool coat over her night dress. When they approached the lifeboats, they were shown boat number 6. But the girl did not want to get into the boat without her lover. They say she even wanted to return to her cabin to pick up the jewelry, but she is confused with another famous passenger on the Titanic, Molly Brown.
Farewell look
Baxter waved goodbye to them all. Lifeboat No. 6 was most likely the first boat to leave the port of the Titanic. The man hoped to sit in the next one, but something went wrong and he died. His body has not been found and identified.
After an amazing rescue, Meine stayed with the Baxter family for a couple of months in Montreal. After that, she returned to Europe and continued her singing career, this time in Paris, and never married until the end of her life.
Nobody believed
The woman did not tell anyone about her amazing story. But, as reported, in old age, she told her nephew about everything. The latter, unfortunately, did not believe her. But after her death, relatives discovered unique photographs that testify to the veracity of her words. All evidence in the form of letters and photographs on the ship was hidden in a shoebox.
Here is such an amazing story, somewhat reminiscent of the plot of the famous movie "Titanic".
Svetlana Morozova