With a career spanning twenty eight years and a safety record second to none, there is little doubt that Charles Alfted Bartlett is the perfect man to command Britain’s largest vessel, the ‘Britannic’.

Captain Bartlett has been with the White Star Line since 1894, beginning his career as Fourth Officer of the ‘Germanic’. He quickly rose through the ranks, receiving his first command seven years later.

Be it the 8,800 ton ‘Armenian’, the 21,000 ton ‘Celtic’ or the 48,000 ton ‘Britannic’, Bartlett commands his ships with great care and caution, always preferring to sail a few additional miles to avoid the merest hint of danger. His cautious seamanship has led to him being referred to as ‘Iceberg Charlie’ by his crew, as it is rumoured he can smell icebergs and growlers from miles away.

In early 1912, Captain Bartlett was appointed as the Senior Marine Superintendent of the White Star Line, being based in the company’s headquarters in Liverpool. He remained in this position until the outbreak of war, when he was called up into service by His Majesty’s Navy, being appointed commander of the armed yacht ‘Verona’. For his service, Bartlett was promoted to Commodore RNR and made a Companion of the Order of Bath.
It was not all smooth sailing however, as he lost his only son, fifteen year old Charles Ellis Bartlett, when the HMS ‘Golitath’ was torpedoed and sunk in the Dardanelles in May 1915.

In late 1915, the ‘Britannic’ was nearing completion after having been called up into service as a hospital ship. And with the ship in need of a captain, who could be a better choice than Commodore C. A. Bartlett, RNR, CB?

And as we come to late autumn of 1916, the war is still going on with no end in sight, and ‘Britannic’ is set to complete a few more round trips to Greece, once again with Captain Bartlett at the helm.