THE National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth has announced that it will be hosting the iconic Arthur West Thermos flask as part of its ‘Titanic Stories’ exhibition. The flask will be on display at the museum from Saturday, April 13, on the eve of the anniversary of the night the ship sank.

Among the 62 passengers and crew from Cornwall who were travelling on the White Star liner RMS Titanic on that fateful night of April 14, 1912, in the North Atlantic were the West family.

Arthur his pregnant wife Ada and their two daughters were on their way and looking forward to their new life in Florida in the fruit business.

Mrs West later recalled in her own words the events of the night of the collision with the iceberg: "We were all asleep when the collision took place, but were jolted in our berths – my husband and children not even being awakened and it was only the hurrying of passengers outside the cabin that caused alarm.

"The steward bade us all get up and dress thoroughly with plenty of warm things. Arthur placed lifebelts upon the children and then carried them to the boat deck. I followed carrying my handbag.

"After seeing us safely into the lifeboat Arthur returned to the cabin for a Thermos of hot milk and, finding the lifeboat let down, he reached it by means of a rope, gave the flask to me, and, with a farewell, returned to the deck of the ship."

That was the last this family saw of Arthur, husband and father.

The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth is indebted to Cedar Bay Entertainments (US), and in particular to Paul Burns, vice president and curator for the Titanic Museum Attractions in Missouri and Tennessee, for arranging the loan and transportation of this iconic flask to Falmouth.

The full story of this unsung Cornish Hero and the flask will be displayed as part of the revamped Titanic Stories exhibition at the Museum in Falmouth, from Saturday, April 13 until early January 2020.

The West family story is not a myth, but there are many interpretations about the events surrounding that fateful night and these are fully explored in the major exhibition.