Commander Edward John Smith RD RNR (1850 - 1912) Captain Smith was the officer in command of the RMS Titanic. He died on 15th April 1912 alongside more than 1,500 people when his ship sank after striking an iceberg on it's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. The 7'8" (2.32m) statue is made of bronze and set on a plinth of Cornish granite. It was sculpted by Lady Kathleen Scott - the widow of Scott of the Antarctic. Although Captain Smith was born in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Lichfield was considered a more accessible place for the statue. The location may also have been chosen because Lichfield was the cathedral city of the diocese that covered Hanley. The statue was unveiled at Beacon Park on 29 July 1914 by Captain Smith's daughter, Helen Melville Smith, in front of many distinguished guests, including Lady Scott. The 'Be British' inscription on the statue was reportedly one of the last phrases Captain Smith was heard to speak.