John G. Phillips, pictured here, was the Chief Marconi operator who sent the final distress message from the ill-fated Titanic. (For more about him, click here)
The message was transmitted with a spark transmitter and it included the new "SOS" signal, as well as the more conventional "CQD" signal. The actual message was "CQD CQD SOS SOS CQD DE MGY MGY", MGY being the call sign of the Titanic.
The worst aspect of the disaster was the fact the California was sitting only ten miles away and capable of rescuing all the passengers. Besides the futile radio messages the crew of the Titanic fired rockets for two hours trying to get her attention, but the officers on duty aboard the California never understood the reason for the rockets.
Only when the radio operator went back on duty did the California learn the news from other rescue ships about the Titanic. Another ship, the Carpathia, was 58 miles away when she received the Titanic SOS.
Listen to a recreation of the original message by clicking on one of the following links.