The History Press author Chris Frame recently sailed aboard Cunard’s Queen Victoria as a keynote speaker during a very special anniversary for the RMS Lusitania.
7 May 2015 was a significant date in the history of shipping. 100 years ago that day the ocean liner Lusitania was sunk off the Irish coast. Struck by a German torpedo the Cunard ship, which was carrying passengers, founded in eighteen minutes. The disaster forever changed the face of modern warfare and had serious and lasting ramifications on both sides of the First World War.
To commemorate this tragedy, Cunard’s Queen Victoria called at Cobh, Ireland. It was here that one of the rescue parties went out to save the survivors of the disaster. I sailed aboard this voyage as a maritime speaker and presented two talks about Cunard and the Lusitania. There were many other Lusitania experts aboard (including fellow author Eric Sauder). The ship also carried many relatives of those who had died aboard the Lusitania. It was very moving to meet these people and hear their stories. It added to the significance of the event to have these family members present.
On 7 May we awoke at 3:15am. At exactly 3:30am the ship sailed slowly and respectfully over the wreck of the Lusitania. Queen Victoria’s master, Commodore Christopher Rynd, made a touching speech at the ship’s rail; before relatives of those who perished threw wreaths and roses into the sea as a mark of respect. A video of this is available here.
Several hours later, we were alongside in Cobh. A day of commemoration followed. At noon, President Higgins of Ireland met with Cunard’s Chairman and Commodore Christopher Rynd at the Lusitania memorial in the centre of Cobh.
President Higgins inspected the guard of honour before moving to the stage near the pier. At the podium, and with the full attention of thousands of attendees, he made an impassioned speech about the importance of peace in our world. Commodore Rynd later recited a letter from a survivor of the Lusitania disaster - it brought to life the horrors those aboard faced.
At exactly 2:10pm - the time the torpedo struck the ship - Queen Victoria's whistle sounded. Eighteen minutes later, to mark the moment the ship founded - it sounded again. It struck me, and all in the audience how quickly eighteen minutes had passed. In that time, one of the greatest and largest ships the world has ever known was gone, and the lives of all those aboard were changed forever.
After the ceremony, President Higgins along with ambassadors from Britain, America and Germany laid wreaths at the memorial as a sign of respect to the victims of the Lusitania. Later that evening, Queen Victoria's passengers witnessed a touching light parade aboard a flotilla of local boats. We then set sail for Dublin.
'Lusitania Remembered' was a touching and significant event in the history of Cunard, and one that all of us aboard will not soon forget. Learn more about Lusitania here: http://www.chriscunard.com/lusitania.php
Lost to a German torpedo on 7 May 1915, Cunard’s RMS Lusitania captured the world’s imagination when she entered service in 1907. Not only was she was the largest ship in the world, but she was also revolutionary in design as well as being a record breaker. Lusitania is now sadly remembered for her tragic destruction, sinking in eighteen minutes with the loss of around 1200 souls.
Chris Frame, along with Rachelle Cross, is the author of 175 Years of Cunard and many other titles on classic liners.