24. 1912 The Lusitania

I am very proud of the fact that my granddad sailed and worked on the Lusitania. What an experience and a privilege to have had!

On 6th July 1912 he sailed out of Liverpool on this fine ship to New York. In his discharge book it looks like he was booked to return on the Lucy on the 15th July, however, he set sail the day after on the Carpathia. Why he changed ships is anyone’s guess? Maybe this is part of the fanciful tale of Granny’s (again a half truth ......yes he was probably due to return to Liverpool on her but changed ships, but it was 3 years before Lusitania’ fateful sailing. I often wonder if any of the chaps below where still serving on her still in 1915??)

The tale of the Lusitania is well documented and I recently watched a TV drama documentary about it. Its portrayal of the surrounding facts of the Lusitania’s sinking were that she had been used as a pawn in the War Mongers game and the public enquiry was a complete sham/ cover up. The facts were that only one torpedo stuck her bow, launched from U-boat 20. However, there were 2 explosions, one from the torpedo and the other from a source unknown. She was carrying a large amountof ammunition and the evidence certainly points in the direction that this was the cause of her fate.

The Lusitania, a huge fine ship, sank in merely 18 minutes!
Out of 1,198 passengers and crew only 761 survived, including the Captain, William Turner, who was pulled unconscious from the sea.

spot the difference !!