DEATH OF LUSITANIA (7 May 1915)

On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. This seemingly isolated event triggered a series of diplomatic ultimatums that provided the spark to light the powder keg of Europe. World War I began on 28 July 1914. The reign of Cunard's LUSITANIA and MAURETANIA as the speed queens of the Atlantic came to an abrupt end. MAURETANIA was laid up while LUSITANIA maintained passenger service at the behest of the admiralty. Her renowned speed could easily outrun and evade any German U-boat. Despite this Imperial Germany made it abundantly clear that they considered the liner an enemy vessel and that she would be sunk if found within the war zone off the British and Irish coasts. They published warnings to this effect in American newspapers. Nevertheless, she departed New York City on 1 May 1915 with 1,962 people on board including many Americans. On 7 May 1915 she encountered U-20 whilst steaming 11 miles off the Irish coast. The U-boat fired a single torpedo which struck her starboard side beneath her bridge. Moments later a violent, second explosion (perhaps from munitions) shook the liner and she quickly developed a severe list to starboard. Within 18 minutes Cunard's famous speed queen of the Atlantic became an infamous casualty of war, taking 1,198 lives with her.

Her post-war replacement would be the RMS BERENGARIA, the former SS IMPERATOR.