Chapter I: Preface

During a war, which was at last to draw into its vortex practically the whole human race--the issue depending, first and foremost, on sea power--there was little time or opportunity or, indeed, inclination on the part of British seamen to keep a record of their varied activities. The very nature of many of the incidents recorded in the following pages precluded the preparation of detailed reports at the time. Nor can we forget that many of the officers and men, to whose resource, courage, and devotion this volume bears testimony, have joined the great silent army of the dead to whose exploits the freedom of conscience of every man and woman in the British Empire, as well as their state of material comfort, bear witness.

This book has been written under not a few difficulties, and it owes whatever merit it possesses to many individuals--captains, officers, engineers, pursers and other ministers to British sea-power--who have assisted in its preparation, whether by recounting incidents in which they took part, by placing written records at my disposal, or by lending photographs from which the illustrations have been prepared. I would especially emphasise that the illustrations have been made from photographs of all sorts and shapes, taken by all kinds of cameras, though for the most part of pocket size. Many of the pictures were snapped under dull and forbidding skies, and some were secured in the very presence of the enemy in mad pursuit of his piratical policy. Some of these pictures were soaked with sea water, and other were recovered from destruction at the last moment. The value of the illustrations lies not so much in their perfection as in the knowledge that they were taken “on active service.”

Finally a word should be said, perhaps, of another difficulty which confronts any one who endeavours to tell the story of what merchant sailors did during the Great War. These men dislike publicity and their modesty disarms the inquisitor. Like their comrades of the Royal Navy, they are content if they can feel that they have done their duty. They would leave it at that. But were silence to be maintained, later generations would be robbed, for the progress of humanity depends, in no small measure, on the manner in which the memory of great deeds is preserved, and handed down from age to age. No man can live unto himself.

The story of the contribution which British seamen have made to the happiness and well being of the world can never be half told, and these pages form merely a footnote to one of the most glorious epics in human annals. They go forth in the hope that they may help to perpetuate those sterling virtues which find increasing expression in the British race throughout the world. James Anthony Froude once declared that all that this country has achieved in the course of three centuries has been due to her predominance as an ocean power. “Take away her merchant fleets; take away the navy that guards them; her empire will come to an end; her colonies will fall off like leaves from a withered tree; and Britain will become once more an insignificant island in the North sea.” So I hope this book may be regarded not merely as a footnote to history, but may remind all and sundry of the priceless heritage which our seamen of all classes and degrees have left in our keeping.

ARCHIBALD HURD.

CONTENTS

PAGE
Foreword xvii

CHAPTER

I. Mobilisation 1

II. Combatant Cunarders 12

III. Carrying on 38

IV. The Ordeal of the “Lusitania” 58

V. The Toll of the Submarines 87

VI. Shore Work for the Services 119

ILLUSTRATIONS

_In Colour_

“AQUITANIA” LEADING THE TRANSPORTS _Frontispiece_

_To face page_
“AQUITANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS 4

“MAURETANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS 12

TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” 28

“CARMANIA” SINKING “CAP TRAFALGAR” 36

TORPEDOING OF THE “AUSONIA” 44

TORPEDOING OF THE “LUSITANIA” 52

“PHRYGIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE 60

TORPEDOING OF THE “THRACIA” 68

“VALERIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE 84

TORPEDOING OF THE “VOLODIA” 92

“AQUITANIA” AS HOSPITAL SHIP 108

“CAMPANIA” AS SEAPLANE SHIP 124

_In Monochrome_

_To face page_
“AQUITANIA” AT SOUTHAMPTON WITH CANADIAN TROOPS 2

EMBARKATION 6

TRANSPORT IN SOUTHAMPTON WATER 6

CANADIAN TROOPS ON “CARONIA” BEING ADDRESSED BY THEIR
COMMANDER 8

THE “CAMPANIA” SINKING IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH 10

THE “CARMANIA” STARBOARD FORWARD GUNS 14

ROPE PROTECTION ON “CARMANIA” AGAINST SHELL SPLINTERS 14

LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (i): KIT INSPECTION 16

LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (ii): RIFLE DRILL 16

THE “CARMANIA” READY FOR ACTION 18

SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY ON BOARD THE “LACONIA” 22

THE “CARONIA” LEAVING DURBAN 24

H.M.S. “MERSEY” ALONGSIDE THE “LACONIA” OFF THE RUFIGI
RIVER 26

THE “CARMANIA” APPROACHING TRINIDAD 30

ONE OF THE “CARMANIA’S” GUNS 30

“ABANDON SHIP” DRILL AT SEA 32

AFTER THE FIGHT 32

CHART-HOUSE AND BRIDGE OF THE “CARMANIA” AFTER THE FIGHT 34

THE “LACONIA” AT DURBAN 38

FINAL OF THE S.A.I. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE “LACONIA” 38

THE NELSON PLATE PRESENTED TO THE “CARMANIA” 40

CREW LEAVING THE “FRANCONIA” AFTER SHE WAS TORPEDOED 42

SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” (i) 46

SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” (ii) 48

THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS AFLOAT ON RAFT 50

THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS BEING TAKEN
IN ONE OF THE BOATS 54

THE “LUSITANIA” 56

THE “MAURETANIA” AS A HOSPITAL SHIP OFF NAPLES HARBOUR 58

THE “ALAUNIA” AS AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL SHIP 62

THE “LUSITANIA” PASSING THE OLD HEAD OF KINSALE 64

THE “WHITE WAKE” THAT STRETCHED TO THE BEACHES OF GALLIPOLI 66

OFFICERS, NURSES AND R.A.M.C. ORDERLIES OF H.M.H.S. “AQUITANIA” 70

“HOMEWARD BOUND.” 70

THE SUN-CURE 72

THE “FRANCONIA” PASSING THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL 72

AMERICAN TROOPS NEVER FORGOT THE “LUSITANIA” 74

IN THE SPRING OF 1918 THE “MAURETANIA” BROUGHT 33,000
AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO EUROPE 78

THE “AQUITANIA’S” STAGE 80

THE “SAXONIA,” CAMOUFLAGED, LEAVING NEW YORK WITH
AMERICAN TROOPS FOR EUROPE 80

WELCOMING THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF RETURNING AMERICAN
TROOPS, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1918 82

THE “MAURETANIA” ARRIVING AT NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1918 82

BOAT DRILL ON A CUNARD HOSPITAL SHIP 86

THE “AQUITANIA’S” GARDEN LOUNGE AS HOSPITAL WARD 88

THE “AURANIA” ASHORE AFTER BEING TORPEDOED 90

THE “IVERNIA” SETTLING DOWN 90

THE “IVERNIA” SURVIVORS ARRIVING IN PORT 94

TROOPS LANDING FROM THE “MAURETANIA” 94

THE “DWINSK” SETTLING DOWN AFTER BEING TORPEDOED 96

SURVIVORS FROM THE “DWINSK” AFTER EIGHT DAYS IN THE
LIFEBOAT 96

THE “MAURETANIA” LEAVING SOUTHAMPTON 98

“FATHER NEPTUNE” CARED LITTLE FOR THE PREYING SUBMARINES 102

AN ARMED CRUISER’S RANGE FINDER 102

THE “THRACIA” FAST 104

THE “AQUITANIA” RE-APPEARS IN THE MERSEY 106

OFFICERS OF THE TORPEDOED “FRANCONIA” 110

A CUNARD CREW BUYING WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES 110

ONE OF THE AMERICAN HOWITZERS, ASSEMBLED AT THE CUNARD
WORKS 112

THE “AQUITANIA’S” CHAPEL 112

CUNARD NATIONAL AEROPLANE FACTORY 114

INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (i) 118

INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (ii) 118

INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (iii) 120

RUSSIAN REFUGEES ON THE “PHRYGIA” 120

ONE OF THE ROOMS IN THE CUNARD SHELL WORKS 122

A RECORD OF “STRIKING” VALUE 122

A HOSPITAL WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “MAURETANIA” 126

THE “AQUITANIA” LOUNGE AS ORDERLY ROOM 128

OFFICERS’ WARD IN THE SMOKING ROOM OF THE “AQUITANIA” 128

MEN’S WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “AQUITANIA” 132

THE “FRANCONIA” SINKING 136