Impression
sketch of U20 attacking Lusitania - by Jamie. The original can be seen at: http://marelle.org/cdi/h-histoire/images/6%20-%20XX%C3%A8me%20si%C3%A8cle%20et%20monde%20actuel/1914-1918/slides/1915-Lusitania%20torpill%C3%A9%20par%20les%20allemands.html
Despite knowing dangers about the
seas,
British ships, schooners and boats
Still sailed - against
declaration of war zone
By Germany's submarine war class,
Lurking in depths, often not far
from shore.
Trade and movement of people took
chances;
As in ocean liners from neutral
America -
Leaving New York for Liverpool
destination
Left the Lusitania on new month of
May,
In a time of growing Atlantic enemy
warfare.
The luxury of the Lusitania
disembarked
From harbour, with the usual pomp,
In passengers goodbyes and by those
On shore, waving squares of white -
That on a battlefield symbolised
surrender.
Excitement may have mixed in
trepidation,
But Lusitania in her eighth year,
had
Crossed safe waters on countless
times.
With spring there were no icebergs
Or over-confidence of any Titanic
voyage.
A launch of June 1906 saw
drag chains,
In a slow water entry -thousands
Watched and 600 guests
brought release
Of third, second and first
class
Luxury - with popular space
for emigrants.
In that peaceful British Edwardian
period,
Lusitania was driven by state of art
Turbine engines - giving more
passenger
Space supplied with electricity and
Gilded dinning rooms with state of
art lifts.
The route to America had been coveted;
Fought for by German Shipping lines.
Yet Cunard’s tactic was to lead in
luxurious
Speed and capacity - giving veranda
Cafes, regal suites and promenade
decks.
With regular voyages and posters to
state
Next crossing 1 May 1915 voyage,
For this 202 time were other
warnings made
By American German embassy;
Unsafe Atlantic and war zone of
British sea.
For six days a pleasant normal
crossing
Driven by Parsons Turbines.
RMS Lusitania carried passengers by
Power of a 192 separate
Furnaces - oblivious to all but
comforts.
An even number four funnels vented steam
As equally four propellers
Carried her into the sixth day - as outboard
Propellers rotated outwards,
Two inboard propellers rotated
inwards.
An easy day aboard saw lunch served.
As wine glasses clinked,
A clear day deserved a walk on deck;
Passing by fixed lifeboats
As the Lusitania sailed into a war
zone.
Even with economic needs to shut
Down boiler no. 4, her speed
Dropped from 25 to 21 knots still
made
Lusitania, fastest first class
Passenger liner in commercial use.
Even at the conception of the
Lusitania
There had been rule for her
Conversion into an armed merchant
cruiser.
Even kept a secret container
To carry ammunition, as she did that
time.
With lunch winding down it was only
Hours until they reached
Liverpool - earlier that morning at
6 a.m.
Fog had caused delays,
Her speed reduced and foghorns
hailed.
Some opinion thought the act not
good,
Liable to advertise to any close
Submarines and with a 11 a.m. admiralty
Warnings of U boats about
Captain felt this less likely near
the coast.
A zig zag route led to another
message -
1 p.m. to suggest they had safely
Passed one submarine by Cape Clear.
One puzzle for officers on watch,
Was lack of patrols to escort
Lusitania.
The Old head of Kinsale passed 1.40
p.m.
With warning to pass ports at full
Speed, the Captain changed course
East,
To put Lusitania in direct danger.
U 20's Kapitan Schwieger spotted the
liner.
Underwater by Periscope it seemed any
Attack was impossible when the
Liner turned - then in a range of
700 meters
Orders to fire a gyroscopic torpedo.
The Kapitan observed as the mark was
hit.
Passengers felt a shudder as
tableware
Juddered - the torpedo
Had struck below the wheelhouse,
On the starboard bow -
Then another explosion rocked the
hull.
Kaptain Schwieger watched as the
boat
Took a severe list to starboard,
A scramble to lifeboats was hampered
By the angling Lusitania
With many boats breaking or
overturned.
In eighteen minutes the stern was
still
Above the water, as the bow
Hit the seabed - finally Lusitania sank
To leave people in bitter waters
With survivors count 764 out of
1,962.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File: The
Lusitania Resource History, Passenger & Crew Biographies, and Lusitania
Facts . [online] Available at: <http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania/final-crossing/>
[Accessed: 8 May 2015].
Source: File: RMS
Lusitania. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania> [Accessed: 8 May 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 8 May 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Lusitania
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