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RMS Olympic
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Welcome to our page on the RMS Olympic.
Stats:
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| The RMS Olympic in port. |
| Captain |
Captain E. J. Smith |
| Passenger Accommodation |
1st class-735
2nd class-674
3rd class-1,026 |
| Service Speed |
21 knots |
| Gross Tonnage |
45,342 tons |
| Launch Date |
October 20, 1910 |
| Date of Demise |
September 19, 1937 |
History of the Ship
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| The Olympic in port. |
The Olympic made its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on June 14, 1911. On September 20 of that same year was rammed on the starboard side by the HMS Hawke. The Hawke was attempting to pass the Olympic astern. The ship went to Belfast for repairs and was out of order for 6 weeks. An inquiry soon found that the Olympic was at blame because it was going too fast, so that the Hawke was literally sucked into its side. The Olympic resumed service on November 10, 1911.
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The damage caused to the Olympic from
the collision with the Hawke. |
A court enquiry forced many changes on the Olympic because of the loss of the Titanic. Over 6 months the Olympic was equipped with a double bottom extended up the sides, full height bulkheads, and most importantly additional lifeboats. The ship gained 1,017 tons because of this retrofitting. It resumed service on April 2, 1913.
The Olympic was requisitioned as a troopship in August of 1914. It tried to tow the mined and sinking HMS Audacious into Lock Foyle but was unsuccessful. In September of 1915 it resumed its troopship duties and was fitted with 6 inch guns. The Olympic was missed twice by torpedo attacks in 1916 in the Mediterranean. On a third occasion, on May 12, 1918, the Olympic avoided a torpedo attack off the Lizard and then rammed and sank German submarine U-103. The survivors were picked up by the escorting American destroyer.
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| The Olympic's boat deck. |
By the end of the war the Olympic had carried over 200,000 troops and steamed some 180,000 miles. The ship returned to the Southampton-Cherbourg-New York service on June 25, 1920. In 1929 it briefly ran a new 'Quick-trip' service, along with the Majestic, between New York and Halifax.
On May 10, 1934 the Olympic became part of the newly-formed Cunard-White Star Company. On its first voyage for its new owners the ship rammed and sank the Nantucket Lightship in fog. The accident killed eight people. On 27 March 1935 the ship made its last voyage on the Southampton to New York route and on its return it was laid up at Southampton. In September it was sold to Sir John Jarvis for £100,000. It was then resold to Metal Industries for breaking on the condition that it was done at Jarrow in order to relieve unemployment there. On 19 September 1937 the hulk was towed to Inverkeithing for final demolition.
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| A painting of the Olympic. |
Olympic Fact:
Many pictures said to be of the Titanic are actually pictures of its sister ship, the RMS Olympic. Now you know.
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