Cunard in the 20th Century Trivia Quiz

Answer: Swan Hunter

In the first years of the 20th century, Cunard was in the midst of difficulty - the Blue Riband, the title awarded to the fastest passenger ship on the North Atlantic, had been taken from them by the German ship 'Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse', with Germany operating a number of large, four-funnelled liners dominating the route, while the American financier JP Morgan was building up a large portfolio of shipping companies under his International Mercantile Marine conglomerate, in an effort to monopolise the shipping trade.

So, in 1902, Cunard approached the British government with a proposal to regain prestige both for the company, in the face of the challenge from Morgan, and the German domination of the North Atlantic. Cunard and the government came to an agreement whereby Cunard would receive a loan of £2.5m for the construction of two new express liners, each capable of no less than 24 knots, which could be converted into armed merchant cruisers in the event of war. The deal agreed, contracts were placed with John Brown on the Clyde, and Swan Hunter on the Tyne, for the two ships, which were built to a design by naval architect Leonard Peskett. Originally to be fitted with reciprocating engines, this was changed prior to construction for the latest steam turbines. The two ships were launched in 1906, with the maiden voyage of 'Lusitania' in September 1907, and of 'Mauretania' two months later.

Answer: Croatia

By 1912, 'Carpathia' had been in service for nine years as one of the line's workhorse ships, largely dealing with immigrant trade between Europe and the United States, usually operating from Liverpool during the summer months and the Mediterranean in the winter. On 11 April 1912, 'Carpathia' left New York en route for the port of Fiume in Austria-Hungary (now Rijeka in Croatia). Three days later, the ship received the distress signal from the White Star liner RMS 'Titanic'. Once convinced that the signal was genuine, 'Carpathia''s master, Captain Arthur Rostron, ordered his ship to turn around and head for the stricken ship's position, estimated at 60 miles in the other direction, which 'Carpathia' covered in around three and a half hours. The ship arrived approximately 90 minutes after 'Titanic' sank, taking on 705 survivors. Debating where to take the ship, with both Halifax in Nova Scotia and the Azores considered, Rostron instead decided to take 'Carpathia' back to New York, eventually arriving on 18 April.

Answer: Richard I

On 10 December 1919, the former Hamburg-America Line flagship SS 'Imperator' arrived in Southampton, having been turned over to Cunard by the US government, which had been utilising the ship to transport its soldiers home from Europe following the end of the Great War.

Although her first passenger voyage for Cunard was planned for 10 January 1920, 'Imperator' was found to be in such poor condition that she required significant repair work, remaining in drydock at Liverpool until 21 February. Although 'Imperator' was used in service, during an Atlantic crossing in early March 1920, she developed such a severe list that Cunard elected to remove her from service for a complete overhaul.

While being overhauled, which included converting the ship from coal to oil burning, she was renamed 'Berengaria', after the queen of Richard I, and in keeping with the Cunard tradition of giving its ships names ending 'ia'. 'Berengaria' returned to service in 1921, following which she became the flagship of the Cunard fleet, a position she occupied until 1934. 'Berengaria' was eventually withdrawn in 1938 and sold for scrapping.

Answer: SS Bremen

By the late 1920s, 'Mauretania' had been in service for more than twenty years. Although she had retained the record for the fastest crossing of the North Atlantic, her conversion from coal to oil following the First World War had seen the ship suffer in terms of her service speed, leading to Cunard ordering a major overhaul of her turbines in 1923.

Despite this, technology had advanced since the ship was built and, in 1929, the new Norddeutscher Lloyd ship SS 'Bremen' captured the Blue Riband. In an effort to try and regain the record, Cunard ordered 'Mauretania''s engines to be retuned before attempting to better the German ship's mark.

Despite missing out on the Blue Riband, 'Mauretania' was still able to improve her own times for crossing as a result of the effort. 'Mauretania' was retained until 1934 when, following the merger of Cunard with White Star, she and a number of her contemporaries from both lines were withdrawn. 'Mauretania' was sold for scrapping in 1935.

Answer: London

Following the disposal of the previous 'Mauretania' in 1935, Cunard ordered a new ship with the name from Cammell Laird in 1937, which was planned to operate on Cunard's route between London and New York. Launched in 1938, she initially entered service operating from Liverpool in June 1939, before switching to London in August, becoming the largest ship to navigate her way up the River Thames, and the largest to use the Royal Docks. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, 'Mauretania' was sent to safety in New York alongside her fleet mates 'Queen Mary' and 'Queen Elizabeth', until she was requisitioned for use as a troopship, a role she carried out throughout the war years, until returning to commercial service in 1947.

By the time she was returned to passenger service, the London to New York route had been discontinued, and so she was transferred to Southampton, operating on the New York run during the summer, and undertaking cruises in the winter; additionally, she was used to replace either 'Queen Mary' or 'Queen Elizabeth' on the weekly express service to New York when one of them was unavailable. 'Mauretania' was retained until 1965, when she was sold for scrapping.

Answer: Southampton

Following her launch in September 1938, 'Queen Elizabeth' had been moved for fitting-out within the John Brown shipyard at Clydebank, with the intention that she be ready for service by April 1940. However, the outbreak of the Second World War intervened, and it was decided that the ship was so vital to the war effort that she must be removed to a place of safety. In November 1939, the Ministry of Shipping issued special licences to declare her seaworthy without undergoing any sea trials, while her engines were run for the first time in December. By 1940, a plan was developed to get 'Queen Elizabeth' away from the River Clyde, which was needed not just to remove the ship from harm's way, but also to make the fitting out berth available for the battleship HMS 'Duke of York'.

In early 1940, news was released that 'Queen Elizabeth' would leave Clydebank for Southampton, where fitting out would be completed. As part of this, parts were shipped to Southampton, and the city's King Gorge V graving dock made ready to receive the ship, while John Brown employees were booked into Southampton hotels. On 2 March 1940, 'Queen Elizabeth', with a 400 man skeleton crew and the Southampton harbour pilot aboard, sailed from Clydebank, with the ship's master, Captain John Townley, opening sealed orders to take the ship to New York. 'Queen Elizabeth' arrived five days later to berth alongside her running mate, 'Queen Mary', and the French liner 'Normandie', the only time that the three largest passenger liners in the world were docked together.

Answer: HMS Curacoa

On 21 March 1940, Cunard's flagship RMS 'Queen Mary', having been tied up in New York since the outbreak of war, sailed bound for Sydney for conversion into a troopship. Initially used for transporting Australian and New Zealand troops to Europe, following the United States' entry into the war, she and her running mate 'Queen Elizabeth' were subsequently utilised in moving US forces across the Atlantic.

On 2 October 1942, while engaged in transporting the US 29th Infantry Division to the United Kingdom, 'Queen Mary' had arrived off the coast of Ireland and was under escort by the cruiser HMS 'Curacoa'. The liner was engaged in a zig-zag pattern, and, just after 2.00pm, ended up on a collision course with her escort. With neither ship able to take avoiding action, the 80,000 tonne 'Queen Mary' hit the 4,000 tonne cruiser amidships, slicing 'Curacoa' in two. Little damage was done to 'Queen Mary' and, under orders not to stop, her master carried on, signalling nearby destroyers to come and search for survivors. A total of 337 officers and men went down with 'Curacoa', while the Admiralty began a court case against Cunard for the loss. Eventually reaching court in 1946, it was determined that the fault of the collision lay with 'Curacoa'. Upon appeal, this was modified to 1/3 blame applied to Cunard White Star and 2/3 to the Admiralty, a decision eventually upheld by the House of Lords.

Answer: True

'Aquitania' originated in the need for Cunard to have a third ship, alongside 'Lusitania' and 'Mauretania', to run their weekly New York service. Rather than go for speed and power, the company elected to follow the model of their rival, White Star, and construct a ship that was slower, but larger and more luxurious. 'Aquitania' was laid down in December 1910 and launched in April 1913, eventually entering service in May the following year. The ship made six crossings of the Atlantic before the outbreak of the First World War, during which she was utilised both as a hospital ship and a troopship. 'Aquitania' was returned to passenger service in July 1920, and returned to Cunard's weekly New York service alongside her old running mate 'Mauretania', and the newly acquired 'Berengaria', making up the so-called 'Big Three'.

Following the merger of Cunard with White Star in 1934, 'Aquitania' was one of the ships retained by the new company despite her age. By this time, she was the last remaining four-funnelled liner, as two ships built by the Windsor Line had since been refitted into two-stackers. 'Aquitania' saw use as a troopship throughout the Second World War, after the end of which she was chartered by the Canadian government for use to transport war brides and their children from the UK to Canada. Upon completion of this task, 'Aquitania' was finally removed from service, eventually being sold for scrap in 1950.

Answer: John Brown

By the late 1950s, the speed of air travel meant it was overtaking the passenger liner in terms of numbers crossing the Atlantic, and Cunard's famous old liners would need to be withdrawn. However, the company was reluctant to abandon the transatlantic route altogether, and developed plans for the construction of a new ship, smaller than 'Queen Mary' and 'Queen Elizabeth', that would operate both as a traditional passenger liner and a cruise ship. In December 1964, Cunard placed an order for its new ship, part paid for using a UK government loan of £17.5m, with John Brown Shipbuilding at Clydebank, with the hull laid down in July 1965 on the same slipway as was occupied by 'Lusitania', 'Aquitania', 'Queen Mary' and 'Queen Elizabeth' when they were built.

During the period of the ship's construction, Cunard suffered significant difficulties - not only did Cunard have to ask the government for additional funding (eventually the loan was increased to £24m), but John Brown advised that construction was six months behind, meaning the ship would miss the 1968 transatlantic sailing season. The new ship was eventually launched on 20 September 1967, bearing the name 'Queen Elizabeth 2'. Work on fitting out continued until November 1968, when Cunard were forced to move the ship to Southampton for the work to be completed, owing to industrial disputes with the workers in Clydebank. 'Queen Elizabeth 2' eventually departed on her maiden voyage on 2 May 1969.

Answer: Cunard Princess

In the early 1970s, Overseas National Airways (ONA), a US based airline, planned to enter the cruise market and entered into a plan to build a total of eight new passenger ships. ONA suffered financial difficulties, and Cunard, looking to break into the increasingly lucrative cruise sector, took over the plan. Although the first two ships, eventually named as 'Cunard Adventurer' and 'Cunard Ambassador', proved unsuccessful, Cunard persisted and undertook orders for two further ships.

'Cunard Countess' entered service in August 1976, primarily based in San Juan and undertaking cruises around the Caribbean and mid-Atlantic. Her running mate, initially named 'Cunard Conquest', but renamed as 'Cunard Princess' while fitting out, entered service in 1977. Although 'Cunard Countess' primarily focused on the Caribbean, 'Cunard Princess' saw more extensive service, undertaking cruises to Alaska and around Europe. Both ships were retained by Cunard until the mid-1990s, when they were sold to other cruise lines.