Description

The book is not dated but carries a foreword by Earl Jellicoe who died in 1935. It canan be regarded as unusual as a book abut a four-funnelled ocean liner which does not end with iceberg, torpedo or other catastrophe! Captain Diggle who was her Master for several years relates her history from planning through construction and  launch to her very brief peacetime service before the Great War. Government service during this period  is described followed by her return to civilian life in a very changed world. Captain Diggle explains in some detail how the ship was run, everything from engine room to catering – even the laundry!

 RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Liner designed by Leonard Peskett  and built by   John BrownClydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914. Aquitania was the third in Cunard Line’s “grand trio” of express liners, preceded by the  RMS Mauretania and RMS Lusitania. She was the last surviving four-funnelled ocean liner in service.  Widely considered one of the most attractive ships of her time, Aquitania earned the nickname “Ship Beautiful”.  I am fortunate in having a 3ft long scale model of Aquitania in my library and admiring her gives me constant pleasure.

In her 36 years of service, Aquitania survived military duty in both world wars and was returned to passenger service after each; broken up 1950  . Aquitania‘s record for the longest service career of any 20th-century express liner stood until broken in 2004 by the Queen Elizabeth 2, which extended the mark to 40 years.

PREVIEW BELOW – MAY TAKE A WHILE TO LOAD.