RMS Olympic | Cursed Sister of The Titanic | Pt 2/2

|The Old Reliable|

Immediately after the RMS Titanic disaster, the inadequate number of lifeboats on the RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic came into intense inspection and the White Star Line Promised to equip their ships with enough lifeboats for everyone on board. In the scramble to make good on this promise, Twenty Four Collapsable Lifeboats were installed on the RMS Olympic boat deck at the end of April 1912. At first, it seems adequate but as the RMS Olympic was to set sail to New York 284 of the RMS Olympic Firemen went on Mutiny. They felt that the secondhand collapsible were unsafe and demanded wooden lifeboats to be installed instead. These firemen were all aware that nearly all of the men that held their job on the RMS Titanic died in the disaster. And they wanted assurance that there would be enough space for all of them and seaworthy lifeboats if a similar disaster occurred on the RMS Olympic. The Company brought in 100 Non-union Crew Members to replace the Mutiny Crew but obviously, it did not solve the situation and canceled the sailing of RMS Olympic. Over 54 Striking Crew were arrested and charged for Mutiny and on May 4th, 1912 they were declared Guilty. But they were discharged, without fines, or jail time and allowed to return to work on May 15, because of the circumstances of the situation. On October 9, 1912, RMS Olympic withdraw from service to undergo a significant refit to further improve the ship's Safety and ensure public trust in the Ocean Liner. Changes were extensive her lifeboat capacity was increased from 20 Lifeboats to 68 Lifeboats and extra favors were installed along the full length of her boat deck to accommodate them. A double hull was constructed in her Boiler rooms and Engine Rooms and five watertight compartments were extended higher from the original height on E Deck or D Deck. To the full Height of B Deck. This would prevent water from spilling from One Watertight Compartment to the next and this would make the RMS Olympic from sinking if she was to be experienced a similar disaster to the RMS Titanic. Improvements were also made to her Pumps making the RMS Olympic more capable of dealing with violations. The White Star Line also saw an opportunity to make many improvements to the Ocean Liners passenger spaces. There were massive changes on B Deck including adding more cabins and extra private Bathrooms and a new cafe Parisian like the ones on the RMS Titanic. The RMS Olympic re-entered service in March 1913 and was briefly again the Largest Ship in the World until the SS Imperator entered service in June same year. The RMS Olympic was marketed as a new Vessel because her new safety features were heavily advertised. And RMS Olympic was once again praised by the traveling public and enjoyed a few more months of peace before World War I would bring a new challenge to Ocean Liners Career. The RMS Olympic initially remained in the Commercial service with her whole design painted grey and her windows blacked out. RMS Olympic helped rescued a Battleship during her last Commercial voyage in October. Then in May 1915, the RMS Olympic was requisitioned by the British Admiralty to serve as a British Troopship. Her unfinished Sister RMS Britannic was also requisitioned for use as a Hospital Ship. The RMS Olympic was armed with Guns and was converted to carry 6,000 Troops per Voyage. On November 21st, 1916 HMHS Britannic struck a mine and sank in the Aegean Sea. Leaving the RMS Olympic as the sole survivor of the Olympic Class. During her war service, HMT Olympic was commanded by Bertram Fox Hayes a long-time veteran of White Star Line. The RMS Olympic would prove more than just a valuable troopship. On May 12, 1918, while sailing toward France in the English Channel a surfaced U-boat was spotted the RMS Olympic opened fire on U-103 as they attempted to crash-dive and acted fast. Captain Hayes from the RMS Olympic ordered to turn the RMS Olympic to ram the enemy submarine hitting just after her tower. The RMS Olympic's right propeller sliced through the pressurized hull disabling the U-Boat and forcing her crew to abandon the vessel. They were picked up later from the USS Davis the RMS Olympic continued heading towards Southampton having only suffered two Dented hulls but no infringement. Captain Hayes was awarded the distinguished service order and a plaque was placed in the RMS Olympics Lounge commemorating the event. Throughout the War and after sinking a U-Boat the RMS Olympic carried 201,000 troops and traveled 184 thousand miles, Captain Hayes was knighted for his exemplary service having nearly over-performed in every way the RMS Olympic was ready to return to Transatlantic service and live out the dream that she was designed for.

|Ship of Peace|

In a Refit after World War 1, RMS Olympic was converted into a Coal to Oil significantly boosting the Ocean Liner's efficiency and reducing her turnover time which used to take days. This also limited the Ocean Liner's required engine room crew from 350 to just 60. RMS Olympic returned to Transatlantic Service on June 25, 1920, and prove to be more popular with the passengers than ever. This was the Ocean Liner's Golden Age the RMS Olympic carried several celebrities and was considered one of the most fashionable ways to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean Liner was refitted many times in the 1920s to remain competitive with other Ocean Liner Companies. In response to the new immigration laws to the United States, the Ocean Liners 3rd Class was converted into Tourist Class to attract tourists looking for comfortable and affordable travel options. In a Weird Coincidence on November 18, 1929, The RMS Olympics began to Violently Vibrate near the site of the Titanic Disaster for around 2 minutes. The strange occurrence was later found to have been caused by the 1929 Grand Banks Earthquake. The 1930s proved to be challenging for Older Ocean Liners and the RMS Olympic was no exception. The Great Depression greatly reduced travel and the generation of New Ocean Liners with modern features made the RMS Olympic and her contemporaries feel increasingly outdated. Her passenger number began to reduce and on many voyages, the RMS Olympic sailed less than half full. The White Star Line tried to keep the Ocean Liner up to Schedule by carrying out a major refit of the ship in 1932. But despite these efforts, the RMS Olympic continued operating. In 1933 the RMS Olympic only carried 9,000 Passengers then in 1934 the RMS Olympic took part in one last tragedy. On May 15, in heavy fog, as the RMS Olympic headed to New York the Ocean Liner passed too close to the Nantucket Light Ship RMS Olympic destroyed the Boat and broke it in half killing four of the crew instantly three more died of injuries leaving just four people to survive. In that same year, White Star Line merged with Cunard forming the Cunard White Star Line with the New Ocean Liners soon entering service. Older Ocean Liners like the RMS Olympic, RMS Majestic, and RMS Mauritania were all retired from service. The RMS Olympic left New York City for the Last time on April 5th, 1935, and after a brief layout in Southampton, the Ocean Liner was transported to Yarrow, for Scrapping. It was reported that the Ships Engine was perfectly well in shape as they were being scrapped. Throughout the RMS Olympic Career, the Ocean Liner sailed 257 Round Trips across the Atlantic Ocean and Travelled 1.8 Million Miles. The RMS Olympic carried 400,000 Civilian Passengers and was regarded as one of the most successful and beloved ships Liner to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

  ~History Animation~

Pirouette 🌙

If You Want.

2 years ago   Reply

  Pirouette 🌙

Can I give you a shoutout

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