How a Rogue Wave Nearly Sunk the RMS Lusitania.

By Late Afternoon Monday, January 10th, 1910, the RMS Lusitania was facing strong winds and swells from the West Coast of the US but was making steady progress at a speed of 14 knots at 6 PM,
The Captain of the Lusitania left the bridge for dinner with a few passengers who weren't overcome by seasickness.

Chief Officer Sandy G.S. McNeil was placed in charge while the captain was having his dinner. McNeil stood at the Bridge while watching the storm as it plowed forward, without warning the ship dropped from beneath him violently falling into a trough of the wave, and looked at the Horizon but to his horror all he saw was a wall of water heading towards the ship. He immediately sprinted towards the wheelhouse but before he could shut the door the wave slammed into the ship and plunged the Bridge into chaos as the water rose from the chest deep. The wheel of the ship was ripped from the helm as they were thrown up against the wall that separates the wheelhouse from the chart room.

On top of the Bridge, A Third Officer nearly fell overboard but luckily clung to the compass stand holding on for dear life.

The damage of the Wave to the Lusitania was severe as the wave smashed most of the Bridge's windows, dented a steel wall, flooded much of the officer's quarters, splintered much of the woodwork, and twisted a 10-inch davit by the sheer force of the wave. There were no more than 2 Injured and No one died from the Incident the Damage sustained from the wave has left permanent damage to some parts of the bridge but nothing too serious.

The RMS Lusitania is infamous for sinking at the Coast of Ireland in 1915, and insuring the American Public in favor of supporting the Entente than the Germans themselves. It was a major role in History and is not remembered for this incident in 1910.

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