Will turner died at home in great crosby on friday, june 23rd, 1933 and. The captain of the uboat, walter schweiger 18851917, gave the order to fire. But the lusitania was one of the eras great transatlantic greyhoundsthe fastest liner then in serviceand her captain, william thomas turner, placed. While best known now for his role in the lusitania disaster, turner was an excellent navigator who accomplished several crossings at notable speeds, including liverpool to new york in 12 days in 1910, and was promoted for his skill despite his unsuitably gruff demeanor around passengers. Mar 10, 2015 what makes the story, is that larson takes a few main characters the lusitania s captain william thomas turner, president woodrow wilson, uboat captain walther schweiger, boston bookseller charles lauriat, architect theodate pope, and a few minor onesand weaves them together towards the inevitable and tragic conclusion. Turner was the captain of the rms lusitania, a british ocean liner famous for its luxurious accommodations and speed capability. Bowler bill the story of lusitanias captain turner. A torpedo struck and exploded amidships on the starboard side, and a heavier explosion followed, possibly caused by damage to the ships steam engines and pipes. William thomas turner was born in clarence street, everton, liverpool on october 23rd 1856. Mar 10, 2015 but the lusitania was one of the eras great transatlantic greyhounds the fastest liner then in serviceand her captain, william thomas turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. We never tire of the titanics retelling, and as we near the 100th. Both books devote considerable space to the hearings and the question of turners culpability, but these matters will be only briefly discussed here. On 17 april 1915, lusitania left liverpool on her 201st transatlantic voyage, arriving in new york on 24 april.
The lusitania was primarily used to ferry people and goods across the atlantic ocean between the united states and great britain. The ships captain, william thomas turner, chose to ignore these recommendations, and on the afternoon of may 7 the vessel was attacked. The politics that surrounded the sinking of the lusitania. Turner who ran away to sea 30 years ago and rose to command the lusitania aquitania etc. Mar 19, 2015 lusitania remembered in two new books. Owning a fragment of history a gettysburg bullet, a coolidge campaign button is fun, so in 1968 gregg bemis became an owner of the lusitania. Hoehling and mary hoehling lost at sea 1984, 1999 by a. Lusitanias new captain william turner sailed her for five days without the need for alarm. Finally the startling truth about one of the most fateful of all disasters of the sea.
But the lusitania was one of the eras great transatlantic greyhounds, and her captain, william thomas turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. He knew, moreover, that his shipthe fastest then in service. History records that kapt walter schwieger commanded the u boat that sank her as she neared the irish coast but as voltaire said. In addition, the authors background reveals someone wellqualified to write a book such as this.
He knew, moreover, that his shipthe fastest then in servicecould outrun any threat. William first went to sea aboard a small ship called grasmere but his first voyage, at the age of. Captain turner, known as bowler bill for his favourite shoreside headgear, had returned to his old command of lusitania. He was commodore of the cunard line and a highly experienced master mariner, and had relieved daniel dow, the ships regular captain. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The ship was identified and torpedoed by the german uboat u20 and sank in 18 minutes, and also took on a heavy starboard list.
We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Jun 12, 1974 here is the absolutely magnificent novel of the last days of romance, grandeur, and innocence. Captain william turner 1856 1933, 58, was commander of the lusitania when the ship was torpedoed. In his defense, it must be stated that turner was steering the lusitania farther from shore. Oct 22, 2015 cunard line commodore william thomas turner, master of lusitania when she was sunk by a german torpedo in may 1915, was born on 23 october 1856. Rms lusitania sunk by german uboat more than 1,100 people including 120 americans died when the british oceanliner lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of. Schwiegers actions caused international outrage and turned public opinion in many neutral nations against. The lusitania carried a healthy complement of american passengers when she departed new york for liverpool on may 1, 1915, despite. Born in liverpool, england to charlotte johnson turner and charles turner, also a seaman, turner first set sail aboard grasmere between the ages of 8 and. Lusitania damned dirty business this new 26 minute documentary tells the sad story of capt. Captain william turner actually slowed down, apparently worried by patchy fog.
Captain william turner 23rd june 1933 william turner gained his captains certificate in 1886 and the rank of commander in the royal navy reserve in 19. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. William turner lusitania captain ocean liners magazine. Apart from specific references below, see more generally simpson pp. Here is the absolutely magnificent novel of the last days of romance, grandeur, and innocence. Text excerpted from lost liners, courtesy of madison press books. He knew, moreover, that his ship the fastest then in servicecould outrun any threat. The lusitanias captain, the capable and accomplished william thomas turner, did everything in his power to avert the catastrophe, but fate intervened, taking the lives of 1,195 passengers and crew members, including 123 americans.
Here is a small selection of books we have and ones coming soon. Albert bestic came to visit captain turner in the fall of 1932. Nicknamed bowler bill, he was one the cunard lines most respected captains and first received command of lusitania in 1907 before he was promoted to mauretania and aquitania. Other articles where william thomas turner is discussed.
Bowler bill the story of lusitanias captain turner the only way to cross bowler bill the story of lusitanias captain turner the whole town was swarming with people. William thomas turner had taken over the post in march from capt. Despite knowing the outcome the loss of nearly 1,200 souls at the hands of a german uboat in the spring of 1917 larson keeps pulling the reader along. Bowler bill the story of lusitanias captain turner the. Commander william thomas turner, obe, rnr 23 october 1856 23 june 1933 was a british captain. The lusitania had been built for speed, the fastest ship of its time. Captain william thomas turner 18561933 was commander of the rms lusitania when it sank in may 1915.
Cunard line commodore william thomas turner, master of lusitania when she was sunk by a german torpedo in may 1915, was born on 23 october 1856. Within hours of the sinking of rms lusitania by a german submarine off the cork coast in may 1915, a narrative was created which over time became the accepted truth of the incident. Captain william turner was confident she could outrun any uboat. An entertaining book about a great subject, and it will do much to make this. It turns out, there were other ships with the same name that appeared in the. Unfortunately, on may 7, 1915, captain william thomas turner slowed the lusitania down because of fog and traveled in a predictable line. Normally, i love eric larson books, but this one fell completely short. The lusitania controversies begins with the construction of the largest liner afloat at the time of her launching, in 1907. The ships captain, william thomas turner, believing himself to be the last living person on board, climbed the halyards to keep from being washed away and to remain with his ship to the end.
Anyway, given the threat and the knowledge that uboats were operating around the coasts of britain and ireland, there was a general confidence that the royal navy would be on hand to escort them for the last. A noteworthy cunard liner, rms lusitania was torpedoed off the irish coast by captain lieutenant walther schwiegers u20. Lusitania s new captain william turner sailed her for five days without the need for alarm. Cork mercier press 1999 a fictional account of a young girls voyage on lusitanias last. Many people today still believe the sinking of the lusitania was a sav. The liner encountered a u20 submarine off the coast of ireland at 2. Captain william thomas turner was the best candidate. What makes the story, is that larson takes a few main charactersthe lusitanias captain william thomas turner, president woodrow wilson, uboat captain walther schweiger, boston bookseller charles lauriat, architect theodate pope, and a few minor onesand weaves them together towards the inevitable and tragic conclusion. Books both fiction and nonfiction about the lusitania.
But what im trying to do is bring to life the actual, real, horrific human story of that episode, and maybe strip away some of that. Captain william turner, rms lusitania captain william. I first heard this story many years ago from a senior freemason in london at hackneys retired. William turner, who had commanded the ship during her first years at sea, replaced lusitanias regular captain, daniel dow, in april of 1915. We deliver the joy of reading in 100% recycled packaging with free standard shipping on u. Captain will turner, confident that his beloved ship can survive anything. He was really a staunch, totally able and capable sea. Unravelling the mysteries is packed full of solid information, facts, maps, paintings, photographs and even cartoons all relevant to the time in question.
On its final voyage, william thomas turner 18561933 captained the illfated lusitania. We meet on land and at sea the brilliant drawn characters, both real and imagined, whose fates are intertwined with that of the great ship. Erik larsons new book about the sinking of the liner lusitania by a german. Dow was suffering from nervous exhaustion due to the constant threat of german uboat attacks. His father was also a seaman by the name of charles,who by the time of williams birth had already passed his captains exam and was serving as a first mate. Apr 01, 2017 the lusitania had been built for speed, the fastest ship of its time. Commander william thomas turner, obe, rnr 23 october 1856 23 june 1933 was the captain of rms lusitania when she was sunk by a german torpedo in may 1915. On may 7, just one week after turner gave this testimony in new york city, the lusitania was torpedoed by a german uboat, becoming the most infamous maritime disaster. The seasoned 58yearold englishman william thomas turner faces off.
Cork mercier press 1999 a fictional account of a young girls voyage on lusitanias last crossing. Erik larson revisits the lusitania tragedy usa today. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for. Mark bulik looks at the first mentions of the lusitania in the new york times. Captain turner, a selfdescribed oldfashioned sailorman trained up. William turner last master of the lusitania and his appalling treatment at the hands of the british establishment. He was replaced with a new commander, captain william thomas turner, who had previously commanded lusitania, mauretania, and aquitania in the years before the war. The commodore of the cunard fleet, turner was an experienced mariner and reached new york on the 24th.
The ships captain, william thomas turner, believing himself to be the last living person on board, climbed the halyards to keep from being. Sinking quickly, the loss of the lusitania claimed the lives of 1,198 passengers. One of the people that survived the day was actually the captain of the ship. On may 1, 1915, the lusitania had left port in new york for liverpool to make her 202nd trip across the atlantic. Captain william turner, steadfast and trustworthy but overconfident. He was later the captain of the rms lusitania on the fateful night of may 7, 1915, when she was torpedoed by a german uboat and sunk off the coast of ireland.
The following month, lusitania departed for new york on april 17, with captain william thomas turner in command. Mar 24, 2015 the politics that surrounded the sinking of the lusitania. Dead wake the last crossing of the lusitania is a surprisingly well crafted retelling of a known event. The sinking of the lusitania shocked the conscience of the american public and was later cited as a significant factor that drew the united states into world war i as a combatant. Of the lusitania books, prestons is the longer and, not only in its human particulars but in a certain nervy sweep to its conclusions, livelier. Which are the 3 best lusitania books encyclopedia titanica. The usual precautions of blackening out the portholes and doubling the watch were obeyed. His father was also a seaman by the name of charles,who by the time of william s birth had already passed his captains exam and was serving as a first mate. The last crossing of the lusitania 2015 merseyside maritime museum, peoples stories. William thomas turner, captain, royal naval reserve the. Finally the startling truth about one of the most fateful of all disasters of the sea simpson, colin on. The ships sinking was surrounded with controversy that led to an investigation. The story proceeds swiftly into war, then takes the reader on a breathtaking sweep through wreckdiving history from its meager beginnings in the 1950s to the epicmaking mixedgas diving expedition in 1994 and beyond.
On may 1st, 1915 the lusitania left new york on its last fateful voyage. Lusitanias captain william thomas turner is stolid and an experienced seaman but. Finally the startling truth about one of the most fateful of all disasters of the sea by colin simpson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. May 07, 2015 the ships captain, william thomas turner, believing himself to be the last living person on board, climbed the halyards to keep from being washed away and to remain with his ship to the end. On may 7, 1915, the cunard liner lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by a german uboat, causing the deaths of 1,195 passengers and crew thomas snowden was a 30yearold thirdclass passenger on. Kapitanleutnant walther schwieger, troubled warrior who must obey. The legends of lost ships call to us like siren songs. William thomas turner british ship captain britannica. Turner stayed at his post throughout the sinking and.
The lusitania, larson says, is sort of a political artifact. Mar 07, 2015 on the lusitanias captain, william thomas turner. The body of a victim of the lusitania disaster, draped with an american flag, is carried. The sinking of the cunard ocean liner rms lusitania occurred on friday, 7 may 1915 during the first world war, as germany waged submarine warfare against the united kingdom which had implemented a naval blockade of germany. The lusitanias captain, william thomas turner, who thought of his. Hes kind of a captain of the old school he referred to himself as an old sailor man.
The sinking of rms lusitania occurred on may 7, 1915, during world war i 19141918. Nearly everyone has heard the story of the titanic, the infamous unsinkable ship that hit an iceberg and sunk into the cold north atlantic ocean in 1912 the tale was turned into one of the highestgrossing movies of all time, and is the focus of countless documentaries and news stories about attempts to recover the wreckage thats over 2. The film includes rare archive footage of great war uboat operations and a dramatised reconstruction of turners crucial evidence to lord mersey at the board of trade inquiry. But the lusitania was one of the eras great transatlantic greyhoundsthe fastest liner then in serviceand her captain, william thomas turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. This answer sent a chill down my spine when i first read it because the captain being interviewed about the titanic disaster was william t. May 01, 2012 this answer sent a chill down my spine when i first read it because the captain being interviewed about the titanic disaster was william t. Mar 08, 2015 the lusitania, larson says, is sort of a political artifact. More than 1,100 people including 120 americans died when the british oceanliner lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of ireland, 100 years ago today.
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