Ocean Liner Postcards

R.M.S. CARPATHIA

The first vessel to arrive at the scene of the "TITANIC"
sinking, the R.M.S. CARPATHIA of 1903 rescued all 715
survivors.
Launched on the River Tyne, Newcastle in 1902, she was
hit by three torpedoes from the U55 on July 17th 1918.
She sank with the loss of 5 lives.

DEUTSCHLAND

The Hamburg America Line responded to North German
Lloyd's "KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE" in 1900, with
the "DEUTSCHLAND". She won the Blue Ribband, but her
engines caused excessive vibration and noise - to the point
where she even lost her rudder in 1902. Taken out of service
in 1910.

In 1911 she was re-fitted as a luxury cruise liner, and

re-named "VICTORIA LUISE". Fitted out as an auxiliary

cruiser in 1914, but the boilers were no longer suitable for

high performance.

After the War, Victoria Luise was left in German ownership

because of her poor condition. 1920/21 she was refitted as

the "HANSA" with only 2 funnels. She was broken up in 1925.

KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE

The first of the "four stackers" of which there were fourteen
KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE of 1897. The first German
ship to win the Blue Ribband

Became an auxiliary cruiser on August 4th 1914. Encountered

H.M.S. HIGHFLYER whilst taking on coal off Rio Del Oro,

Spanish West Africa. After a battle of 90 minuets the KAISER

ran out of ammunition and the captain ordered her to be scuttled,

so this card is wrong - she was not sunk by the "HIGHFLYER".

S.S. FRANCE 1912

S.S. FRANCE started her maiden voyage only 5 days after
the "TITANIC" sank

During the First World War she was re-named "FRANCE IV"

and she served as a troop transport 1914/16 & 1917/18. Here

she is as a hospital ship in 1916

A hospital ward on the "FRANCE IV" 1916

A stern view of S.S. FRANCE

Interior shot of the S.S. FRANCE showing the Rotonde

Interior shot of the S.S. FRANCE showing the 1st class

Moorish Saloon

Interior shot of the S.S. FRANCE showing the 1st class

Louis XIV Grand Salon

Interior shot of the S.S. FRANCE showing the 1st class

dining room

R.M.S. MAURETANIA

R.M.S. MAURETANIA 1939

R.M.S. MAURETANIA with green hull from 1962

R.M.S.QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 passing the needles in the
mid-1980's

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 in New York 1983 with the

short-lived grey hull

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 in Southampton 1969 -
the mini-skirts are a giveaway!

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 - promotional artists impression

before the ship was completed.

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 in New York after her 1987
refit, with the the larger funnel. Before the Twin Towers were
destroyed in 2001

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 after the 1987 refit

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 leaving New York

Artists impression of R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 in the

River Mersey

R.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 overflown by

a British Airways Concorde and the Red Arrows

QUEEN ELIZABETH "TWO" or QUEEN ELIZABETH "THE SECOND"?

The easy answer is "TWO"

Yes, it was Cunard's second Queen Elizabeth, but they had had two Queen Elizabeths, and the first was still around when number two was launched.

The arabic numeral 2 rather than the roman numeral II was used because the ship was named after a ship... not the monarch.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 was built in Scotland, and whilst Her Majesty is known as Queen Elizabeth II throughout the world... she is actually the first queen of that name to rule Scotland.