RMS Franconia (1910)
![]() RMS Franconia passing Castle Island in Boston Harbor
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History | |
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Name | RMS Franconia |
Owner | Cunard Line |
Port of registry | ![]() |
Builder | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Newcastle upon Tyne |
Launched | 23 July 1910 |
Fate | Sunk on 4 October 1916 by UB-47 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Ocean liner |
Tonnage | 18,150 gross |
Length | 625 ft (191 m) |
Beam | 71 ft (22 m) |
Installed power | Quadruple expansion engines |
Propulsion | Two propellers |
Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)* |
Capacity | 2,850 passengers |
The RMS Franconia was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. She was launched on 23 July 1910 at the Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson shipyard in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Her maiden voyage in February 1911, was between Liverpool and Boston,USA.[1] She was nicked name the Bathroom ship as she had more bathrooms and showers on board than the 'Mauretania'. She was unusual, as she did not have staterooms on the upper deck, instead she had a library, gymnasium and a lounge and smoking room.[1]
After several years service primarily in the North Atlantic, she was taken into service as a troop transport in early 1915. On 4 October 1916, while heading for Salonika, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat UB-47 195 miles east of Malta. She was not carrying any troops but out of her 314 crew members, 12 died.[1] The others were saved by the Hospital Ship Dover Castle.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "The Lewiston Daily Sun". Maine: Sun Journal (Lewiston). 4 October 1916. p. 14. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ Hocking, C. (1969). Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam 1824-1962. London: London Stamp Exchange.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/RMS_Franconia_1910_Tyne_and_Ware_Museum.jpg/260px-RMS_Franconia_1910_Tyne_and_Ware_Museum.jpg)
35°33′9″N 18°26′0″E / 35.55250°N 18.43333°E