01/05/2026
On this day, May 1st, 1915 — 111 years ago — RMS Lusitania departed New York’s Pier 54 at 12:20 p.m. for the last time.
It was her 201st crossing of the Atlantic. The sailing was delayed by nearly two hours due to the transfer of 41 passengers and crew from the Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty just days earlier.
In the hours before departure, several prominent passengers, including Alfred Vanderbilt, reportedly received anonymous telegrams warning them not to sail. While these warnings raised some concern, most were dismissed as pranks or propaganda.
That same afternoon, the Washington Times and other American newspapers ran notices from the German Embassy in Washington, warning travelers not to sail on ships flying the flag of nations at war with Germany — explicitly mentioning that such vessels were at risk of destruction in British waters. These notices appeared alongside advertisements for Lusitania’s voyage, heightening the ominous tone of the day.
This is the last known photo of the RMS Lusitania taken by someone on one of the three British ships.
🎨📽️ by Historic ships network
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