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RMS Majestic, 1922
Career (Germany) Kaiserliche Marine Jack
1912-1920
Name: SS Bismarck
Builder: Blohm & Voss
Laid down: 1913
Launched: 20 June 1914
Fate: turned over 1920 as compensation for sinking of RMS Britannic
Career (UK) British Blue Ensign
1920-1940
Name: RMS Majestic
Operator: White Star
Maiden voyage: May 12, 1922
Renamed: April 23, 1937 as HMS Caledonia
Fate: Caught fire and sank in Rosyth, Scotland on September 29, 1940 and scrapped in 1943
Status: Scrapped
General characteristics
Tonnage: 56,551 gross tons
Length: 955. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Blohm + Voss is a German shipbuilding and engineering works It was founded on April 5, 1877, by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss as a Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year History Post- Titanic design changes Following the loss of the Titanic and the subsequent enquiries several design changes were made to the remaining The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rosyth (pronounced Ross-sythe ( Scottish Gaelic: Ros Saidhe or Ros Saoithe) is a town located on the Firth of Forth on Scotland 's Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 8 ft (291. 3 m)
Beam: 100. 1 ft (30. 5 m)
Speed: 23. 5 knots
Capacity: 2,145 passengers: 750 First Class, 545 Second Class, 850 Third Class

SS Bismarck, later christened RMS Majestic, was launched in 1914 and was, at 56,551 gross tonnage, the largest ship in the world until the completion of the SS Normandie in 1935. Royal Mail Ship (sometimes Steam-ship, Steamer) usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, is the Ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Tonnage is a measure of the size or Cargo capacity of a Ship. Origin The beginnings of Normandie can be traced to the Roaring Twenties when shipping companies started to look for new ships to replace the aging veterans Originally slated to be the third and largest member of German HAPAG Line's trio of transatlantic liners, her completion was delayed by World War I. Hapag-Lloyd is a German transportation company comprising a cargo container Shipping line Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, and a cruise World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Following the war, she was awarded to Britain's White Star Line as part of war reparations, and sailed as the Majestic for her entire passenger service career. The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British Shipping After her White Star career, she served the Royal Navy as the training ship HMS Caledonia. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) This was the second White Star ship to use the name, the first being SS Majestic (1890). The SS Majestic was a steamship built in 1890 for and operated by the White Star Line.

Contents

Construction and handover

The Majestic was built by the Blohm & Voss shipbuilders in Hamburg, Germany and was launched on 20 June 1914 by Countess Hanna von Bismarck, the granddaughter of the 19th century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Blohm + Voss is a German shipbuilding and engineering works It was founded on April 5, 1877, by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss as a Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) The ship was to have been the flagship of the Hamburg America Line and the final of Albert Ballin's "Big Three" (the other two being the Imperator, which later became the RMS Berengaria, and the Vaterland, which later became the SS Leviathan). The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft ( HAPAG for short often referred to in English as Hamburg America Line, sometimes also Hamburg-Amerika Albert Ballin ( 15 August 1857 - 9 November 1918) was a German businessman History The first plates of her Keel were laid in 1910 at the Vulcan Shipyards in Hamburg, and she made her maiden voyage in 1913 Note "SS Leviathan" was also an early name for the 19th century ship launched as the SS Great Eastern. However, the First World War was to completely alter the ship's fate, and she never sailed under the German flag. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the as-yet uncompleted ship was awarded to White Star Line as compensation for the loss of RMS Britannic, which had been sunk by a German mine while serving as a hospital ship in the Aegean in 1916. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British Shipping History Post- Titanic design changes Following the loss of the Titanic and the subsequent enquiries several design changes were made to the remaining A hospital ship is a Ship designated for primary function as a medical treatment facility or Hospital; most are operated by the Military

However, the ship's handover went far from smoothly. Furious at being forced to complete the ship for British owners, the shipbuilders completed the ship in the colours of the Hamburg-America Line and with the name Bismarck painted on her bow. The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft ( HAPAG for short often referred to in English as Hamburg America Line, sometimes also Hamburg-Amerika The workers even used the Captains cabin (White Star lines Bertram Fox Hayes) as a storage closet.

Career history

The ship served as the flagship of the White Star Line from 1922 until 1934. After her May 1922 maiden voyage Majestic became one of the most popular liners afloat and in 1923 she carried more passengers than any other Atlantic liner. In 1924, 1926, 1928 and 1930 she carried more passengers than her sister ships. She earned the affectionate nickname 'Magic Stick'.

Due to a structural defect in the topsides, Majestic suffered a 100-foot crack in December 1924 and underwent permanent repairs and strengthening along B-deck before returning to service in April 1925. (Small cracks were noted on her sister Leviathan around the same time but only minor repairs were carried out and she suffered a similar 100-foot crack five years later. )

In 1925, she completed an eastbound crossing at 25 knots, which was the fastest she ever managed, and faster than either of her sisters' best efforts. However, her older sister Leviathan often had a slightly higher average speed each year than Majestic. Leviathan ( is a Biblical Sea monster referred to in the Old Testament ( Psalm 74:13-14 Job 41 Isaiah 271

In 1928, Majestic was extensively refitted and modernised and enjoyed a boom year for passenger lists, but numbers fell slightly in 1929 and then the Great Depression set in by 1930.

Following the merger between the White Star Line and Cunard in 1934, Majestic served the new company until 1936. The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British Shipping Cunard Line is a British shipping company operator of the Ocean liners RMS ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' ( QE2) RMS ''Queen Mary 2'' ( In 1935, it was announced that her sister Berengaria would be retired first, but the decision was reversed and Majestic was retired instead.

HMS Caledonia

After being laid up at Southampton, she was sold on May 15, 1936 for scrap to TW Ward. Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, due to a stipulation in her original agreement of being a prize of war handed over to the White Star Line as compensation for lost tonnage, she could not be sold to the Admiralty, so an exchange was set up where the shipbreakers were given 24 outmoded destroyers as compensation for the equivalent scrap value of the Majestic. In July 1936 the ship was converted into a Cadet training ship and renamed HMS Caledonia. A training ship is a ship used to train students as Sailors The term is especially used for ships employed by navies to train future officers

The conversion of the Majestic was undertaken at Southampton and comprised the shortening of her masts and funnels so that she could fit beneath the Forth bridge and a reduction in the number of life boats.

On April 8, 1937, the Caledonia departed Southampton for her new base in Rosyth and was commissioned on April 23, 1937, with a capacity of 1,500 cadets. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rosyth (pronounced Ross-sythe ( Scottish Gaelic: Ros Saidhe or Ros Saoithe) is a town located on the Firth of Forth on Scotland 's Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

After the outbreak of World War II, the cadets were removed to accommodation ashore and the ship's berth was emptied for Naval use, Caledonia being temporarily anchored in the Firth of Forth pending a decision as to her disposal. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Firth of Forth ( Scottish Gaelic: Linne Foirthe) is the Estuary or Firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows

On September 29, 1939, Caledonia caught fire and burnt out, sinking at her moorings. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The wreck was sold in March 1940 to Thomas W. Ward for scrap, but it was not until July 17, 1943, that the hulk of the Caledonia was raised and towed to the scrapyard. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

References

http://www.greatoceanliners.net/majestic2.html

Further reading

External links


Records
Preceded by
Leviathan		 World's largest passenger ship
1922 – 1935		 Succeeded by
Normandie
Note "SS Leviathan" was also an early name for the 19th century ship launched as the SS Great Eastern. A passenger ship is a Ship whose primary function is to carry passengers Origin The beginnings of Normandie can be traced to the Roaring Twenties when shipping companies started to look for new ships to replace the aging veterans
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