The Sinking of RMS Lusitania - Part 2

This episode is dedicated to well-known shipwreck explorer and wreck diver, Joe Mazraani of Atlantic Wreck Salvage and the Dive Vessel Tenacious. Joe tragically and unexpectedly passed away on July 29, 2025, doing what he loved. Joe was a friend to many, and a friend of this podcast, and he will be missed. Atlantic Wreck Salvage has organized a memorial fund in Joe's name to promote shipwreck exploration and preservation of maritime history. If you would like to donate to this fund, please see the link in this episode’s show notes, or at shipwrecksandseadogs.com. Thank you. Here’s the episode.

Hello everyone and welcome to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, tales of mishaps, misfortune, and misadventure. I’m your host, Rich Napolitano. This is Part 2 of The Sinking of RMS Lusitania. If you haven’t yet listened to part 1, I highly recommend going back and listening.

We left off in Part 1 with the Lusitania making its 202nd transatlantic crossing, from New York to Liverpool. It was 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, in Southern Ireland, when it was struck with a single torpedo from U-20, commanded by Walther Schweiger. A second, far greater explosion moments later caused significant damage, and confusion reigned. The struggle to survive had just begun.

Passengers were rocked in their respective dining saloons, as they were just finishing their midday meal. Captain William Thomas Turner ordered a turn toward the coast of Ireland, but Helmsman Hugh Johnston overcorrected to port. Turner ordered a turn back to starboard, but by this time the ship’s hydraulics had been damaged, and the ship was not responding. More and more water was forced into the damaged hull as it moved through the water. Soon after, the ship lost steam pressure and the Lusitania was left to drift. Radio operators Robert Leith and Donald McCormack fired off SOS messages which were received in Queensland, but it would be hours before any vessels could reach the Lusitania, which was more than 10 miles offshore. Electricity was lost when the ship’s power plant failed, forcing the radio operators to switch over to emergency battery power.

The Lusitania was designed with coal bunkers that doubled as longitudinal bulkheads along its port and starboard sides. It is almost certain these bulkheads were damaged and allowed the ingress of water. Immediately the ship began to list starboard and toward the bow, 15 degrees at first, then over 20 degrees.

Many passengers struggled with their lifebelts, as no instructions had been given to passengers previously.  There was not yet a panic, as nobody believed the Lusitania could sink. Confused, they wandered around, wanting to know what was happening, and where they should go. Some, such as first class passenger Charles Lauriat, Jr., assisted others with their lifebelts. 

As the ship slowed to a stop, approximately 5 minutes after being torpedoed, Captain Turner issued the order to abandon ship. The Lusitania’s forecastle was at this time completely submerged. Radio operator Robert Leith sent out another message, “Come at once, big list, 10 miles south Head Old Kinsale.” He repeated this message until the ship went down. 

Lusitania had 48 lifeboats, 22 of which hung from the davits, 11 on each side. They could accommodate 1,323 passengers, and an additional 26 collapsible lifeboats were located underneath or near the other lifeboats. Watertight doors were scattered throughout the ship, but they were not, or could not, be closed.

The port side lifeboats were swinging inward, high above, making them almost impossible to launch. Some desperate passengers attempted to push the them over the rail and lower them into the water, but many of these hit the railing, fell into the water, and capsized. Only 1 port side lifeboat, number 14, managed to make it 60 feet down into the water, scraping along the side of the ship the entire way. Virginia Loney along with Mary and Laura Ryerson entered the lifeboat, but the plug was not installed. The lifeboat was swamped, killing Mary Ryerson. Lifeboats 2, 12, and 20 all foundered upon entering the water while lifeboat #18 was launched by passenger Isaac Lehmann against the orders of the Captain. It swung wildly and crashed into passengers on the deck, crushing several of them to death.

Starboard side lifeboats hung outward, farther away from the ship than usual, and deck chairs had to be used to span the gap. When one lifeboat was lowered directly on top of another, the lifeboat below capsized, spilling everyone overboard. Only six lifeboats were successfully launched, and all of those were from the starboard side. These were lifeboats 1, 11, 13, 15, 19, and 21. The collapsible lifeboats were all assembled and readied in order to float free when the ship sank.

As the ship continued to plunge further into the water, panic gripped the helpless passengers. Some jumped, while others refused to be separated from loved ones. Passengers trapped in the non-operational electric elevator screamed for help, as they descended under water.  Those in the lifeboats and in the water frantically tried to get away, to avoid being sucked under, or having the ship collapse on top of them. Shoes, socks, and other clothing were discarded to make it easier to stay afloat. 

Peering through his periscope from afar, U-20 Commander Walter Schrieger added another entry to his ship’s log: “It appears as if the ship is going to capsize very shortly. Great confusion on board; the boats are made ready and some of them lowered into the water. Apparently considerable panic; some boats, full to capacity, are rushed from above, touch the water with either stem or stern first, and founder immediately.” After watching for a few more minutes, Schwieger added, “2.25pm. Since it seems as if the steamer can only remain afloat a short while longer, dive to 24 metres and head out to sea. I could not have launched a second torpedo into that struggling throng of humanity trying to save their lives.”

With its stern raised out of the water, and a list to starboard, the glorious passenger liner Lusitania plunged bow first under the waves. In just 18 minutes, the ship was gone. Survivors in lifeboats and in the water were left stunned, shocked, or sobbing with grief. So many had instantly lost a husband, wife, child, or friend. Little by little, the cries and screams diminished, as victims drowned or died of hypothermia. Many went down with the ship, but even more were lost in the ensuing struggle to survive, including Mr. Henry Adams, husband of Mrs. Annie Adams, whose words you heard at the top of this episode.

The lifeboats that managed to successfully launch began pulling people out of the water. Passenger Charles Lauriat boarded a collapsible lifeboat with others, and began rowing for the lighthouse at Old Head of Kinsale, pulling people in along the way. 

The first vessel on the scene was the sail-powered fishing smack Wanderer, also referred to as Peel 11. Captain William Ball and his crew of six men first encountered Lifeboat 21 and took all of its occupants on board, including passenger Elizabeth Duckworth. Despite being safely aboard the Wanderer, Ms. Duckworth volunteered to reboard a lifeboat to assist other passengers who were struggling. When she returned to the wanderer, she was given a round of cheers and applause. In total, the Wanderer picked up approximately 160 people from 4 lifeboats, numerous collapsible boats, and more people directly from the water. It also took two more lifeboats under tow, despite being a sailing vessel in calm weather with little wind. The heroic Captain and crew provided what comforts they could, including hot tea, and medical attention for the injured. The crowded, overburdened Wanderer later transferred many of the rescued survivors to the vessels Flying Fish and Stormcock. The crew of the Wanderer were awarded with the Manchester Manx Society Medal by Lord Raglan in July of 1915.

The naval patrol boat Heron arrived a short time later and picked up a total of 16 people. Five of those, however, were already dead. The lone surviving woman on the Heron was Julia O’Sullivan, who was in critical condition. Another survivor on the Heron, Fred Bottomley, later recounted, ‘“Mrs. O’Sullivan was very ill when she was picked up, and almost dead, but the unremitting attention of the crew of the trawler brought her round again.”  The Heron arrived at Kinsale at 8:00 PM to a crowd of concerned citizens. Julia O’Sullivan was rushed to a medical facility where she received treatment, and survived the ordeal. Her husband, Mr. Florence O’Sullivan also survived and the two were later reunited and returned to their home in Rosscarbery. Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Charles Frohman both perished on the Lusitania. They were last seen assisting other passengers with their lifebelts. Detective William Pierpont attempted to free the German prisoners from their locked cabins, but was unable to reach them in time. Pierpont survived the sinking, but the 3 Germans perished, along with their secrets.

More rescue vessels arrived on the scene including the Elizabeth, Daniel O’Connell, and the Bluebell, which had picked up Captain William Thomas Turner. The Captain had desperately held on to a wicker chair while waiting for rescue. A lifeboat from the Courthmacsherry Lifeboat Station received the distress call of the Lusitania at 2:30 pm, and by 3:00 PM had launched a lifeboat with a volunteer crew. The men rowed the entire distance of 12.6 miles to the wreck site, taking over 3 and a half hours. By the time they arrived, they could only assist with recovering bodies from the water. The volunteer crew assisted in recovering bodies for several hours before being towed back in. One rescue boat after another came into Queenstown carrying survivors. Fishermen and other civilians provided aid as best they could, with medical attention, warm clothes, food, and shelter were provided, as grief stricken passengers searched for their loved ones.

Of the known 1,960 on board, 1,197 people lost their lives, including 94 children. 

The news of the Lusitania’s sinking immediately shocked the world. There was outrage across much of the world, especially in the United Kingdom. Riots broke out, and German-owned businesses were looted and vandalized. In Liverpool, German and Austro-Hungarian citizens were urged to leave the city for their own safety. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, cousin of King George V of England, was expelled from the Order of the Garter, and his banner removed from the chapel at Windsor Castle. One British newspaper called it “MURDER BY SAVAGES DRUNK WITH BLOOD”. People all over the UK were outraged, calling the Germans murderers, and war criminals. Elsewhere, the news was just as shocking. In Canada, the city of Victoria declared martial law. The Dutch Telegraaf newspaper described, “Criminal is too mild a word to be applied to this outrage; it is devilish.” Vitriol for Germany outpoured throughout the United States as well. The Minneapolis Journal railed, “Germany intends to become the outlaw of nations. Perhaps we are yet to witness savagery carried to its ultimate perfection.” 

In Germany, the sinking of the Lusitania was seen as a triumphant victory of war, and Walther Schweiger was welcomed home as a celebrated hero. He Cheers and salutes from fellow sailors greeted him as he sailed into port. Poems were written about his accomplishment, and he was awarded medals, including the Iron Cross.  

The German government defended their actions, citing their prior declaration of the war zone. The Admiralty listed the Lusitania as an armed merchant cruiser in its list of naval vessels, they pointed out, and that the Lusitania was a valid target of war. More accusations came May 28, 1915, in a letter from the German government, reading, “It is known to the Imperial Government…that for some time practically all the more valuable English merchant vessels have been provided with guns, ammunition and other weapons, and reinforced with a crew specially practiced in manning guns.  According to reports at hand here, the Lusitania when she left New York undoubtedly had guns on board which were mounted under decks and masked.” The British government denied these allegations.

While tragic, the sinking of the Lusitania was an excellent recruiting tool, and young men across the UK flocked to join the military to get revenge on the Germans. First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill knew this, stating, “The poor babies who perished in the ocean struck a blow at German power more deadly than could have been achieved by the sacrifice of 100,000 men." 

While most passengers on the Lusitania were British or Canadian, 128 Americans were killed on board the Lusitania. The American public was outraged and could not fathom what they saw as an atrocity carried out on civilians. In London, American ambassador Walter Hinse was incensed, declaring, “the United States must declare war or forfeit respect.” In Berline, American ambassador to Germany James Gerard had a heated exchange with German deputy foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman. Pounding his fists on his desk, Zimmerman threatened, “Germany has 500,000 German reservists in America who would rise in arms against your government if your government should dare to take any action against Germany.” Not backing down, Gerard responded, “There are 501,000 lamp posts in America, and that was where the German reservists would find themselves if they tried any uprising …..”. 

But  statements from President Woodrow Wilson were much milder, at least at first. He was staunchly anti-war, and was careful not to upset the balance of the country’s neutrality. He issued three statements, now referred to as the Wilson Notes, between May 13 and July 21. His first note began with the words, “In view of recent acts of the German authorities in violation of American rights on the high seas which culminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the British steamship Lusitania on May 7, 1915, by which over 100 American citizens lost their lives, it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the United States and the Imperial German government should come to a clear and full understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted.”

Former President Theodore Roosevelt, not surprisingly, disagreed with Wilson’s stance and was publicly critical of the President. 

In Wilson’s second note, he denied such claims outright, and called the sinking of the Lusitania an attack on innocent civilians. This second note prompted Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan to resign, believing Wilson’s letter to be too aggressive, and that it threatened the neutrality of the United States. A third note from Wilson issued on July 21 was a wordy reprimand of Germany, ending with an ultimatum: “Repetition by the commanders of German naval vessels of acts in contravention of those rights must be regarded by the Government of the United States, when they affect American citizens, as deliberately unfriendly.”

At the heart of the issue were the German claims of the Lusitania being armed with guns and carrying munitions.. In fact, the Lusitania’s supplementary cargo manifest does include records of munitions on board. This manifest lists 1250 cases of shrapnel artillery shells without charges, 18 cases of fuses, 4200 cases of small arms cartridges, and a large quantity of aluminum powder, and bronze powder. A Board of Trade inquiry into the sinking was conducted in June of 1915, presided over by Lord Mersey. The subsequent “Mersey Report” includes the following statement regarding this cargo:

“The cargo was a general cargo of the ordinary kind, but part of it consisted of a number of cases of cartridges (about 5,000). This ammunition was entered in the manifest. It was stowed well forward in the ship on the orlop and lower decks and about 50 yards away from where the torpedoes struck the ship. There was no other explosive on board..”

It goes on further, denying all of the German accusations regarding the Lusitania. “These statements are untrue : they are nothing but baseless inventions, and they serve only to condemn the persons who make use of them. The steamer carried no masked guns nor trained gunners, or special ammunition, nor was she transporting troops, or violating any laws of the United States.”

A New York judge ruled that the Lusitania was carrying small-arms munitions, but these did not constitute war munitions, and added that the Lusitania had not been armed and had not carried any high explosives. The damage had been done, and the world watched and waited, to see if Germany would continue its aggressive u-boat policies within the warzone.

The stowaways on board the Lusitania died on board the sunken vessel, and could not be interrogated. Steward John Neal Leach was suspected of being in league with the German spies. He spoke fluent German and had known contacts with German sympathizers. Leach, like the three spies, died in the sinking. The determination was made that they were spies, based on their complete refusal to answer any questions. It was later surmised that they were connected to a known German spy-ring operating in the United States, led by German Naval attaché to Washington D.C., Karl Boy-Ed, and German Army attaché, Franz Van Papen. On July 24, 1915, a briefcase was accidentally left on a train by Heinrich Albert, the commercial attaché to the German embassy. This briefcase was quickly snatched up by secret service agents who had been following him. The documents contained in the briefcase contained a multitude of damning evidence, implicating Boy-Ed and Van Papen. The evidence gathered implicated the German spies of attempting to blow up a bridge between Maine and New Brunswick, forging American passports for German agents, raising a fund of $1.3 million to induce longshoremen and munitions workers to go on strike, plans to stage a military coup in Mexico, and placing bombs on numerous ships leaving Hoboken, New Jersey for Europe, which carried munitions and supplies to the allies in Europe. It was also discovered that the German embassy had been attempting to purchase vast quantities of munitions from American factories, and in some cases tried to purchase the entire factories, to keep these resources away from the Allies in Europe.

The spy network also included involvement by Paul Koenig, a very shady character. Prior to the war, Koenig ran a private investigation company, and handled requests from the German owned Hamburg-Amerika shipping line. His company was involved in guarding the piers and vessels of the Atlas Line in New York, protecting German Ambassador Van Bernstorff and Franz Van Papen’s offices, and conducting intelligence gathering for Germany and sabotage against Canada and the United States.

In December of 1915, Franz Van Papen and Karl Boy-Ed were deemed officially persona non-grata, effectively stripping them of their diplomatic status, and they were recalled to Germany. Koenig was arrested and indicted later that same month by the New York Bomb Squad for planning to detonate bombs in the Welland Canal. The three spies on board the Lusitania were almost certainly placed there in conjunction with this German spy network. It is suspected Koenig specifically placed the three stowaways on board to collect photographic evidence, and transport additional intelligence to Germany. 

Many believed the sinking of the Lusitania, and the optics of Germany’s heartless u-boat attack, would draw the United States into the war. Growing anti-German sentiment spread throughout the United States, putting more and more pressure on President Woodrow Wilson.  It is no secret that Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, desired the United States to be drawn into the war. In 1923, Winston Churchill published his 6-volume work, “The World Crisis” where he describes his actions meant to draw neutral powers into the war. “The first countermove, made on my responsibility, was to deter the Germans from surface attack. The submerged U-boat had to rely increasingly on underwater attack and thus ran the greater risk of mistaking neutral for British ships and of drowning neutral crews and thus embroiling Germany with other Great Powers.”

Despite these factors, the pacifist Wilson was stubbornly resistant, and did everything he could to keep America out of a costly and bloody war across the Atlantic. Germany had initially backed off its unrestricted u-boat warfare, but sank the French passenger ship Sussex in 1916, once sparking outrage. Germany then made the so-called “Sussex” pledge, promising not to attack passenger or merchant ships without warning. On July 30, 1916, German agents detonated a stockpile of munitions on Black Tom Island. This was a small island adjacent to Liberty Island, home of the Statue of Liberty and has since been joined with Liberty Island. The explosion killed 7, injured hundreds, damaged the Statue of Liberty, and destroyed $20 million of munitions. It was one of the largest artificial, non-nuclear explosions in history. German operatives Kurt Jahnke and Lothar Witzke were suspected of being responsible. Jahnke escaped capture and returned to Germany. Witke was arrested in Arizona for espionage, and sentenced to death, but this was later commuted to life in prison. President Calvin Coolidge eventually pardoned Witzke, and had him deported to Germany. 

A strange occurrence took place on October 7, 1916, when German submarine U-53 appeared unexpectedly off of Newport, Rhode Island. Its commander, Hans Rose, requested, and was granted, permission to come into port. U-53 docked, and Rose paid a visit to local US Navy commanders., and they in turn visited the German U-Boat. Curious onlookers lined the shore, waving at the German sailors standing on the deck of the sub. After several hours, the harbormaster considered quarantining the sub, prompting Hans Rose to make a quick exit. The very next day, U-53 sank 3 British cargo ships, a Dutch cargo ship, and a Norwegian cargo ship, totalling almost 21,000 tons of shipping. In each case, everyone on board was allowed to safely abandon ship before their ship was destroyed, according to the Cruiser Laws. The entire story of the U-53 can be heard in episode 13 of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, featuring guest Jennifer Sellitti of the DV Tenacious and Atlantic Wreck Salvage.

In January of 1917, a note from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German minister in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckhart, was intercepted by British intelligence, decrypted, and passed to US Intelligence. The “Zimmermann Note” as it has been called, detailed a plan for Germany to form an alliance with Mexico if the United States should join the war. Germany would help Mexico reclaim lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and asked Mexico to help persuade the empire of Japan to join the war on their side. 

By January of 1917, Germany had reported 120,000 German civilians had starved to death due to the blockade of its ports. As a result, Germany again resumed unrestricted u-boat warfare, and sank several US merchant ships in two months. After severing diplomatic ties to Germany, President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war, which was delivered on April 6, 1917, almost two years after the sinking of the Lusitania. A number of factors eventually drew the United States into the war, including Germany’s unrestricted warfare on commercial vessels.

In the fallout of the Lusitania’s loss, Captain William Turner was charged by the Admiralty with failure to avoid headlands (or, sailing too close to land), Failure to steer a mid-channel course, Failure to steam at full speed, and a Failure to zigzag. Turner’s culpability for these charges is debatable, although the Lusitania clearly was not zigzagging, and had been steaming ahead on a straight course for 40 minutes when she was torpedoed. The Admiralty seemed determined to convict Turner, and Winston Churchill himself stated, “I consider the Admiralty's case against Turner should be pressed by a skilful counsel.” Churchill, however, was replaced as Lord of the Admiralty before the inquiry, due to the failure of the Gallipoli campaign.

Turner was ultimately exonerated of these charges. Lord Mersey wrote in his report, “He exercised his judgment for the best.  It was the judgment of a skilled and experienced man, and although others might have acted differently and perhaps more successfully he ought not, in my opinion, to be blamed. The whole blame for the cruel destruction of life in this catastrophe must rest solely with those who plotted and with those who committed the crime.” Curiously, Judge Mayer’s ruling cites explosions from two torpedoes, but Schweiger himself logged only one torpedo. 

In an International Conciliation Court in New York, Judge Julius M. Mayer agreed with the conclusions of Lord Mersey, and found no negligence on the part of Cunard or its officers and crew, writing, “the cause of the sinking was the illegal act of the Imperial German Government” and directed all future claims to be directed to the German government. Germany paid $2.5 million in damages in 1925. 

Kaptainleutnant Walther Schweiger went on to sink RMS Hesperian in September of 1915, and SS Cymric (KIMrik]  in May of 1916. U-20 was grounded off the Dutch coast in November of 1916, before being intentionally damaged and abandoned. Schweiger was given command of U-88 in July of 1916. He was killed on the 5th of September 1917 with all 43 hands when U-88 struck a mine off the coast of the Netherlands. In total, Schweiger sank 49 ships during the war.

Despite being exonerated, William Turner remained very shaken over the sinking and the Admiralty’s treatment of him. He lived a quiet, isolated life and retired in 1919, telling his partner Mabel, "All I want now is a quiet life." After retiring, Turner was awarded with the Order of the British Empire by King George V, at the request of the Chairman of the Cunard Line. Turner developed intestinal cancer, and died June 23, 1933. His son, Able Seaman Percy Wilfred Turner, was killed when the merchant vessel Jedmoor was sunk by German submarine U-98 on the 16th of September, 1941. 

The cause of the “second explosion” on board the Lusitania has been widely speculated, and many theories abound. Some believe there were secret explosives on board that were not already listed on the manifest, or that Lusitania struck a mine. Or perhaps the torpedo struck the ship more toward the bow than originally thought, exploding the small arms ammunition and shrapnel charges. A boiler explosion, or pipe bomb are additional theories that have been put forward, while a more far-reaching conspiracy theory proposes the cheese, lard, and the furs listed on the manifest were actually explosives. Others have reasoned that the aluminum powder and coal dust on board can be highly explosive at certain concentrations. These conspiracy theories, and more, will be fully discussed in full, in a separate bonus episode.

In 1935, the wreck of the Lusitania was discovered by the crew of the salvage steamer, Orphir, using a depth sounder, about 11 nautical miles from Old Head of Kinsale. Three weeks later, diver Jim Jarrett was lowered down to the wreck, over 300 feet, wearing a Tritonia diving suit weighing half a ton. During World War 2, British warships allegedly dropped depth charges on the wreck, citing German U-boats were hiding in its shadows. Others believe it was to destroy the wreck, to cover up evidence of munitions in its cargo. 

The wreckage was claimed by the Liverpool and London War Risks Insurance Association, and sold in 1967 to US Navy diver John Light for £1000.  Light made over 40 dives to the wreck using only basic SCUBA equipment, and wearing only a neoprene suit. While he attempted to take photographs, the low visibility and lack of light prevented any meaningful documentation. American businessman Gregg Bemis became a minority owner of the wreck in 1968, and then sole owner in 1982. Bemis was outspoken regarding his belief that the British government was involved in Lusitania’s sinking, including Winston Churchill.

In 1982, Bemis collaborated with Oceaneering International to recover items from the wreck in a commercial venture. Three of its four brass propellers were recovered, as well as two anchors, the foghorn, one bridge telegraph, the ship’s bell, and a large number of cookware and cutlery items. One of the propellers is on display in front of the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool, and another is located in the Sculpture Garden of the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.  Many of the items collected during this time, including the two anchors and the third propellers, disappeared into private collections, and their locations are unknown.

Legal battles over ownership of the artifacts hampered further recovery efforts, and it was ruled in court that the British Crown had no rights to ownership of the wreck since it was located in international waters. A U.S. court then ruled Bemis had no rights to ownership of the personal effects or cargo from the Lusitania.

In 1993, Greg Bemis allowed Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to search the wreck, led by Dr. Robert Ballard. Ballard, who discovered the Titanic in 1985, sent his remote operated vehicle down and found the ship lying on its starboard side. A large quantity of unexploded hedgehog mines were found scattered around the wreck site, fueling the speculation of a British cover-up. The survey found that the exposed portion of the hull, including the cargo hold, was completely intact. From this, Ballard concluded that no explosion occurred in the cargo hold, and that the torpedo struck the ship’s coal bunker. He believed the second explosion most likely resulted from ignited coal dust, but Greg Bemis did not agree with this conclusion. This expedition was documented by National Geographic, resulting in the film, Exploring the Lusitania: Probing the Mysteries of the Sinking that Changed History.

In 1995, the Irish government declared the wreck of the Lusitania as a protected heritage site, under the National Monuments Act, and prohibited Bemis from disturbing the wreck or its contents in any way. This decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Ireland, and in 2008, Bemis was granted a license to photograph and film the entire wreck and its contents. Odyssey Marine Exploration out of Florida was hired to conduct the operation, with the Department of the Environment's Underwater Archaeology Unit on hand to make sure the site was not invasively searched.  A film crew from the Discovery Channel was on hand to document the expedition, as a dive team from Cork Sub Aqua Club discovered 15,000 rounds of .303 calibre rifle ammunition still in cases, at the bow of the ship. The ammunition was photographed, but left in place.  The data collected from the expedition was given to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for analysis. They concluded that the Lusitania was sunk by the damage from the torpedo, and the second explosion was the result of a boiler explosion, which had no impact on the sinking of the ship. Again, Greg Bemis disagreed with this conclusion.

In 2019, Bemis gave ownership of the Lusitania to the Old Head of Kinsale Lusitania Museum, saying, “I’ve come to realise that, at almost 91 years old there is only so much more I can do to further this project and I think because of the Lusitania’s part in history, it’s very important that it be done properly and we get all the artefacts we can from the wreck to put in the museum planned for here.”  After spending many millions of dollars, he never found any evidence to support his belief of a British conspiracy. Bemis died in 2020, at the age of 92. 

Rebreather technology has allowed modern divers to explore the wreck of the Lusitania. Lying at 90 meters, around 300 feet down, only experienced and highly trained deepwater divers using the proper equipment should attempt this dive. The water is cold, approximately 10-15 degrees Celsius, or 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and visibility is poor. The tidal surges in the area provide even further challenges. Irish law prohibits recreational diving on the Lusitania, unless a license is obtained from Ireland’s Ministry of Culture and Heritage, and permission from the Old Head of Kinsale.Maritime Museum. Disturbing or removing any artifacts is prohibited, and dive expeditions are monitored by appropriate authorities.

On the one hundredth anniversary of the Lusitania’s sinking, Irish Diver Eoin (YO-in) McGarry was given special permission to leave a metal memorial scroll, listing all the names of those who perished. The scroll was attached to the domed skylight of the first class lounge, one of the most identifiable features of the famed ship. He later stated, “I dived Lusitania exactly 100 years to the minute to the hour of the sinking.”

In 2021, McGarry joined a team of American and European divers on board the vessel Sea Hunter, to once again explore the wreck. The wreckage lies in a large debris field, with pieces scattered everywhere. Expedition diver Joe Mazraani described it as being in “parts and pieces.” Like many wrecks, fishing nets have become entangled in the wreck, making exploration more challenging. 

The eerie scene of the once luxurious ship is a grim reminder of the tragedy and the lives lost. Diver Andrew Donn described his feelings, “On a dive of this magnitude, one can’t help but think about the passengers and crew during the dive. We did not encounter personal artifacts, but you are reminded of the people through the parts of the wreck that they would have interacted with; It is easy to be impressed and almost overwhelmed by the wreck itself, but there are constant reminders of the people that make up the real story of the Lusitania.” 

The team captured fantastic, clear photographic evidence of many artifacts, including the ship’s steam whistle, one of its capstans, an anchor chain, portholes, windows, fragments of china with the Cunard lion logo, and two of its boilers, which were still intact.

Of the 289 bodies recovered from the Lusitania, 169 are buried at the ancient Old Church Cemetery in Cobh (“Cove”), County Cork, Ireland. Three mass graves  and 20 individual graves mark their location.  65 of the dead were never identified.  A solemn monument honoring the Lusitania’s victims stands in Casement Square, opposite Cobh Harbour. The large metal sculpture features a female winged angel overlooking two young fishermen. An inscription reads, “To the memory of all who perished by the sinking of the Lusitania May 7 1915 and in the cause of universal and lasting peace.” At the base of the fishermen is another inscription, “They helped in the rescue, gave aid and comfort to the survivors, and buried the dead.”

There are many questions that still puzzle historians to this day. Why were there no escort ships? Where exactly did the torpedo strike the ship? What caused the second explosion? Did the German spies plant a bomb on board? Were there secret explosives on board? These answers will probably never be known. What is clear is that the sinking of the Lusitania changed the nature of naval warfare. This war of attrition attacked commerce, making civilians fair game.

That’s going to do it for The Sinking of the Lusitania. Thank you so much for listening. Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is written, edited, and produced by me, Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by Sean Sigfried, and you can find him at seansigfried.com. For ad-free listening, please join the Officer’s Club at patreon.com/shipwreckspod. You will get at least 2 bonus episodes a month, and all episodes are ad-free. That’s patreon.com/shipwreckspod. And for the low low price of nothing, you could leave a rating and review in whatever podcast app you use. I would certainly appreciate it. Last but not least, you can get yourself some Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs merch! Various t-shirts, polos, and hats are available in many colors, all sizes, with t-shirts starting at just $15.  Go to shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com and get some gear.

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