Η βύθιση του "Λουζιτάνια" [The loss of Lusitania] [Αρχείο] - nautilia.gr

Παναγιώτης

27-01-2014, 10:10

Ο τορπιλισμός προκάλεσε άισθηση γιατί δεν περίμενε κανεις να τορπιλίσουν επιβτικό πλοίο χωρις προειδοποίηση. Σύμφωνα με τις τότε συνθήκες που ειχαν γραφτεί πρίν την χρηση των υποβρυχίων στον πόλεμο. Οι εμπόλεμοι μπορούσαν να κανουν ναυτικόαποκλεισμο αλλά επερεπε αν προειδοποιήσουν πριν βυθίσουν εμπροκό πλοίο.

Οι Γερμανοί ειχαν ορισει μια ζωήνη ναυτικού αποκλεισμου γύρω από την Βρετανία.

Λίγο πριν τον απόπλου η Γερμανική πρεσβεια στις ΗΠΑ (οι ΗΠΑ ήταν ακόμα ουδέτερες και ειχαν διπλωματικές σχεσεις με τη Γερμανια) ειχε βάλει καταχώρηση στις εφημερίδες που προειδοποιούσε οτι κανενα πλοίο δεν ειναι ασφαλές. Η ειρωνόια ειναι οτι σε πολλές εφημεριδες η καταχώρηση μπήκε κοντά στην καταχώρηση για τα δρομολόγια του Lusitania όπως αυτή παρακάτω.
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Ας δουμε τι λέει το Dictionary of Disasters at Sea του Charles Hocking (περισσότερα για το βιβλίο μπορέιτε να δειτε εδώ (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dictionary-Disasters-Sea-During-Steam/dp/1843423812)) για το ναυάγιο:

LUSITANIA
Cunard S.S.Co.; 1907; J. Brown & Co.; 30,396 tons; 762-2X 87-
8x56-6; 68,000 i.h.p.; 25-85 knots; turbine engines. On the
outbreak of the First World War the Lusitania continued to maintain
the service between Liverpool and New York, without incident
until the spring of 1915, completing five round trips in all. On May
1st of that year there appeared in the New York newspapers an
ominous advertisement, couched in the form of an official statement.
It was remarked upon at the time that this advertisement was inserted
at very short notice, for the Lusitania was scheduled to sail from New
York on the same morning.
The advertisement ran as follows:—
'Travellers intending to embark for an Atlantic voyage are
reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her
allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war
includes the water adjacent to the British Isles, that in accordance
with the formal notice given by the Imperial German
Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain or any of
her allies are liable to destruction in those waters; and that
travellers sailing in the war-zone in ships of Great Britain
and/or any of her Allies do so at their own risk.'

IMPERIALGERMANEMBASSY
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
April 22nd, 1915

Despite this warning, the total number on board when the ship
left New York was 1,959, of whom 1,257 were passengers and 702
crew, the commander being Capt. W. J. Turner. The voyage across
the Atlantic was uneventful but on approaching the Irish coast the
captain was warned by wireless of the presence of German submarines.
For some time the entrance to St. George's Channel had
been a cause of much anxiety to the British Admiralty, for the
patrols available were weak and scattered. In the week of the
Lusitania }s crossing one ship was attacked and three others sunk in
this area, and reports of submarines lying off the coast were too
frequent and top detailed to permit of the danger being taken
lightly. Instructions wirelessed to ship-masters were to avoid
headlands and steer a mid-channel course. The first warning reached
the Lusitania on the 5th and she was again warned on the 6th and
7th. On approaching St. George's Channel double look-outs were
posted and speed reduced to 18 knots so that the vessel should not
arrive at the Mersey Bar before the tide permitted her to cross. At
12.40 p.m. on the 7th she altered course and closed Brow Head in
order to fix her position. Soon afterwards another warning was
received stating that submarines had been sighted 20 miles off
Coningbeg. Captain Turner thereupon decided to keep inshore until a
last warning, reporting that submarines had been sighted south of
Cape Clear, 30 miles astern, caused him to believe that the danger
was now past and he returned to his former course.
At 2.15 p.m., when the Lusitania was about ten miles south of the
Old Head of Kinsale, she was struck by a torpedo between the
third and fourth funnels. A second and less violent explosion,
which may have occurred in the boiler room, came shortly after.
The turbines stopped immediately and the ship continued under
way until she sank, which together with an increasing list to star-
board considerably hindered the launching of the boats. At 2.26
p.m. the Lusitania foundered, having remained afloat for less than
15 minutes from the time of being torpedoed.
Of those on board no fewer than 1,198 were drowned, including
291 women, 94 children and 124 American citizens. Altogether
761 persons, including Capt. Turner were saved, either by the ship's
boats or by the trawler Bluebell, which arrived in time to rescue
many from the water.
The submarine which fired the torpedo was the U-20, commanded
by Capt.-Lt. Schwieger, who entered in his log that he discharged
one torpedo. This record must be set against that of several
witnesses on the Lusitania who asserted that two torpedoes were
fired, and it can only be assumed that the second explosion occurred
within the ship.
The reactions throughout the world on receipt of the news of the
torpedoing of the Lusitania were profoundly damaging to the
German cause, and it did much to alienate the sympathy of neutral
nations, as well as to arouse a resentment in the United States
which undoubtedly influenced that nation to enter the war on the
side of the Allies at a later date.

Επίσης μπορέιτε να δειτε τα πρακτικά από τις ανακρίσεις για τη διερέυνηση του ναυαγίου εδώ (http://www.plimsoll.org/images/Lusitania_tcm4-346539.pdf)

Ellinis

29-01-2014, 15:03

Για τη βύθιση του Λουζιτάνια έχουν γραφτεί αρκετά και δεν έχουν αποφευχθεί διάφορες παράξενες θεωρίες. Οι ζημιές που έπαθε το ναυάγιο από τις βόμβες βυθού που δέχτηκε καθώς και κάποιες βόμβες που παραμένουν ακέραιες γύρω του, έδωσαν τροφή για να στηθεί ένα σενάριο οτι το Βρετανικό Ναυτικό προσπάθησε να το καταστρέψει για να αποκρύψει στοιχεία. Και όχι οτι μπορεί τα αντιτορπιλικά να το εκλάμβαναν στους πολέμους ως εχθρικό υποβρύχιο... ή απλά να το χρησιμοποιούσαν για εξάσκηση.

To ναυάγιο που βρίσκεται σε βάθος 90 μέτρων δέχτηκε και επισκέψεις από διάφορους ναυαγιαιρέτες. Ανάμεσα στο φορτίο του υπήρχαν και πολύτιμα αντικείμενα που προφανώς τους ενδιέφεραν. Ήδη το 1923 κυκλοφόρησε η παρακάτω είδηση που αναφέρει την αποστολή του ναυαγοσωστικού SEMPER PARATUS με σκοπό την ανέλκυση χρυσού από το ναυαγίου.

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πηγή (http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Page/straitstimes19230804-1.1.15.aspx)

Aν και σε άλλο άρθρο της ίδιας περιόδου γίνεται λόγος για ανέλκυση ολόκληρου του ναυαγίου, κάτι που ήταν αδύνατο για την εποχή εκείνη:
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Αργότερα το 1982 ανελκύστηκαν οι τρείς από τις τέσσερις προπέλες του ναυαγίου.

Στο περιοδικό "Ναυτική Ελλάς" του Π.Ν. είχε δημοσιευτεί ένα άρθρο με πληροφορίες για τη βύθιση. Το παραθέτω παρακάτω για όποιον ενδιαφέρεται.

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