SFW - jokes, humor, girls, accidents, cars, celebrity photos and much more. Ship "Olympic" (Olympic): history of creation, description, characteristics. Transatlantic liner of the White Star Line

The Olympic-class ships, the Olympic, Titanic and Britannic, were built by engineers from the British shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff, commissioned by the White Star Line. The ships were conceived as competitors to the Lusitania and Mauritania, owned by the competing company Cunard Line.

In the photo: "Olympic" and "Titanic" (right) in Belfast. The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a catastrophe that still haunts the minds of people from all over the world - the sinking of the Titanic.
On April 14, 1912, during its first flight, this magnificent giant a cruise ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank 2 hours and 40 minutes later. Of the 2,208 people on board, only 704 survived. The world was in shock.

Its predecessor, the ship "Olympic", was also not lucky, although the tragedy was not so large-scale. On one of her first voyages, the liner collided with the cruiser Hawk. As a result of the incident, no one was injured, but the Olympic was under repair for a whole year, and its captain was accused of negligence and neglect of navigation rules.

When designing the third passenger liner from this series under the original name "Gigantic", the engineers tried to take into account all the weaknesses of its predecessors, the Olympic and Titanic, identified by the tragedies. The creators of the new ship made it so that the Gigantic could stay afloat with damage that became fatal for the Titanic.

In addition to the new design features of the Gigantika, five more lifeboats were added to it. Moreover, even if the ship tilted dangerously and there was a threat of sinking, nothing should have prevented people from boarding the boats.

I also wanted to improve the decoration of the ship: the first-class reception room of the Gigantica should be done much more than on the Olympic and Titanic. The restaurant and smoking room were also expanded, and even planned to install an organ on the front staircase.

On February 26, 1914, this huge three-screw ship was launched. But he never managed to be on the Southampton - New York line, for which he was built: the First World War began. The luxury liner was immediately requisitioned by the British Admiralty, which ordered her to be renamed Britannic and converted into a hospital ship.

Gorgeous expensive interiors cruise ship became dormitories and operating rooms. The first class reception and dining room served as an intensive care unit. The rest of the premises became hospital wards for wounded soldiers and sailors, up to three thousand of whom the ship could take on board. The most luxurious cabins on the Britannica became doctors' private offices. To protect against possible attacks, a green stripe and six red crosses were applied to the hull of the liner, emphasizing the medical and humanitarian purpose of the vessel.
In November 1915, the giant 275-meter floating hospital was commissioned into the fleet, and the Britannic set sail for the Mediterranean. During the war, the liner made five successful voyages to the Aegean Sea and the Balkans, from where it took out 15,000 soldiers of the British Empire. But the sixth flight proved fatal.

On November 12, 1916, the Britannic once again set off for the Mediterranean Sea to the island of Mudros to take on board a new batch of wounded British soldiers. On the morning of November 17, she entered the port of Naples and continued heading east.

The disaster happened on November 21, 1916 at 8:12 am. The Britannic was already in the Aegean when she was rocked by an explosion of great force, followed by another, more powerful one. He literally tore the port side of the ship in several places. Nurses and attendants ran out on deck, interrupting their breakfast. It turns out that the liner ran into a mine laid by the German submarine U-73. Due to the holes received, the ship tilted, and the situation worsened by the minute.

Captain Charles Alfred Bartlet immediately realized the gravity of the situation and ordered the airtight bulkhead doors to be closed and all lifeboats prepared for launching.
The four compartments of the ship were rapidly filling with water; boilers were flooded. The situation was aggravated by the portholes of the lower decks, which were open during the explosion: through them, water penetrated into the Britannica. The captain believed to the last that the liner would be able to reach the island of Kea and run aground. This would be a lifesaver. But the bow of the Britannica plunged deeper and deeper, at the same time the ship lurched to starboard. It became clear that a miracle would not happen. Having received distress signals, four vessels immediately went to the aid of the liner.

On the Britannica itself, the evacuation was in full swing. After some time, the huge propellers of the ship, which continued to rotate, appeared out of the water - and then a new misfortune occurred. Two boats were pulled into the whirlpool and cut into pieces by the propeller. Seeing this, the captain ordered the lead screws to be stopped immediately.
Soon the maritime drama reached its climax: the giant ship staggered and began to rapidly fall to starboard. Huge chimneys collapsed. Another minute - and the liner disappeared forever into the black abyss of the Aegean Sea. An hour later, four ships approached the crash site. 1,036 of the 1,066 people on board the Britannic survived. The question of where exactly he rests has been of interest to many people for a long time. In 1975, the legendary explorer of the deep sea, Jacques Yves Cousteau, gave the answer to the riddle. After a three-day search, the underwater radar on his ship Calypso found the hull of the Britannica at a depth of 120 meters.

After the expedition of the famous French oceanographer, divers descended there 68 more times. They brought hundreds of artifacts to the surface, which are now on display in many museums around the world.

The captain, thanks to whose correct actions many lives were saved, continued his career, ended the war, retired and died on February 15, 1945 at the age of 76.

Maxim Kondratiev

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the flourishing of passenger shipbuilding. The powerful ship companies of England, Germany, France fought among themselves for leadership in passenger traffic. One of the leading companies "White Star Line", which was acquired by the American financier P. Morgan, who dreamed of a monopoly in the North Atlantic, decides to build three giant liners at that time. The first Olympic and Titanic were laid down in 1908 and 1909. The third ship, the Britannic, was laid down in November 1911.

Fighting for the Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic

The main direction of that time was America, which was developing very quickly and needed new markets. In addition, many emigrants from Europe went to New World in search of a better life. Trade with Europe demanded everything more ships, since at that time it was the only way to communicate between the continents.

Ocean liners competed for the right to own the Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic, a challenge prize for the speed at which they were required to cross the North Atlantic. It was a conditional prize of prestige. It was at that time a blue pennant, rising on the mast of the record-breaking liner. It was for him that there was a struggle between maritime shipping companies that built ever more powerful, fast and comfortable ships. In 1897, the German liner Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse won the Blue Ribbon. The prestige of British shipping companies was dealt a blow. They sought to regain leadership and passengers.

Predecessors of Britannica

A series of liners of the Olympic class was designed. The construction of the ships was carried out at the Harland and Wolf shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first of the planned liners, the Olympic, was launched in 1910. After completion, it passed sea trials and on 06/14/1911 went on its first voyage from British Southampton to New York. Some time later, the White Star Line makes a decision according to which changes were made to the Titanic under construction, taking into account the comments on the first ship.

In November 1911, at the same shipyard where the Olympic was built, the keel of the Britannica was laid. The ship had to be completed taking into account all the shortcomings on the two ships. It was the third liner of this series. But the fate of the ships was tragic. During the performance of its fifth flight, leaving Southampton Bay, the Olympic hit the British cruiser Hawk on its right side, as a result of which it received a significant hole. Its size was 12 meters. The liner was forced to stand for repairs at the Belfast shipyard.

Second of sea ​​liners of this series "Titanic" struck giant size, excellence, luxury and comfort for passengers. According to the owners' idea, it was supposed to compete with the leading companies Kunard Line and the German HAPAG and receive the Blue Ribbon. But these plans were not destined to come true. The Titanic was killed by an iceberg on its maiden voyage.

Creation of Britannica

The third liner of the Olympic series was still under construction when its fellow Titanic, which suffered a terrible accident in a collision with an iceberg, sank. This tragedy, which claimed the lives of 1,500 people, shocked the world. The original name of the third ship was "Gigantic", but after the tragedy, its owners decided to call the ship "Britannique", believing that this name would be more patriotic and appropriate.

Deciding to create a series of unsinkable liners, the management of the White Star Line makes a decision - to classify the construction of the third of them, and at the shipyard the laid down ship was listed under No. 433. But it was not possible to keep the construction of the Britannic ship secret. The company decided in this liner to combine all the advantages of its counterparts and eliminate all their shortcomings.

Structural changes

The tragedy of the Titanic suspended the construction of the Britannic, as a commission was working to investigate the causes of the disaster. Based on the conclusions made by the company, significant changes were made to the design of the ship under construction, the purpose of which was to create unsinkable ship. In the event of a collision of the liner with an iceberg, a double inner hull plating of the vessel was developed.

The next measure concerned five watertight partitions, reaching upper decks. According to the calculations of the designers, this would have avoided flooding of all compartments. The changes also affected the architecture of the ship. The well that separated the poop and superstructure was completely covered and turned into a shelter deck. Additional cabins of the 3rd class were arranged on the poop deck superstructure.

The ship "Britanic" was equipped with 5 pairs of 12-meter-sized davit cranes, with the help of which each of them freely launched 5 boats with a large roll of the ship. The liner could freely accommodate 40 boats. But they were never installed.

Launching and sea trials

Work on the construction of the ship took place with delays, launching was canceled several times. Maybe this was the reason for the failure to carry out the “baptism” of the ship (the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne) at the time of its launch. This was considered a bad omen.

The first entry to the Atlantic line by the company was scheduled for June 1915, and this was announced. Not much different in appearance from its "twin brothers", the Britannic was the best in this series. All design improvements were unprecedented innovations at that time. The calculated indicators gave the right to consider the Britannic the most unsinkable ship.

The company again had the hope of becoming the most prestigious and receiving the Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic. It was officially announced that the liner would enter the Atlantic route in the summer of 1915, but the First World War made its own adjustments to the life of the ship.

The beginning of the war

The war had its impact on all shipbuilding. Raw materials for the construction of ships were given only to those shipyards that collaborated with the Admiralty. Harland & Wolff continued building ocean civilian ships, so their construction progressed extremely slowly.

The port of Southampton was requisitioned, that is, it became a military one, so the White Star Line transferred its ships to the port of Liverpool. Many ocean liners and cargo ships were also requisitioned. This fate awaited the Olympic, which became a military transport, and the Britannic, which was turned into a hospital ship. The dream of crossing the Atlantic and earning the blue ribbon of prestige was given up.

Military hospital

In October 1914, the Britannic was converted into a military hospital. Several operating rooms, special resuscitation rooms, cabins for medical personnel, a gym, storage rooms, dressing rooms and, of course, cabins for the wounded were arranged on board. The capacity of the floating hospital was 3,300 beds.

The ship, like a medical ship, also received a distinctive color. The hull was painted white with a longitudinal green stripe and red crosses on the sides, its pipes were covered with yellow paint.

Military service

On 12/12/1915, the Britannic made the transition from Belfast to Southampton, where she took on board the medical staff, medicines and supplies. On December 23, 1915, the ship left the port and headed for the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The best captain of the White Star Line, Carlos Bartlet, became the commander of the ship. All of Europe was engulfed in the conflagration of a world war. The Mediterranean is no exception.

England and France, being allies, fought against Germany and Turkey and landed their troops in Gallipoli during the Dardanelles operation. The British were failing, they needed reinforcements and the removal of the wounded. This mission was entrusted to the hospital ships, which carried out their task in the Mediterranean, crowded with German submarines.

During 1916, the Britannic successfully completed five flights, evacuating over 13,000 people to England. The longer the war went on, the greater the danger of the liner, which was not adapted to maneuver in the narrow straits of the Mediterranean Sea. It was created for the vast expanses of the Atlantic and, due to its huge size, was vulnerable to German submarines, which literally "stuffed" the sea with mines.

The death of the Britannica

The sixth and last time the Britannic sailed to the Mediterranean was in November 1916. On November 21, he passed through the strait between the Greek islands of Kea and Kythnos for the next wounded to be evacuated. Exactly at 8:00 there was a dull explosion, followed by a rumble and vibration. Captain K. Bartlet, who was just having breakfast, realized that the ship had blown up on an enemy mine. He immediately took up his post.

The first thing the captain tried to do was to turn the ship around and throw it aground, but he did not succeed. The crew prepared to leave the ship in a hurry. The captain was able to prevent panic and take matters into his own hands.

The liner began to fall to the starboard side. Soon, rotating giant propeller blades appeared above the surface of the water, under which two boats were pulled. Realizing that the death of the rest of the escaping was inevitable, the captain ordered the cars to be stopped. The liner continued to sink into the depths of the sea. Water entering the upper deck through open portholes predetermined the outcome. The ship went down.

The behavior of Captain C. Bartlet is the model of a naval commander. Thanks to his endurance and professionalism, 1104 people were saved. He was the last to leave the board. With such a large-scale disaster, only 30 people died, who were pulled under the propellers. The rescue of people in distress from the Britannic entered the history of world navigation.

The search for the sunken Britannic was crowned with success only in 1975. It was discovered by the expedition of Jacques-Yves Cousteau at a depth of 112 meters near the Greek island of Kea. His remains belong to the navigation historian S. Mills.

The first version of the death of the ship

The public of England, shocked by the death of an unsinkable liner, could not recover from the fact that it sank in just 57 minutes. The newspapers expressed the version that the ship was attacked by a German submarine and therefore received holes incompatible with the life of the ship.

The version of the torpedo attack was refuted by the commander of the German submarine. Captain Zeiss reported that a mine bank had been placed in the strait, which caused the death of the Britannic. As evidence, a journal was presented, where there was no entry about the order to torpedo the floating hospital. The official version was that the liner was blown up by a mine laid by a German submarine. But many consider it unclear how the ship "Britanic" died. Interesting facts were obtained sixty years after the tragedy.

The second version of the death of "Britanica"

This version was voiced by the world famous researcher Jacques-Yves Cousteau. According to her, the ship was secretly transporting weapons. This became known to German intelligence, which installed an infernal machine in the coal bunker of the ship while it was refueling in Naples. During its explosion, a secondary explosion of coal dust occurred, which was in abundance in the bunkers. This may explain the rumble that was heard for some time after the explosion. But the detonation of coal dust could also be caused by a mine explosion overboard.

"Oceanic III"

Having lost two of my most the best liner, White Star Line has not abandoned its Blue Ribbon plans. She dreamed of revenge and pinned her hopes on a faster, more powerful and more reliable ship. The company in January 1928 submitted an application to Harland and Wolfe for the construction of the Oceanic III, which was an improved Olympic series, with diesel-electric engines. But the outbreak of the Great Depression, which also affected the shipping business, put an end to this project.

Afterword

The only remaining of the three twin ships was the Olympic. He lived a glorious ship life, became a legend in British shipbuilding and was known as the most reliable liner. But superstitious sailors see a relationship between the fates of the ships and their original names Olympic, Titanic and Gigantic (Britanic). According to the ancient Greek legend, the Titanics and the Gigantics died in the fight against the Olympics.

This is evidenced by the incident that occurred with the Olympic in 1929. It was heading for New York. When there were several hours left, the ship began to shake for some unknown reason. There were no other ships nearby, the engines were working normally, which excluded the possibility of losing the propeller blade But the sailors were horrified when they learned that the ship was at the site of the sinking of the Titanic. The crew did not calm down and the message that an earthquake had occurred in this place. Captain Parker retired after returning.

The history of the creation of the colossal ships Olympic, Titanic and Gigantica (Britannica) is the history of an ambitious race between the ship-owning companies of the USA, Great Britain and Germany. At the beginning of the 20th century scientific and technical progress became the reason for the rapid development of many industrial sectors, including shipbuilding. Civilian and military ships became larger, faster, more reliable. So, at the dawn of the last century, the giant company Cunard Line, whose ships carried out transatlantic flights, acquired two first-class ships - the Lusitania and the Mauritania. They were unmatched in speed and size. In turn, the competitors of the White Star Line, in order to keep up, are laying at the shipyards of Harland & Wolff Ltd. two huge liner, which will become larger than the Lusitania and Mauritania, but will not surpass them in speed. Nevertheless, these ships will become the most luxurious and comfortable in the world. These are the Olympic and the Titanic. Part of the money for the grandiose construction was lent by the state, on the condition that during the hostilities these liners would be in government service.

It was assumed that the Olympic-class ships would also be the safest in the world - design features and building materials were supposed to ensure the unsinkability of these luxury liners. The Olympic was the first to leave the stocks in 1910, followed by the Titanic. It was not easy to manage such hulks, most likely, incidents happened to them - the Olympic collided with the Hawk cruiser and left for repairs, and the Titanic crashed, colliding with an iceberg, and sank. The myth of unsinkability was destroyed. The White Star Line company should have reviewed the equipment of the Olympic ship in order to avoid another disaster in the future. Lifeboats are added to the liner, the hull is strengthened, bulkheads are raised, and the interior of the vessel is also changing. After modifications, the tonnage of the steamer increased to 46,359 tons. In 1913 "Olympic" resumes its service.

The start of WWI caught the Olympic on its way to New York. Despite its agreement with the government, the White Star Line continued transatlantic flights, and only on October 9, 1914. The Olympic was withdrawn from commercial service. Once the most luxurious liner has become a transport ship under the British flag.

Olympic should have moved to Belfast for refitting and camouflage. The first time a steamship sniffed gunpowder happened on October 27, 1914. During a sea crossing, the Olympic hits a minefield near the Tori Islands. At the same time, two British warships appeared on the horizon - the Liverpool (HMS Liverpool) and the battleship Odeishes (HMS Audacious). Suddenly, the Odeishes hit a mine and began to sink. All ships, with the exception of Liverpool, which was supposed to help evacuate the team, had to leave the area. Olympic was called to help. Approximately two hours later, the entire crew of the Odeisches was evacuated to two relief ships. Next, it was necessary to tow the Odeishes to a safe place, where it was to be repaired. Only the Olympic was powerful enough to tow a sinking battleship. But a light storm was coming in and the Odeisches became unmanageable, as her rudder was disabled. The rope broke. The second attempt was made by "Liverpool", but "Odeishes" began to sink quickly. It was decided to leave the ship. When the rescue ships left, the Odeishes capsized, exploded under 1 turret and sank. The only casualty in the entire incident was Petty Officer William Burgess, who was standing on the deck of the Liverpool. A piece of armored plate was thrown off by the explosion and he was killed.

For several months, the Olympic stood in Belfast, where it was refitted. The liner was given a gray paint job, and it was equipped with three guns - one at the bow and two 4.7-inch guns at the stern of the ship. Bertram Fox Hayes, the former commander of the Adriatic, was appointed captain of the ship. September 24, 1915 "Olympic" went on its first flight as a military transport. The ship was carrying reinforcements to the southern theater of operations - about 6,000 British soldiers.
On October 1, 1915, at Cape Matapan, the Olympic signalmen noticed lifeboats from the sunken French steamer Provence. Captain Bertram Hayes immediately ordered the survivors to be picked up. France offered the captain the Gold Medal for Rescue. However, the British were less enthusiastic. The Admiralty accused Hayes of seriously risking a ship with 6,000 souls on board by stopping in extremely dangerous waters.
Nevertheless, the Olympic continued to run between Britain and the Mediterranean under the direction of Hayes, bringing up troops. The ship made two more transitions and was transferred to the transatlantic line. Now the Olympic will deliver Canadian soldiers to England.

Before going out into the ocean, the Olympic is given an innovative Dazzle camouflage, which did not mask the object, but was supposed to disorient the enemy.

For several years, the Olympic made more than twenty transatlantic flights. Finishing its 22nd voyage, the Olympic met with four American destroyers in the turbulent waters of the English Channel. They were supposed to escort the liner to Southampton.

Meanwhile, the German captain Klaus Rücker is grazing in the local waters. He had already proven his ability as a marque by commanding U-34s in the Mediterranean. Recalled from southern waters, she was sent west with U-103 to attack merchant ships, with particular attention to American military transports. At dawn on May 12, 1918 Rucker saw the Olympic through the periscope. Now he had a great opportunity, a target of enormous size and value - the largest military transport that a torpedo could hit. But the inexperience of the team spoiled the whole thing. He was already in attack position, only to hear that the torpedoes in the stern tubes were not ready to fire. There was nothing left but to try to get into position a second time. Therefore, Rücker lay down on a course parallel to the steamer, keeping at such a depth that the "asparagus" (the German nickname for the periscope) was just above the surface of the water. There seemed to be some confusion again, as the boat surfaced and betrayed its presence.

Captain Hayes and the signalmen of the Olympic simultaneously saw the hull of a submarine to the right of the bow, 1.5 points off course, floating to the surface about half a mile away. On command, the bow gun fired a shot at the enemy. However, the submarine was too close to the liner, and the projectile passed above the boat's bridge without harming her. The submarine was moving forward under both engines when the colossus changed course to ram it. In the dim light of the morning dawn, Rücker saw a huge building directly above him. giant ship. U-103 made a desperate attempt to escape by turning inside the ship's circulation circle. Captain Hayes responded to this maneuver by putting the rudder to port on the side. At 3:05 p.m. the stem of the steamer dealt a terrible crushing blow to the submarine. U-103 is finished. Those on the bridge of the steamer heard the chains of the paravane burst; then they saw the wrecked hull of the defeated submarine rise almost vertically out of the water. The wreck of the broken boat turned out to be astern, after which the stern guns of the steamer opened fire. The Leviathan of the White Star Line, with a warped stem, continued on its way to Southampton and later intercepted a message from the American destroyer Davis about the rescue of the last 35 people who survived from U-103, sunk by gunfire from the Olympic.

Rücker later stated that the end of one of the Olympic's propellers had ripped open the hull of his boat. Whether this happened before or after the U-103 ram is unclear. In any case, he stated that he was forced to rise to the surface in order to save the lives of his people. Being on the verge of death, he asked for mercy and salvation for himself and his team, and received both. This was a man who, 3 years before the event described, killed the entire crew of the Victoria only because this fishing vessel dared to offer him weak resistance.

American soldiers aboard the Olympic raised money for a plaque erected aboard the giant liner to commemorate the event. During his heroic military career, he even earned the honorary nickname "Old Reliable".

After the war, the Olympic was patched up, a number of improvements were added, the main of which was the transfer of the vessel to liquid fuel. The liner returned to the bosom of the White Star Line and carried out transatlantic flights from New York to Southampton (once Charlie Chaplin became its passenger). However, time passed, and progress did not stand still - the Olympic was morally and technically obsolete and was decommissioned in 1935.

The Olympic liner is the only one of the three twin liners of this class that has worked for many years and was decommissioned due to obsolescence, while the Titanic sank due to a collision with an iceberg on its first voyage, and the Britannic (originally was called the Gigantic ”) was blown up by a mine laid by the German submarine U-73 during the First World War.

Prerequisites for creation

Incident with the cruiser "Hawk"

There were no victims. "Olympic" and "Hawk" soon went to sea, but the incident did not end there, but turned into a scandalous court case.

Two months after the accident, the White Star Line accused the commander of the Royal Navy that his cruiser rammed the liner. The Admiralty did not think to defend itself. It accused Captain Smith of negligence and neglect of the rules of navigation. A seemingly simple case was complicated by extremely contradictory testimonies of witnesses.

White Star Line was found guilty and ordered to pay compensation.

The cause of the collision was the "suction of ships" - the hydrodynamic attraction of ships following parallel courses. The main reason for suction is the specific distribution of zones of high and low water pressure along the hull of a self-propelled motor vessel. The description of suction is included in all modern navigation textbooks. [[C:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[C:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]] , but at the beginning of the 20th century, the phenomenon was unexplored. The physical cause of suction is the Venturi effect (the suction action of flowing water, which is a consequence of Bernoulli's law). The famous popularizer of science Yakov Perelman described this collision in one of his books as an illustration of this effect.

Suction is stronger on smaller boats and leads to a sharp deterioration in control, so modern navigational practice requires a smaller boat to overtake a larger one at the maximum distance and at the lowest possible speed.

Thus, from the point of view of modern navigation practice, the culprit of the collision is the Hawk, which performed a dangerous overtaking of a vessel of greater length and displacement.

The death of the Titanic, changes

The tragedy of the Titanic and its aftermath

On the very first flight, the Titanic crashed: on the night of April 14-15, 1912, it collided with an iceberg and sank 600 miles from Newfoundland. The iceberg damaged five compartments, the ship received several holes of different sizes for a length of 90 meters. The crash killed at least 1,496 people, with 712 survivors.

Military service

Service in the Mediterranean

In Belfast, the Olympic met its brother, the Britannic, who was still getting off. They spent the next seven months together until the Olympic was called up for Government service. The White Star Line wanted the former commander to remain captain, but since he was busy in Belfast, a new captain was chosen by the Admiralty and Harold Sanderson, the man who ran the White Star Line after Bruce Ismay. The new captain was Bertram Fox Hayes, former captain of the Adriatic.

Before entering the ocean, "Olympic" received artillery weapons. One 4.7-inch gun was mounted on the forecastle and two of the same on the stern. Since that time, the Olympic was listed as a military transport under the number T2810. The Olympic made its first flight on September 24 to Mudros on the island of Lemnos in the Mediterranean. The ship took on board approximately 6,000 soldiers.

The results of the war were disappointing: many commercial fast ships were lost. Cunard Line lost 22 ships. Rebuilding the fleet was no easy task. The White Star Line lost its main ships, the Titanic, the Britannic and the Oceanic. There was no vessel that could match the Olympic in size or speed. Before the war, the White Star Line planned to replace the Titanic with the Germanic, but due to the poor financial situation, this idea had to be abandoned. But, since Great Britain was among the victorious states, there were many advantages for her. One of them was that Great Britain got the main ships of the opponents as war reparations. At first, the White Star Line tried to get the HAPAG Imperator, but he was already given to the Cunard Line, and he became their Berengaria. But there were two other large ships. These are the 35,000-ton Columbus liner of the North German Lloyd company and the 56,000-ton Bismarck liner HAPAG, which is still under construction.

Post-war career

At the same time, the post-war modernization was completed at the Olympic. With a tonnage of 46,439 tons, the Olympic left Belfast on June 17, 1920. Its first commercial transatlantic flight since 1914 took place on 26 June and it reached New York on 2 July.

During one voyage to America in late August 1921, one of the most peculiar events in the Olympic's career occurred when Thomas Brassington left a letter in his cabin for the bride Annie Thompson. The letter said that he was leaving all his possessions to Annie and that thoughts about the problems of the house and Ellis Island were beyond his powers. The crew searched the entire ship, and finally Annie found Thomas on deck, but as he threatened to jump into the water, she fainted, and when she came to, she did not find Thomas. He was never found. In the ship's log, the captain noted that Mr. Brassington had probably committed suicide.

The return flight was supposed to be fun, as American actor Charlie Chaplin decided to go to the UK for the first time in 20 years at the Olympic. The comedian often used Turkish bath, gym and swimming pool. He also spent a lot of time in the smoking room, but only as an observer of the playing of cards by the professionals.

At the end of 1921, Captain Hayes was appointed to the same post on the Bismarck. When the 56,551 ton vessel entered service in 1922, she was renamed Majestic. The ship became a worthy partner for the Olympic, replacing the Britannic. Some time before the arrival of the Majestic, the Columbus, renamed the Homeric, replaced the Titanic. Finally, the White Star Line had a trio of large liners on the Southampton - New York line.

After a collision with the cruiser Hawk in 1911, nothing more serious happened to the Olympic until March 22, 1924. It departed from Pier 59 in New York. The Olympic crashed into the Fort St. George", causing him serious damage: the main mast was broken, lifeboats and the deck were significantly damaged to a length of 45 meters. The Olympic did not appear to be seriously damaged, but on arrival at Southampton it was discovered that the stern plating was badly damaged and needed to be replaced.

One of the founders of the Olympic, Lord Pirrie, died in June 1924 during a voyage from South America. The body was taken on board in New York, where the coffin was loaded onto the Olympic and taken to Queenstown, from where it was transferred to Belfast. Eight months later, Captain Humbleton left the Olympic in favor of Captain William Marshall. Under his command, Olympic received the third distress signal of his career. The little liner Ellenia had been asking for help when the Olympic had left New York only nine hours earlier. When he reached the Ellenia, Captain Marshal was informed that she did not need help. To make sure, one of the boats was sent from the Olympic with Lowe's fourth mate. When the lifeboat returned forty minutes later, Lowe confirmed that the Ellenia had requested a tow to New York. Since the smaller ship was not in danger and several French ships were approaching, Marshall made the decision to continue the voyage to Southampton.

The main differences between the "Olympic" and the "Titanic"

1. At the Olympic, the promenade on deck A is completely open, while at the Titanic, the front of deck A is glazed, approximately up to the second pipe. This is the most significant visual difference by which the liners can be easily distinguished from each other.
2. On deck B at the Olympic, the stern part of the promenade is more open than at the Titanic (although this part of the Olympic was often rebuilt).
3. The Titanic on deck B in the area of ​​​​the second tube had cabins-apartments with private promenade decks for millionaires, while the Olympic decided not to build them.
4. The Titanic had a Parisian-style cafe in the area where the Olympic has an open promenade aft of deck B, while the Olympic (at the time of the sinking of the Titanic) did not have one.

Captains of the Olympic

1. Herbert Haddock
2. Bertram Fox Hayes
3. Henry James Hambleton
4. William Marshall
5. Walter Parker
6. E. R. White
7. John Binks
8. Reginald Peel

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Notes

Literature

• Mark Chirnside. The Olympic-class ships: Olympic, Titanic, Britannic. - Tempus, 2004. - P. 349. - ISBN 0-7524-2868-3.

Links

An excerpt characterizing the Olympic (ship)

– Look, Isidora... – Sever said quietly. - I'll show you if you want.
A bright, but dreary, living picture immediately appeared in front of me ...
Gloomy, foggy mountains were generously sprinkled with importunate, drizzling rain, leaving a feeling of insecurity and sadness in the soul... Grey, impenetrable haze wrapped the nearest castles in cocoons of fog, turning them into lonely probation guarding eternal peace in the valley... The Valley of the Mages looked gloomily to a cloudy, joyless picture, remembering the bright, joyful days, illuminated by the rays of the hot summer sun ... And from this everything around became even more dreary and even sadder.
A tall and slender young man stood as a frozen “statue” at the entrance of a familiar cave, not moving and not showing any signs of life, as if a mournful stone statue carved by an unfamiliar master right in the same cold stone rock ... I realized that this must have been an adult Svetodar. He looked mature and strong. Powerful and at the same time - very kind ... Proud, held high head spoke of fearlessness and honor. Very long blond hair, tied at the forehead with a red ribbon, fell in heavy waves over his shoulders, making him look like an ancient king... a proud descendant of the Meravingles. Leaning against a damp stone, Svetodar stood, feeling neither cold nor moisture, or rather, feeling nothing...
Here, exactly eight years ago, his mother, Golden Mary, and his little sister, the brave, affectionate Vesta, died ... They died, brutally and meanly killed by a crazy, evil man ... sent by the "fathers" holy church. Magdalena never lived to embrace her grown-up son, as boldly and faithfully as she, walking along the familiar road of Light and Knowledge.... Along the cruel earthly road of bitterness and loss...

“Svetodar has never been able to forgive himself for not being here when they needed his protection,” Sever continued quietly again. - Guilt and bitterness gnawed at his pure, warm heart, forcing him to fight even more fiercely with the non-humans, who called themselves "servants of God", "saviors" of the human soul ... He clenched his fists and swore to himself a thousand times that he would "rebuild" this "wrong" earthly world! It will destroy everything false, "black" and evil in it...
On the broad chest of Svetodar was the bloody cross of the Knights of the Temple... The cross of memory of Magdalene. And no Earthly power could make him forget the oath of knightly revenge. How kind and affectionate to bright and honest people his young heart was, so ruthless and harsh was his cold brain towards traitors and "servants" of the church. Svetodar was too determined and strict towards himself, but surprisingly patient and kind towards others. And only people without conscience and honor caused him real hostility. He did not forgive betrayal and lies in any of their manifested forms, and fought with this shame of man with all possible means, sometimes even knowing that he can lose.
Suddenly, through a gray shroud of rain, a strange, unprecedented water ran along the rock hanging right above him, the dark splashes of which sprinkled the walls of the cave, leaving eerie brown drops on it ... Svetodar, who had gone deep into himself, did not pay attention to this at the beginning, but then , looking closer, shuddered - the water was dark red! It flowed from the mountain in a stream of dark “human blood”, as if the Earth itself, unable to withstand the meanness and cruelty of man, opened up with the wounds of all his sins ... After the first stream, a second ... third ... fourth ... did not flow in streams of red water. There was a lot of her... It seemed that the holy blood of Magdalene was crying out for revenge, reminding the living of her grief!.. , majestically sailed, washing along the walls of old Carcassonne, carrying its streams further into the warm blue sea ...

Red clay in Occitania

(Having visited these sacred places, I managed to find out that the water in the mountains of Occitania turns red because of the red clay. But the sight of the running "bloody" water really made a very strong impression...).
Suddenly Svetodar listened warily... but immediately smiled warmly.
– Are you taking care of me again, uncle?
Radan stepped out from behind the stone ledge, sadly shaking his graying head. The years did not spare him, leaving a harsh imprint of anxieties and losses on his bright face ... He no longer seemed that happy young man, that ever-laughing sun-Radan, who could once melt even the hardest heart. Now it was a Warrior hardened by adversity, trying by any means to save his most precious treasure - the son of Radomir and Magdalena, the only living reminder of their tragic lives ... their courage ... their light and their love.
– You have a Duty, Lightgiven... Just like I do. You must survive. Whatever it takes. Because if you are gone, it will mean that your father and mother died in vain. That scoundrels and cowards have won our war... You have no right to that, my boy!
“You are mistaken, uncle. I have my right to it, because this is my life! And I will not allow anyone to write laws for her in advance. My father lived his short life, obeying someone else's will ... Just like my poor mother. Only because, by someone else's decision, they saved those who hated them. I do not intend to obey the will of one person, even if this person is my own grandfather. This is my life, and I will live it the way I see fit and honest!.. Forgive me, Uncle Radan!
Svetodar got excited. His young mind resented the influence of others on his own destiny. According to the law of youth, he wanted to decide for himself, not allowing someone from outside to influence his valuable life. Radan only smiled sadly, watching his courageous pet... There was enough of everything in Svetodar - strength, intelligence, endurance and perseverance. He wanted to live his life honestly and openly... only, unfortunately, he did not yet understand that there could be no open war with those who hunted him. Just because it was they who had no honor, no conscience, no heart ...
“Well, you're right in your own way, my boy… It's your life. And no one can live it but you... I'm sure you'll live it with dignity. Just be careful, Svetodar - your father's blood flows in you, and our enemies will never back down to destroy you. Take care of yourself, my dear.
Patting his nephew on the shoulder, Radan sadly stepped aside and disappeared behind a ledge. stone cliff. A second later there was a scream and a heavy thud. Something heavily fell to the ground and there was silence... Svetodar rushed towards the sound, but it was too late. On the stone floor of the cave, clinging in the last embrace, lay two bodies, one of which was a man he did not know, dressed in a cloak with a red cross, the second was ... Radan. With a piercing cry, Svetodar rushed to his uncle's body, which lay completely motionless, as if life had already left him, not even allowing him to say goodbye. But, as it turned out, Radan was still breathing.
- Uncle, please don't leave me!.. Not you... I beg you, don't leave me, uncle!
Svetodar bewilderedly squeezed him in his strong male embrace, gently shaking him like small child. Just as Radan had once pumped him so many times... It was clear that life was leaving Radan, drop by drop flowing from his weakened body in a golden stream... And even now, knowing that he was dying, he only worried about one thing - how to save Svetodar ... How to explain to him in these remaining few seconds what he has not been able to convey for all his long twenty-five years? .. And how will he tell Maria and Radomir, there, in that other, in an unfamiliar world that could not save itself, that their son was now left all alone? ..

Dagger of Radan

“Listen, son… This man is not a Knight of the Temple. Radan said hoarsely, pointing to the dead man. - I know them all - he is a stranger ... Tell this to Gundomer ... He will help ... Find them ... or they will find you. And best of all - go away, Svetodarushka ... Go away to the Gods. They will protect you. This place is covered with our blood... there is too much of it here... go away, dear...
Slowly, slowly, Radan's eyes closed. From the unclenched powerless hand, a knight's dagger fell to the ground with a clang. It was very unusual... Svetodar took a closer look - this simply could not be!.. Such a weapon belonged to a very narrow circle of knights, only those who once personally knew John - at the end of the handle there was a gilded crowned head...
Svetodar knew for sure that Radan had no longer had this blade for a long time (it had once remained in the body of his enemy). So today, he, defending himself, grabbed the killer's weapon?.. But how could it fall into someone else's hands?!. Could one of the knights of the Temple he knew betray the cause for which they all lived?! Svetodar did not believe in it. He knew these people as he knew himself. None of them could have committed such low meanness. They could only be killed, but it was impossible to force them to betray. In that case, who was the person who wielded this special dagger?!
Radan lay motionless and calm. All earthly worries and bitterness left him forever... Hardened over the years, his face smoothed out, again resembling that joyful young Radan, whom Golden Mary loved so much, and whom his dead brother, Radomir, adored with all his heart... He again seemed happy and bright , as if there was no terrible misfortune nearby, as if everything in his soul was joyful and calm again ...
Svetodar was on his knees, not saying a word. His dead body only gently swayed from side to side, as if helping itself to endure, survive this heartless, vile blow ... Here, in the same cave, eight years ago Magdalena died ... And now he was saying goodbye to his last loved one being truly all alone. Radan was right – this place absorbed too much of their family blood... No wonder even the streams turned crimson... as if wanting to tell him to leave... And he never came back.
I was shaking with some strange fever... It was scary! It was completely unacceptable and incomprehensible - after all, we were called people !!! And there must be somewhere a limit to human meanness and betrayal?
– How could you live with it for so long, Sever? All these years, knowing this, how did you manage to remain so calm?!
He just smiled sadly, not answering my question. And I, sincerely surprised at the courage and resilience of this wonderful person, discovered for myself a completely new side of his selfless and hard life... his unyielding and pure soul....
“A few more years have passed since Radan's murder. Svetodar avenged his death by finding the killer. As he suspected, it was not one of the Knights of the Temple. But they never knew who the man who had been sent to them really was. Only one thing nevertheless became known - before killing Radan, he also vilely destroyed the magnificent, bright Knight who had been walking with them from the very beginning. Destroyed just to get his cloak and weapon and give the impression that Radan was killed by his...
The heap of these bitter events poisoned the soul of Svetodar with losses. He had only one consolation - his pure, true love... His sweet, gentle Margarita... She was a wonderful Qatari girl, a follower of the teachings of the Golden Mary. And she somehow imperceptibly resembled Magdalene ... Either it was the same long golden hair, or the softness and slowness of her movements, or maybe just the tenderness and femininity of her face, but Svetodar very often caught himself on what he was looking for in her memories long gone, dear to the heart ... A year later they had a girl. They named her Mary.
As promised to Radan, little Maria was taken to the lovely courageous people - the Cathars - whom Svetodar knew very well and trusted completely. They pledged to raise Mary as their daughter, no matter what it costs them, and no matter what it threatens them with. Since then, this has been the custom - as soon as a new child was born in the line of Radomir and Magdalena, he was given up for education to people whom the “holy” church did not know and did not suspect. And this was done in order to save their priceless lives, to give them the opportunity to live them to the end. No matter how happy or sad he is...
- How could they give away their children, Sever? Did their parents never see them again? .. - I asked in shock.
- Why didn't you see it? Seen. It's just that each fate developed differently ... Later, some of the parents generally lived nearby, especially mothers. And sometimes there were cases that they were arranged even by the same people who raised their child. They lived differently ... Only one thing never changed - the servants of the church did not get tired of following their trail, like bloodhounds, not missing the slightest opportunity to destroy the parents and children who carried the blood of Radomir and Magdalena, fiercely hating even himself for this a small, newly born child...
- How often did they die - descendants? Did anyone stay alive and live their life to the end? Did you help them, Sever? Did Meteora help them?.. - I literally bombarded him with a hail of questions, unable to stop my burning curiosity.
Sever thought for a moment, then said sadly:
“We tried to help... but many of them didn't want to. I think that the news of a father who gave his son to perish lived in their hearts for centuries, not forgiving us, and not forgetting. The pain can be severe, Isidora. She does not forgive mistakes. Especially the ones that can't be fixed...
– Did you know any other of these wondrous descendants, Sever?
– Well, of course, Isidora! We knew everyone, but we didn't get to see everyone. Some I think you already know. But will you allow me to finish about Svetodar first? His fate was complicated and strange. Are you interested in learning about her? - I just nodded, and Sever continued... - After the birth of his wonderful daughter, Svetodar finally decided to fulfill Radan's wish... Do you remember, dying, Radan asked him to go to the Gods?
- Yes, but was it serious?! .. To what "gods" could he send him? After all, there are no living Gods on Earth for a long time! ..
– You are not quite right, my friend... Maybe this is not quite what people mean by Gods, but there is always someone on Earth who temporarily takes their place. Who is watching, so that the Earth does not come to a cliff, and life on it would not come to a terrible and premature end. The world has not yet been born, Isidora, you know that. The earth still needs constant help. But people should not know about it... They should get out themselves. Otherwise, help will only bring harm. Therefore, Radan was not so wrong in sending Svetodar to those who are watching. He knew that Svetodar would never come to us. So I tried to save him, to protect him from misfortune. After all, Svetodar was a direct descendant of Radomir, his first-born son. He was the most dangerous of all because he was the closest. And if he had been killed, this wonderful and bright Rod would never have continued.
Saying goodbye to his sweet, affectionate Margarita, and shaking little Maria for the last time, Svetodar set off on a very long and difficult journey ... To an unfamiliar northern country, to where the one to whom Radan sent him lived lived. And whose name was the Stranger...
Many more years will pass before Svetodar returns home. He will return to perish... But he will live a full and bright Life... He will gain Knowledge and Understanding of the world. He will find what he has been following for so long and stubbornly ...
I will show them to you, Isidora... I will show you something that I have never shown to anyone before.
There was a breath of cold and spaciousness around me, as if I had suddenly plunged into eternity... watched me for a moment, trying to understand who dared to disturb his peace. But soon this feeling disappeared, and only a big and deep, "warm" silence remained...
On the emerald, boundless clearing, cross-legged, two people were sitting opposite each other ... They were sitting with their eyes closed, without uttering a word. And yet, it was clear - they said ...
I understood that their thoughts were speaking... My heart was beating wildly, as if wanting to jump out!.. mysterious world people, I watched them with bated breath, trying to remember their images in my soul, because I knew that this would not happen again. Apart from the North, no one else will show me what was so closely connected with our past, with our suffering, but not surrendering Earth ...
One of those sitting looked very familiar, and, of course, having looked at him carefully, I immediately recognized Svetodar ... He almost did not change, only his hair became shorter. But the face remained almost as young and fresh as on the day when he left Montsegur ... The second was also relatively young and very tall (which was visible even sitting). His long, white, frost-covered hair fell over his broad shoulders, glowing like pure silver in the sun. This color was very unusual for us - as if not real ... But what struck him most of all was his eyes - deep, wise and very large, they shone with the same pure silvery light ... As if someone with a generous hand scattered myriads of silver stars into them. .. The face of the stranger was hard and at the same time kind, collected and detached, as if at the same time he was living not only our, Earthly, but also some other, alien life...
If I understood correctly, this was exactly the one whom the North called the Wanderer. The one who watched...
Both were dressed in white and red long clothes, girded with a thick, twisted, red cord. The world around this unusual couple swayed smoothly, changing its shape, as if they were sitting in some kind of closed oscillating space, accessible only to the two of them. The air around was fragrant and cool, it smelled of forest herbs, fir trees and raspberries... A light, occasionally running breeze gently caressed the juicy tall grass, leaving in it the smells of distant lilacs, fresh milk and cedar cones... The land here was so surprisingly safe , pure and kind, as if worldly anxieties did not touch her, human malice did not penetrate into her, as if a deceitful, changeable person did not set foot there ...
The two speakers got up and, smiling at each other, began to say goodbye. Svetodar was the first to speak.
– Thank you, Stranger... I bow to you. I can't go back, you know. I'm going home. But I have memorized your lessons and will pass them on to others. You will always live in my memory as well as in my heart. Goodbye.
- Go, in peace, the son of bright people - Svetodar. I'm glad I met you. And I am sad that I say goodbye to you ... I gave you everything that you were able to comprehend ... And what you are able to give to others. But this does not mean that people will want to accept what you want to tell them. Remember, knowing, a person is responsible for his choice. Not gods, not fate - only the man himself! And until he understands this, the Earth will not change, it will not get better... An easy way home for you, dedicated one. May your Faith protect you. And may our Family help you ...
The vision is gone. The surroundings were empty and lonely. As if the old warm sun quietly disappeared behind a black cloud...
- How much time has passed since the day Svetodar left home, Sever? I already thought that he was leaving for a long time, maybe even for the rest of his life? ..
– And he stayed there all his life, Isidora. For six long decades.
But he looks very young? So he also managed to live long without aging? Did he know the old secret? Or was it taught to him by the Stranger?
“That I cannot tell you, my friend, for I do not know. But I know something else - Svetodar did not have time to teach what the Stranger taught him for years - he was not allowed ... But he managed to see the continuation of his wonderful Family - a small great-great-grandson. Managed to call him by his real name. This gave Svetodar a rare opportunity - to die happy ... Sometimes even this is enough to make life not seem in vain, isn't it, Isidora?
- And again - fate chooses the best! .. Why did he have to study all his life? Why did he leave his wife and child, if everything turned out to be in vain? Or was there some great meaning in it, which I still cannot comprehend, Sever?
“Do not kill yourself in vain, Isidora. You understand everything very well - look into yourself, because the answer is your whole life ... You are fighting, knowing full well that you will not be able to win - you will not be able to win. But how can you do otherwise?.. A person cannot, has no right to give up, admitting the possibility of losing. Even if it’s not you, but someone else who, after your death, will be ignited by your courage and courage, it’s not in vain. It's just that an earthly person has not yet matured to be able to comprehend such a thing. For most people, fighting is only interesting as long as they stay alive, but none of them are interested in what happens after. They still do not know how to "live for posterity", Isidora.
“It's sad, if you're right, my friend... But it won't change today. Therefore, returning to the old, can you say how Svetodar's life ended?
North smiled kindly.
– And you are also changing a lot, Isidora. Even in our last meeting, you would have rushed to assure me that I was wrong! .. You began to understand a lot, my friend. It's only a pity that you're leaving in vain... you can incomparably more!
The North was silent for a moment, but almost immediately continued.
- After long and hard years of lonely wanderings, Svetodar finally returned home, to his beloved Oksitania ... where sad, irreparable losses awaited him.
A long time ago, his sweet tender wife, Margarita, passed away, who did not wait for him to share their difficult life with him ... He also did not find the wonderful granddaughter Tara, who was given to them by their daughter Maria ... and great-granddaughter Maria, who died at the birth of his great-great-grandson, who was born just three years ago. Too much of his family was lost... Too heavy a burden crushed him, not allowing him to enjoy the rest of his life... Look at them, Isidora... They are worth knowing.
And again I appeared where long-dead people lived, who became dear to my heart... Bitterness wrapped my soul in a shroud of silence, not allowing me to communicate with them. I couldn't address them, I couldn't even tell how courageous and wonderful they were...

Occitania...

Three people were standing at the very top of a high stone mountain... One of them was Svetodar, he looked very sad. Nearby, leaning on his arm, stood a very beautiful young woman, and a little blond boy clung to her, clutching a huge armful of bright wildflowers to his chest.
- Whom did you get so much, Belayarushka? Svetodar asked kindly.
- Well, how?! .. - the boy was surprised, immediately dividing the bouquet into three even parts. - This is for mommy ... And this is for dear grandmother Tara, and this is for grandmother Maria. Isn't that right, grandpa?
Svetodar did not answer, only tightly pressed the boy to his chest. He was all he had left... this wonderful sweet baby. After the great-granddaughter Maria, who died during childbirth, whom Svetodar never saw, the baby had only Aunt Marsilla (standing next to them) and his father, whom Beloyar almost did not remember, since he fought somewhere all the time.
- Is it true that you will never leave now, grandfather? Is it true that you will stay with me and teach me? Aunt Marcilla says that now you will always live only with us. Is it true, grandpa?
The baby's eyes shone like bright stars. Apparently, the appearance of such a young and strong grandfather from somewhere delighted the baby! Well, the “grandfather”, sadly hugging him, thought at that time about those whom he would never see again, even if he lived on Earth for even a hundred lonely years ...
“I’m not going anywhere, Belayarushka. Where can I go if you are here? .. We will always be together with you now, right? You and I are so great strength!.. Right?
The kid squealed with pleasure and clung to his newly-born grandfather, as if he could suddenly take and disappear, just as suddenly as he appeared.
“Are you really not going anywhere, Svetodar?” Marcilla asked softly.
Svetodar just shook his head sadly. And where was he to go, where to go?.. This was his land, his roots. Here lived and died everyone whom he loved, who was dear to him. And this is where he went HOME. In Montsegur he was incredibly welcome. True, there was not a single one of those who would remember him. But there were their children and grandchildren. There were his Cathars, whom he loved with all his heart and respected with all his soul.
The faith of Magdalene flourished in Occitania like never before, having long passed beyond its borders! This was the Golden Age of the Cathars. When their teachings rushed through the countries in a powerful, invincible wave, sweeping away any obstacles on their clean and right path. More and more newcomers joined them. And despite all the "black" attempts of the "saint" catholic church to destroy them, the teachings of Magdalene and Radomir captured all truly bright and courageous hearts, and all sharp minds open to new things. In the farthest corners of the earth, minstrels sang the marvelous songs of the Occitan troubadours, which opened the eyes and minds of the enlightened, but they amused the "ordinary" people with their romantic skill.

Occitania bloomed like a beautiful bright flower, absorbing the vitality of the bright Mary. It seemed that no force could resist this powerful flow of Knowledge and bright, universal Love. People still worshiped their Magdalene here, adoring her. As if she still lived in each of them ... She lived in every pebble, in every flower, every grain of this amazing, pure land ...
One day, walking through familiar caves, Svetodar came across a new one that shook him to the very depths of his soul... There, in a calm, quiet corner, stood his wonderful mother - beloved Mary Magdalene! .. It seemed that nature could not forget this wonderful, strong woman and despite everything, created her image with her all-powerful, generous hand.

Mary's cave. In the very corner of the cave stands, created by nature, a tall statue of a beautiful woman,
wrapped in very long hair. Local Cathars said that the statue appeared there immediately after
the death of Magdalene and after each fall of a new drop of water, it became more and more like her ...
This cave is now called the "cave of Mary". And everyone can see the Magdalene standing there.

Turning around, a little further away Svetodar saw another miracle - in the other corner of the cave stood a statue of his sister! She clearly resembled a curly-haired girl standing over something lying... (Vesta standing over her mother's body?..) Svetodar's hair began to stir!.. It seemed to him that he had begun to go crazy. Turning quickly, he ran out of the cave.

Statue of Vesta - Svetodar's sister. Occitania did not want to forget them...
And she created her own monument - drop by drop sculpting faces dear to her heart.
They stand there for centuries, and the water continues its magical work, making
they are getting closer and more and more similar to the real ones ...

Later, slightly moving away from the shock, Svetodar asked Marsila if she knew what he saw. And when he heard a positive answer, his soul literally “sobbed” with tears of happiness - in this land, indeed, his mother, Golden Mary, was still alive! The very land of Occitania recreated this beautiful woman in itself - “revived” its Magdalene in stone ... It was a real creation of love ... Nature was only a loving architect.

Tears shone in my eyes... And I was absolutely not ashamed of it. I would give a lot to meet one of them alive! .. Especially Magdalene. What wondrous, ancient Magic burned in the soul of this amazing woman when she created her magical kingdom?! A kingdom in which Knowledge and Understanding ruled, and whose backbone was Love. Only not the love about which the “holy” church screamed, having worn out this wondrous word to the point that I didn’t want to hear it any longer, but that beautiful and pure, real and courageous, unique and amazing LOVE, with the name of which powers were born ... and with the name of which the ancient warriors rushed into battle... with the name of which a new life was born... with the name of which our world changed and became better... This Love was carried by Golden Mary. And it is this Mary that I would like to bow to... For everything that she carried, for her pure bright LIFE, for her courage and courage, and for Love.
But, unfortunately, it was impossible to do this... She lived centuries ago. And I couldn't be the one who knew her. An incredibly deep, bright sadness suddenly overwhelmed me, and bitter tears poured down in a stream...
- What are you, my friend!.. Other sorrows await you! Sever exclaimed in surprise. - Please, calm down...
He gently touched my hand and gradually the sadness disappeared. Only bitterness remained, as if I had lost something bright and dear ...
– You mustn't relax... War awaits you, Isidora.
– Tell me, Sever, was the teaching of the Cathars called the Teaching of Love because of Magdalene?
– Here you are not quite right, Isidora. The uninitiated called it the Teaching of Love. For those who understood, it carried a completely different meaning. Listen to the sound of words, Isidora: love sounds in French - amor (amour) - right? And now divide this word, separating the letter “a” from it ... It turns out a'mor (a "mort) - without death ... This is the true meaning of the teachings of Magdalene - the Teachings of the Immortals. As I told you before - everything it's simple, Isidora, if you only look and listen correctly... Well, for those who do not hear, let it remain the Teaching of Love... it is also beautiful.

It's always some kind of mystery. On the surface, ships rust and turn into terrible monsters, and at a depth they seem to acquire new life, acquiring a galaxy of sea creatures. Many ships died as a result of crashes and wars, and each of them has its own history of disaster and its own story of salvation.

The fate of the ocean liner « Britannic"built before the start of the First World War and considered an unsinkable ship is as tragic as its two brothers" olympic" And " Titanic».

Creation of Britannica

During the death of the liner "" on Queens Island at the shipyard " Harland & Wolff» the construction of the third vessel of the series « Olympic". Initially, this liner was supposed to bear the name " giant", but after the death of the predecessor, representatives of the company" White Star Line"they decided to abandon the mythology of antiquity, and called the new ship a patriotic name" Britannic". Its construction was frozen for several months, pending the conclusions of the British commission to investigate the Titanic disaster.

start of construction of Britannica

one of the watertight partitions

steam turbine rotor

During the slipway work on the ship " Britannic» Improvements have been made. When creating the project of the ship, the engineers set out to make it unsinkable. To do this, they developed a double inner skin of the ship's hull. This measure was taken in case of a collision with an iceberg. The second innovation was the installation of five watertight partitions that reached the upper decks, and were supposed to prevent flooding of all compartments one by one. The architecture of the liner has also undergone some changes. In particular, the well between the superstructure and the poop was closed with a deck, turning it into a shelter deck, and a superstructure with additional third-class cabins was erected on the poop deck.

Displacement " Britannica" was the largest among the whole trio" White Star Line and amounted to 48158 registered tons.

The biggest drawback of the Titanic was the lack of lifeboats, so the Britannic had twice as many. The liner was equipped with five pairs of huge 12-meter davit cranes, each of which could safely launch five boats with a large heel. In the bow of the boat deck, cranes were installed only on the starboard side. In the peacetime version, the liner was supposed to carry 40 boats, but some of them were never installed in connection with subsequent events.

Launching the Royal Mail Steamer (RMS) Britannic" February 26, 1914 was marked by a bad omen - there was no traditional christening, but the company announced that the liner would be released in the spring of next year. The ship was originally built as a transatlantic passenger liner , but with the outbreak of the First World War it was used for other purposes.

After the outbreak of the First World War Britannic" was requisitioned by the Admiralty and in October 1914, during completion afloat, was converted into a floating hospital. The ship was equipped with 3,300 beds for the wounded, many operating rooms, storage rooms, cabins for medical staff, a mortuary, recreational and gymnastic halls. Liner received coloring: a white hull with a wide green stripe and red crosses on the sides, as well as yellow pipes.

On November 13, 1915, the ship was completed, and on December 8, after successful sea trials, the British Navy entered service. 12 December " Britannic” moved from Belfast to Southampton, where he was staffed with medical personnel and supplies. December 23 liner " Britannic" set off on his maiden voyage to the Mediterranean. Captain liner was appointed the best captain of the shipping company Charles A. Bartlett, who oversaw the construction of " Britannica". Then he did not yet know what fate was in store for him and his offspring.

Britannic in World War I

In August 1916, Europe was engulfed in the First World War, and this fate did not escape the eastern Mediterranean. Allies England and France launched a bloody Dardanelles operation against Germany and Turkey, landing their troops in Gallipoli. The British suffered heavy losses, and reinforcements had to be transferred. It was also necessary to establish a system for sending the wounded and sick back to Britain. It was for this purpose that Britannic". In the waters swarming German submarines the passenger liner was carrying a large batch of wounded British soldiers.

For the whole of 1916 Britannic managed to complete five successful flights. Over 13,000 wounded soldiers were brought to England. The fiercer the war at sea became, the greater the danger was " Britannic».

In the Aegean Sea, in the strait between Greece and Kea Island, U-boat captains laid mines in two parallel lines. In the narrowness of the Mediterranean, this tactic often worked. Through this strait, the course ran to the British base on the island of Lemnos.

last way

November 21, 1916 liner " Britannic", following the strait separating Greek islands Kea and Kythnos, was on its sixth flight to pick up another batch of wounded. There were 1134 people on board. Suddenly at 08:00 in the area of ​​​​the bridge on the starboard side thundered powerful explosion, followed by a long hum and vibration of the hull. Captain Bartlett was still having breakfast, without changing his pajamas, hastily ran out into the wheelhouse. At first he thought the ship had hit a mine. The captain tried to turn the ship towards the shore in order to jump into shallow water, but it was in vain.

Britannic is sinking

Meanwhile, the ship's crew were preparing to leave the ship. Everyone rushed to the boats. As the water filled the bow of the ship, liner began to roll to starboard. It became clear that the compartments were flooded one by one. Giant propeller blades came to the surface, turning the two sailing boats and their passengers into a bloody mess, killing 28 people. As the ship hid under water, water began to pour through the portholes opened by the medical staff. It was enough to destroy liner. The last to leave the ship, as it should be, was Captain Bartlett. Only 30 people fell victims of this disaster, which spoke of endurance, discipline, as well as the coordinated actions of the team and medical staff. The rescued 1,104 passengers were later picked up by British destroyer escorts.

versions of the death of "Britanica"

"British" was the largest loss of the British merchant fleet in the history of the First World War.

However, the public stirred up not the crash " Britannica", where only 30 people died, otherwise under what circumstances this happened. After all, the ship sank in 57 minutes. People simply could not believe in the death of another giant.

Newspapers wrote that " Britannic"was the victim of a deliberate torpedo attack. However, this message was refuted by the commander of the German submarine U-73, Captain Seyss, who claimed that a mine bank was exposed in the strait, which he ran into. This is confirmed by the logbook, which accurately describes that the submarine commander did not give orders to torpedo " Britannic”, but also indicates the fact of laying several mines near the island where the disaster occurred. The submarine commander saw that there were people on the deck of the ship. All of them belonged to the military corps and were dressed in camouflage uniforms.

There are two versions the death of the Britannica. Official - liner was blown up by a mine laid by the German submarine U-73. Second unofficial version was announced by the expedition famous researcher Jacques-Yves Cousteau in 1975, according to which illegal weapons were transported to Egypt on board the liner. The ship was supposed to call at the port of Alexandria and unload it. This fact became known to German intelligence, and during the bunkering in Naples, an infernal machine was laid in one of the starboard coal bunkers. Four days later, when the stores were fairly empty, the infernal machine went off, causing a secondary explosion of coal dust in all the starboard bunkers. This explains the hum that was felt for some time after the explosion. Rapid liner sinking Cousteau explains that the tightness was broken by a secondary explosion of coal dust throughout the bunkers. One way or another, the secondary detonation could also have occurred under the influence of a mine explosion overboard. This is confirmed by the accumulation of a large amount of coal on the ground, scattered around the remains of the ship.