A ship sails through history… What a wonderful, vibrant history there is, as told by our marine editor, in the old liner Captain Cook, better known as the Letitia, which is now on her way to the scrap heap.
This was no mere luxury vessel made famous because of a kind of café society trade. Through the years she took part in the dramas of our time, tragedy and hopefulness, war and peace.
In her early days she brought settlers from Scotland to Canada. Then was fitted as a hospital ship and brought back those thousand Canadian prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1945, just in time for Christmas.
Then she became the transport Empire Brent, bringing war brides and their children to Canada. Finally she became the Captain Cook, appropriately captain by a Vancouver celebrity named Captain James Cook, carrying 27,000 settlers to a new life in New Zealand.
We on the waterfront can flavor the full emotion of such a story. The Captain Cook played her part in the crises of countless lives.
The Province (Vancouver), 11 March 1960
Sister ships share the same basic construction details, usually come from the same builder and spend at least the first part of their lives in company, indeed of “of one company” as Sir Francis Drake would have it. Yet, many wind up having divergent careers and different fortunes and fates as distinct as their own individual characters.
Yet her sister managed to distinguish herself in more roles—North Atlantic liner, cruise ship, Armed Merchant Cruiser, troop transport, hospital ship, war bride ship and migrant vessel; serve more British dominions—Canada, Australia and New Zealand; and carry more varied passengers--- emigrants, tourists, pilgrims, students, university heads, scholars, authors, generals, soldiers, POWs, wounded, displaced persons and assisted migrants than any other passenger vessel. Letitia, and as Empire Brent and Captain Cook, too, has earned her place in the annals of the Merchant Navy and the history of immigration to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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| "Will Ye No Come Back Again"...R.M.S. Athenia, 1923-1939. Credit: Don Hazeldine |
Part One: R.M.S. ATHENIA & R.M.S. LETITIA 1919-1939
SCOTLAND'S "OTHER" TRANS-ATLANTIC LINE
If nothing else, Athenia and Letitia hold the distinction of being the last two newly built passenger ships for a line which whilst never rivalling Anchor Line in number of ships, was no less representative of its native Scotland on the North Atlantic Ferry. It would be hard to conceive of the British Merchant Navy without the contribution of the genius of Scottish marine engineering, the craftsmanship of Scottish shipwrights, the business acumen of Scottish ship owners and the stalwart qualities of Scottish seamanship. Or indeed of the true “Hands Across the Sea” bonds that linked Scotland with Scots in North America that both Anchor and Donaldson Lines maintained. At their heart, Athenia and Letitia were Scottish Ships of State throughout their careers.
After a few trial voyages, the greater prospects of the North America route beckoned, in particular that to the new Dominion of Canada then just entering a remarkable period of substantial Scottish immigration. In April 1878 the Donaldsons began a fortnightly Glasgow-St. Lawrence service to Quebec and Montreal and to Portland, Maine in winter. By the turn of the century this evolved into a weekly service to Montreal, St. John in winter and also to Baltimore. These were cargo operations, but by the turn of the century, the demand for passenger space from Scotland to Canada was insatiable. In 1903 the line began to offer berths on their existing ships.
The figures for Scottish settlement in Canada do not tell the story of Donaldson Line's ensuing passenger service from the Clyde to the St. Lawrence, but they give every reason why it came to be and why it prospered:
Period No. of Scottish Immigrants
1871-1901 80,000
1901-1919 240,000
1919-1930 200,000
By 1930, over one million Scots lived in Canada whose total population at the time was about 10 million. As the expat population settled and prospered, it fostered a gradual increase in eastbound traffic as well to "the Old Country."
The 7,835-grt Athenia entered service in May 1904 as a freighter, but the surging immigrant trade prompted her being rebuilt the following year with berths for 50 Second Class and 450 Third Class and followed in 1906 by a similar vessel the 7,396-grt Cassandra with 200 Second Class and 1,000 Third class berths. Before the First World War, Donaldson added two more liners, the 8,611-grt Saturnia (250 Second 950 Third Class) in 1910 and the 8,911-grt Letitia (300 Second Class 950 Third Class) in 1912 to maintain a weekly service.
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| Athenia (1904) was the first of a quartet of liners for the Glasgow-Montreal run before the First World War. Credit: Author's collection. |
Altogether the Donaldson fleet totaled 14 vessels by 1914, but the First World War was devastating to the company, eight ships being lost and the flagship Letitia stranded off Halifax whilst serving as a hospital ship. In November 1916 Anchor Line (Henderson Bros. Ltd,) acquired a half interest in the four passenger steamers and henceforth the passenger service was operated as Anchor-Donaldson Ltd. With Anchor wholly owned by Cunard since 1912, this created the rather ponderously named Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson Lines as it was advertised from 1917 onwards.
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| The handsome pre-war Letitia was lost in the First World War whilst serving as a hospital ship... not by enemy action, but pilot error coming into Halifax in 1917. Credit: Author's collection. |
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| Cover of Donaldson Line brochure, c. 1926. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
A PAIR OF
POST-WAR GODDESSES
The Cunard, Anchor and Donaldson fleets had all been ravaged by war losses and embarked on a remarkable and unprecedented newbuilding programme in 1919. This totalled 34 ships of a combined 389,000 grt for Cunard, Anchor, Donaldson and Brocklebank.
As a tribute to those vessels which had been lost in the war, their names would be carried on by their post-war replacements, breaking a long held belief among some sailors that it was unlucky to change or repeat a ship's name. For Donaldson, it also saved them from searching out another pair of Greek goddess names to bestow on their share of the newbuildings.
As a tribute to those vessels which had been lost in the war, their names would be carried on by their post-war replacements, breaking a long held belief among some sailors that it was unlucky to change or repeat a ship's name. For Donaldson, it also saved them from searching out another pair of Greek goddess names to bestow on their share of the newbuildings.
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| The earliest rendering of the new Donaldson liners (by Odin Rosenvinge) gives them a far more imposing funnel than that actually fitted. |
On 9 September 1919 Anchor-Donaldson placed an order with Fairfield Co. Ltd. for two ships for their Glasgow-Montreal route. These were assigned Yard Nos. 596 and 601. No. 596 was laid down at Govan almost immediately.
… the liner left the building berth , and took the -water gracefully in a favouring wind, amid great cheering from a large gathering of spectators.
The Scotsman 30 January 1922
Christened by Mrs. Alexander Gemmell, a daughter of the late Mr. A.F. Donaldson, Athenia was launched at 1:00 p.m. on 28 January 1922. At the post launch luncheon, Sir Alexander M. Kennedy, Managing Director of Fairfields, addressed the myriad problems now plaguing British shipbuilding at the time: "The cost of the Athenia will make well-nigh impossible for them to get a return on the capital expended, but since prices have now fallen considerably, and with the prospect of further reductions taking place in materials and labour, the present might be a very suitable time to lay down a duplicate vessel and apply the law of average. Needless to say we Fairfield would do all in our power to lighten their burden as much as possible."
The same day, the initial dates for Athenia’s first voyages were announced with her maiden voyage commencing from Glasgow on 9 June and that from Montreal on the 23rd. She was to have successive sailings from Montreal on 21 July, 18 August, 18 September, 13 October and 10 November and run between Glasgow and Portland, Maine, in winter.
The same day, the initial dates for Athenia’s first voyages were announced with her maiden voyage commencing from Glasgow on 9 June and that from Montreal on the 23rd. She was to have successive sailings from Montreal on 21 July, 18 August, 18 September, 13 October and 10 November and run between Glasgow and Portland, Maine, in winter.
At her christening, it was said Athenia would be put into service within six months and the keel of her sister ship was duly laid down. The epic post-war building programme of Cunard and associated lines should have continued to showcase British shipbuilding prowess and efficiency as just witnessed during the war. Instead, labour problems culminating in prolonged strikes by engineers and joiners, astonishing inflation in wages and materials exacerbated by "cost plus" contracts rather than fixed priced tenders as well as a downturn in both the cargo and passenger trade brought about by high tariffs and restrictions on immigration into the United States, all conspired to make these intermediate liners not only among the most expensive per ton ever built, but also among the longest to complete.
Such were conditions, that stop work orders went out in March 1922 on the second Donaldson ship and Anchor's Transylvania in the early stages of construction at Govan as well as other ships underway in other yards. The fitting out, too, of Athenia ground to a near halt since the engineers strike precluded her planned completion in time for the 1922 St. Lawrence season and Donaldson were in no hurry take delivery in winter.
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| Another early Rosenvinge rendering of Athenia. |
Such were conditions, that stop work orders went out in March 1922 on the second Donaldson ship and Anchor's Transylvania in the early stages of construction at Govan as well as other ships underway in other yards. The fitting out, too, of Athenia ground to a near halt since the engineers strike precluded her planned completion in time for the 1922 St. Lawrence season and Donaldson were in no hurry take delivery in winter.
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| Underway again, Donaldson ramped up the promotion of the delayed new ship's rescheduled maiden voyage for April 1923. This introduced the artwork, too, used for Athenia's first colour postcard. Credit: Victoria Daily Times, 23 January 1923 |
It was not until 22 January 1923 that Athenia's fitting out was resumed. It announced she would open the St. Lawrence Season with her maiden sailing from Glasgow on 19 April and would, like Saturnia and Cassandra, make westbound calls at Moville in Northern Ireland. "This liner is now being rapidly pushed to completion in preparation for her maiden voyage from Glasgow on April 19 and eastbound from Montreal on May 4," reported the Gazette (Montreal). On 3 March it was added that Athenia would run her sea trials "towards the later part of this month."
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| Athenia on trials, 3 April 1923. |
Athenia ran trials on the Skelmarlie measured mile in the Clyde on 3 April 1923 which were described as “being in every way satisfactory” with a mean speed of 16.77 knots obtained. Aboard were Sir Alexander Kennedy, Managing Director of Fairfields, Prof. P.A. Hillhouse, Naval Architect, Leonard Peskett, Naval Architect, Mr. Charles Donaldson, Chairman of Anchor-Donaldson, Mr. W.B. Donaldson and Mr. N.P. Donaldson. Following the trials, a reception and luncheon was arranged aboard hosted by Mr. Charles Donaldson and Sir Alexander Kennedy.
Finally, some four years after being ordered, Athenia was off on her maiden voyage, sailing from Glasgow at 1:00 p.m. 19 April 1923 with 210 Cabin and 937 Third Class. This called en route at Liverpool so that she had aboard a final list of 240 Cabin and 1,126 Third and was due at Quebec on the 30th. But spring weather played havoc with plans and strong east winds still holding masses of ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence diverted Athenia and Cunard's Ausonia to Halifax. The Donaldson liner docked there at 6:00 a.m. 2 May, but did not sail for Montreal until 2:00 p.m. on the 4th owing to ice. The conditions persisted and on the 9th, she was still in ice off Cape Ray along with Ausonia. As it was, Athenia did not dock at Montreal until the 12th at 1:30 p.m. It was one of the most delayed maiden arrivals of a passenger liner ever.
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| First advertisement for Athenia's maiden voyage, |
Finally, some four years after being ordered, Athenia was off on her maiden voyage, sailing from Glasgow at 1:00 p.m. 19 April 1923 with 210 Cabin and 937 Third Class. This called en route at Liverpool so that she had aboard a final list of 240 Cabin and 1,126 Third and was due at Quebec on the 30th. But spring weather played havoc with plans and strong east winds still holding masses of ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence diverted Athenia and Cunard's Ausonia to Halifax. The Donaldson liner docked there at 6:00 a.m. 2 May, but did not sail for Montreal until 2:00 p.m. on the 4th owing to ice. The conditions persisted and on the 9th, she was still in ice off Cape Ray along with Ausonia. As it was, Athenia did not dock at Montreal until the 12th at 1:30 p.m. It was one of the most delayed maiden arrivals of a passenger liner ever.
Making a quick turnaround, Athenia sailed on her maiden eastbound crossing at 1:00 p.m. on 14 May 1923 with 171 Cabin and 91 Third Class passengers, passed Father Point at 8:20 a.m. the following day and averaging over 15 knots. To get back on schedule, she made another quick turnaround upon arrival at Glasgow.
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| Early official line issue postcard for the new Athenia, possibly by Walter Thomas. Credit: Author's collection. |
Athenia finally reached Montreal the evening of 2 July 1923 after being held up at Quebec by processing her arriving 1,138 Third Class of whom 400 were bound for the U.S. and delayed by U.S. authorities.
Her first year, Athenia completed 14 crossings and carried 9,757 passengers.
Although the Shipbuilder noted that "It now seems evident that the Anchor-Cunard-Donaldson combine are not anxious to obtain delivery of any these four [Transylvania, Letitia, Caledonia and Alaunia] vessels for service at the beginning of the 1924 season", work was finally resumed in late November 1923 on Athenia’s long delayed sister which had languished for two and a half years on the stocks. This would give the yard work for 15 months.
Although the Shipbuilder noted that "It now seems evident that the Anchor-Cunard-Donaldson combine are not anxious to obtain delivery of any these four [Transylvania, Letitia, Caledonia and Alaunia] vessels for service at the beginning of the 1924 season", work was finally resumed in late November 1923 on Athenia’s long delayed sister which had languished for two and a half years on the stocks. This would give the yard work for 15 months.
Plans for the 1924 season were announced on 29 December 1923. During the summer, Athenia would call at Liverpool westbound as part of the joint service with Cunard which would add Caronia and Carmania to the route. On 3 May 1924 it was announced that Athenia would call westbound at Moville as well.
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| The advent of the new Athenia coincided with a major push as part of the Empire Settlement Plan to foster immigration to Canada by Britons with subsidised flat fares and pre-arranged employment. As part of this were a wonderful series of posters promoting Canada, Donaldson and featuring the new flagship. That above, by Odin Rosenvinge, shows Athenia off Quebec. |
Finding winter employment for St. Lawrence route vessels was always challenging, given that the river was closed to navigation usually from mid November to early April and traffic to Canada fell off substantially in winter. Traditionally, Donaldson Line had maintained a winter service to Halifax and Portland, Maine, but now under the Cunard-Anchor umbrella, Athenia and her eventual running mate were shifted about on Cunard or Anchor's own winter services or, at times, simply laid up in winter.
For her first winter season, Athenia made two voyages on Cunard’s Liverpool-Halifax-New York run. On the first, she docked at Halifax via Queenstown on 24 February 1924 and then made her maiden arrival at New York two days later. She left New York on 1 March. Her second Cunard voyage left Liverpool on the 15th, called at Halifax on the 22nd and New York on the 25th.
Beginning her second St. Lawrence season, Athenia sailed from Glasgow on 24 April 1924, called at Liverpool and reached Quebec on 3 May and Montreal the following day. Her first eastbound sailing commenced on 8 May and with Saturnia and Cassandra, Donaldson offered three departures a month.
The ship's second westbound crossing was the first to call at Moville on 24 May 1924 where 50 passengers embarked.
The ship's second westbound crossing was the first to call at Moville on 24 May 1924 where 50 passengers embarked.
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| The Northern Irish papers were the best champions of the new Donaldson twins especially after Athenia's maiden call at Moville in May 1924. A party of reporters and travel agents were invited for her first Glasgow-Liverpool to Moville run. Credit: Ballymena Observer, 30 May 1924. |
That year’s carryings were bolstered by substantial, sustained and subsidised Scottish emigration to the Dominion. If the United States had slammed the door on unrestricted immigration in 1922, Canada had a still largely unpopulated country to fill, a shortage of labour especially in agricultural work and determined that immigrants come mostly from the Mother Country as part of the Empire Settlement Plan in co-operation with the British Government as well as private sponsors.
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| One of the many posters Donaldson Line printed in the 1920s-30s promoting Canada in conjunction with the Empire Settlement Plan. This one dates from 1928. Credit: The Glasgow Story.com |
On 29 May 1924 it was reported that Athenia had left Glasgow with 700 settlers and another 200 embarked at Liverpool, most of them farm workers, labourers and domestic servants. On 2 June among her passengers landing at Montreal were 100 Empire Settlement Plan emigrants. This was further by the American quota act which diverted much British and Irish westbound traffic from New York to Montreal and Quebec.
With Caronia and Carmania now on Cunard’s Liverpool-Quebec (they were too large to proceed to Montreal) run, Athenia continued to also call at Moville en route to Canada. "The Athenia's last westbound voyage was notable for the genuine enthusiasm which her visit to the north Ireland port of Moville was greeted by the citizens of Londonderry." (Gazette, 12 June 1924)
Athenia left Glasgow on 23 June 1924 with over 450 settlers and more embarked at Moville. Most were domestic servants and farm workers, including boys aged 16-17 going to Canada sponsored by the Salvation Army.
On 26 July 1924 Donaldson reported a 60% increase in Canadian passenger traffic and reminded that Letitia would augment the service the next year.
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| Another Donaldson Line poster (1927) promoting the direct service to Canada not just from Glasgow but from Northern Ireland (Moville at first and then Belfast). Credit: The Glasgow Story.com |
It was reported on 10 September 1924 that Letitia would finally be launched later in the month, it being noted there was now a heavy demand on the Clyde for ship joiners and iron workers and there was “considerable movement from Montreal to Glasgow for this class of labour.” (Gazette). So at times, there was also eastbound emigrant travel to bolster the ships' carryings.
Preliminary plans for the 1925 season were released on 12 September 1924 with Letitia, Athenia, Saturnia and Cassandra offering a weekly Glasgow-St. Lawrence service and Letitia and Athenia calling westbound at Liverpool. On the 24th Cunard announced the addition of new Ascania and Aurania plus Letitia would make a fleet of nine liners, totaling 119,000 grt on the Montreal run. Carmania and Caronia would go on Cunard’s new London service and replaced by Ascania and Aurania. Northern Ireland would have Letitia and Athenia fortnightly from Moville to Montreal and Ascania and Aurania fornightly from Belfast.
Most likely to the relief of owners and builders alike, Fairfield No. 601 finally cleared the slipway she had occupied for two years and nine months when Mrs. Charles Donaldson christened her Letitia on 14 October 1924.
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| Letitia (right) in the fitting out basin at Fairfields, Govan, October 1924. Aorangi is to the left. Credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record. |
Athenia left Montreal on the last trip of the season on 21 November 1924. At the time, it was announced that Donaldson would offer a special “college tour” out in Athenia on 19 June 1925 and back in Letitia on 3 July which would be the precursor of Tourist Third Cabin.
In 1924, Athenia completed 16 crossings on the Montreal run carrying 8,264 passengers and four crossings Liverpool-Halifax-NY-Liverpool carrying 612 passengers.
Upon return to Glasgow from Montreal in early December, Athenia was laid up and after her annual overhaul, was detailed to Anchor Line’s New York service for two voyages. The first got underway from Glasgow on 21 February 1925, called at Halifax on 2 March and reached New York on the 5th. She also had a new Captain, Capt. Black, following Capt. David Taylor’s appointment to Letitia. Athenia’s second voyage for Anchor called at Halifax on 4 April from Moville and Glasgow and arrived at New York on the 6th. She sailed from New York on the 11th.
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| Credit: Wishaw Press & Advertiser, 10 April 1925 |
Letitia was to have to run her trials on 31 March 1925, but this had to be postponed when a blinding snowstorm hit the Firth of Clyde obscuring the land marker posts. A planned on board luncheon hosted by the yard still went ahead. Her trials were successfully run on 2 April, recording a top speed of 17.522 knots and a mean speed of 17.2 knots. The following day Letitia sailed from Greenock on a day cruise for invited travel agents to Ailsa Craig and return. “According to the cable advice, everyone was most enthusiastic regarding the layout, accommodation, speed and fitness of the Letitia for the Glasgow-Canadian service, where she will take a prominent place."
The Letitia will leave the Clyde about noon on Friday, and as is usual, in the case of a Clyde built liner making her first sailing, there are certain to be thousands of people, many of whom were in one way or another connected with the work of construction, crowding every vantage point of the river side to wish the vessel good luck as she goes.
West Lothian Courier, 24 April 1925
LETITIA SEND-OFF. Some busy scenes were witnessed at the Anchor-Donaldson berth in Princes Dock on Friday morning 24th inst. preparatory to the departure of the Company’s new liner, Letitia, for Canada. Passengers began to arrive at the vessel's berth soon after 8 a.m., and, as might be expected with a ship about to make her maiden voyage, there was some speculation as to who would be the first to set foot aboard. This distinction fell to Mrs Jeanie Main. of Rroxburn, who, with her seven children, was going out to British Columbia to join her husband, and to commemorate the occasion,'Capt. Taylor, O.B.E., the commander of the vessel, presented her with a framed photograph of the Letitia. In less than three hours about 1000 passengers were embarked, and a little before noon the vessel, bedecked with streamers, moved slowly out of the dock, to the accompaniment of hearty cheers and wishes of void hick from many people who had lined the quayside. A Salvation Army band was accompanying a party of 90 of their own emigrants as far as Greenock, and added to the excitement could be heard the strains of Auld Lang Syne.
Leven Advertiser & Wemyss Gazette, 28 April 1925
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| Odin Rosenvinge poster for the new Letitia. Credit: The Mariners' Museum |
Letitia's maiden voyage got under way at noon from Glasgow on 24 April 1925, called at Liverpool on the 25th and with 166 Cabin Class and 708 Third Class passengers, arrived at Quebec on 3 May 1925. British settlers numbered 644 and disembarked there to board special trains to Ontario and Western Canada. The next morning she docked at Montreal, prompting the Gazette to enthuse: "The Letitia had a magnificent trip, according to her officers who were extremely pleased with her performance, and she showed very few deficiencies on her first transatlantic voyage."
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| The Gazette (Montreal) 30 April 1925 |
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| A fine study of Athenia showing the Anchor Line houseflag flying from her foremast top and the Donaldson one from the mainmast top. |
DONALDSON'S DOMINION DUO
Some people desire novelty and a sense of adventure when traveling at sea, while others look for that comfort they enjoy at home. Both these qualities are blended to a really remarkable degree on these two sister ships.
On these snug, cozy liners all your desires are met with effortless ease suggestive of home; yet there is an atmosphere of adventure abroad during the voyage to satisfy every spirit.
On each ship you experience time-honored Anchor- Donaldson Service, conforming to the most modern standards obtaining in the Americas, mellowed by traditional Scotch hospitality.
The "Letitia" and the "Athenia" are cabin ships carrying two classes only. For a very moderate fare passengers have at their disposal, elegant public rooms of luxury which is usually associated with saloon accommodation.
Donaldson Line brochure, 1926
Athenia and Letitia managed to be notable and distinctive ships even if part of a remarkable and veritable flotilla of 14 newbuildings for Cunard, Anchor and Donaldson liners built between 1919-1925.
It was a record investment in new tonnage and a commitment to what Cunard expected to be the post-war environment for the North Atlantic passenger trade. With their German rivals hors de combat, it was deemed the expensive and excessive competition among giant record breakers was a thing of the past so the new fleet was exclusively composed of ships of moderate size (two groups of 20,000 and 14,000 grt ships) and speed (15-16 knots). Their principal passenger trade, however, was presumed to be same as before the war i.e. predominately immigrants so they were given large capacity Third Classes (1,000-1,200) in basic cabins as well as substantial cargo capacity. In some respects, they were developments of HAPAG's President Lincoln pair of 1907.
Of course, events proved quite different after the war with severe restrictions on immigration to the United States, a drop in cargo carryings owing to high post-war tariffs and an unanticipated demand for budget tourist space. Even so, the new intermediates proved remarkably adaptable vessels and some like Anchor's Cameronia, Cunard's Scythia and Donaldson's Letitia proved among the most successful and longest-lived of all their ships.
If anything, the Donaldson pair of ships were the most comparable to their pre-war Letitia and suited to actual post-war conditions on the Canadian run where immigrant traffic remained buoyant after U.S. restrictions were enacted. Although neither were initially suited to the development of Tourist Third Cabin and had to be refitted to accommodated three classes.
Indicative of the greater co-ordination between the Atlantic lines of the group, the new ships for Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson North Atlantic services were rationalised to a large degree and designed by same architect, Leonard Peskett. Assisting with the specifications of the Donaldson ships was Alexander Innes, Chief Engineer Superintendent of Anchor Donaldson. So it was that Donaldson’s share of this programme would consist of two 14,000-grt turbine steamers which were, save for their cruiser sterns (shared with their Anchor Line cousins), very similar to six “A” class ships for Cunard also built for the St. Lawrence run.
With principal dimensions of 538 ft. 2 ins. overall (520 ft. b.p.) in length, beams of 66 ft. 4 ins. and drawing 27 ft. 8 ins. with a deadweight tonnage of 9,940, Athenia and Letitia were all but identical to the Cunard "A's" in size. Athenia's gross registered tonnage was 13,465 and her sister 13,475 so they, too, were true sister ships.
J.H. Isherwood described Letitia as being "a fine, handsome and sturdy looking ship" and like all of Peskett's designs, had a perfect proportion of hull and superstructure and a modest rake to the twin masts and single (if slightly undersized) funnel imparting a purposeful and business like quality to what were quintessential modest, working passenger-cargo liners. Like their Anchor Line cousins, they had nicely shaped cruiser sterns whereas, for some reason, Peskett determined that their Cunard variants should have the old-fashioned and less pleasing counter sterns.
Each had six decks with three overall: Boat, Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Upper and Main Decks. There were ten watertight bulkheads and seven holds with three forward worked by a pair of kingposts forward and foremast booms, one trunked through the superstructure aft of the bridge island and worked by a pair of kingposts forward of the funnel and three aft worked by mast booms and a pair of kingposts. There was insulated space in no. 5 hold and the three forward holds could carry grain (an important Canadian export).
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| An early photo of Athenia as completed with the Anchor Liner tender Paladin in attendance so in the Clyde, most likely off Greenock. Credit: Benjidog.co.uk |
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| And for comparison, Letitia after the 1927-28 refit extending the aft superstructure and plating-in the forward part of the covered promenade deck. She is shown in the Mersey with the tender Skirmisher in attendance. |
With principal dimensions of 538 ft. 2 ins. overall (520 ft. b.p.) in length, beams of 66 ft. 4 ins. and drawing 27 ft. 8 ins. with a deadweight tonnage of 9,940, Athenia and Letitia were all but identical to the Cunard "A's" in size. Athenia's gross registered tonnage was 13,465 and her sister 13,475 so they, too, were true sister ships.
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| A profile in proportion and purposefulness, R.M.S. Letitia. Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
J.H. Isherwood described Letitia as being "a fine, handsome and sturdy looking ship" and like all of Peskett's designs, had a perfect proportion of hull and superstructure and a modest rake to the twin masts and single (if slightly undersized) funnel imparting a purposeful and business like quality to what were quintessential modest, working passenger-cargo liners. Like their Anchor Line cousins, they had nicely shaped cruiser sterns whereas, for some reason, Peskett determined that their Cunard variants should have the old-fashioned and less pleasing counter sterns.
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| Like their Anchor Line cousins, Athenia and Letitia had attractive, neat cruiser sterns, and handsome raised bronze letters in Gill sans spelling out their names, too. Here Athenia gets a paint touch-up in Prince's Dock, Glasgow in May 1937. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. |
Each had six decks with three overall: Boat, Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Upper and Main Decks. There were ten watertight bulkheads and seven holds with three forward worked by a pair of kingposts forward and foremast booms, one trunked through the superstructure aft of the bridge island and worked by a pair of kingposts forward of the funnel and three aft worked by mast booms and a pair of kingposts. There was insulated space in no. 5 hold and the three forward holds could carry grain (an important Canadian export).
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| A wonderful photo of Athenia sailing from Glasgow and her departure being filmed from Fairfields where she was built. This shows her split superstructure with the no. 4 hold and kingposts aft of the bridge island, the plating in of the forward end of her covered promenade from her 1927-28 refit and her double-nested lifeboats. The stern of Anchor Line's Cameronia is in right background. Credit: https://www.benjidog.co.uk |
ATHENIA Profile & General Arrangement Plans As Built
credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, courtesy of William T. Tilley.
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
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| House tops, Navigating Bridge and Compass platform. |
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| Boat Deck and Captain's Bridge |
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| Promenade Deck and Docking Bridge |
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| Bridge Deck |
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| Shelter Deck |
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| Upper Deck |
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| Main Deck |
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| Hold |
These were, like all the Cunard group intermediates, powered by geared turbines and oil-burners, and as such considered very up to date for the time. Additionally, Athenia introduced the improved "Nodal" system of gearing, too, which solved some of the early gearing issues with the intermediates of the era or as one marine journal explained: "In new of the troubles which have been experienced on many vessels recently as a result of the failure of helical teeth in double reduction gearing, the 'nodal drive' has been incorporated in the main propelling to counteract the effects of the vibrations caused by torsional oscillations in the turbines' gearing shafting."
Two sets of triple-expansion, double reduction geared Brown Curtis turbines were fitted, supplied by three double-ended and two single-ended Scotch boilers working at 210 psi and in one boiler room. At 99 r.p.m, the twin-four bladed screws gave a service speed of 15 knots from 8,700 horsepower, but both were capable of 17 plus knots. In service, Athenia and Letitia were extremely reliable with not a single breakdown or mechanical failing recorded during their pre-war careers.
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| A marvelous vista of double-banked clinker-built lifeboats, quadrant davits, raised roof of the Smoking Room, a forest of ventilator cowls, funnel and foremast that Cabin Class passengers enjoyed whilst strolling on Athenia and Letitia's Boat Deck. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
The accommodation and passenger spaces of Athenia and Letitia were attractive, pleasant and straight forward. And, like most ships, better as originally conceived for just two classes, something that indeed Donaldson Line had helped to pioneer on the North Atlantic with Second (Cabin) and Third only on their early vessels.
As originally configured Athenia accommodated 516 Cabin and 1,132 Third Class passengers whereas her sister had 976 berths in Third Class.
Cabin Class was traditionally sited on the uppermost four decks amidships with 354 berths in cabins on Bridge Deck and 162 berths on Shelter Deck, mostly two-berth rooms. Letitia, as built, was listed as having a total of 342 Cabin Class rooms. These were pleasant and comfortable for their time, broadly comparable with Second Class on the big express steamers, but even these had only cold running water. There were additionally four suites on Bridge Deck with two rooms each and a private full bathroom.
The state rooms are lilted for two or four persons, and are finished with wardrobe.,settee, and small fixed locker seats. In the two-berth rooms, which are next to the ship's side, the upper bed hinges up against the wall, thus providing a number of special one-berth state rooms. Practically all the inner rooms on B deck have a ventilating root light. All the state rooms on both B and C decks are fitted with wash-basins with running water, and an even temperature is maintained by a natural supply of cold air with mechanical extraction. In conjunction with a small radiator under the personal control of the occupant. The walls are enamelled white, and the furniture is of polished mahogany: curtains are fitted to berths and side-lights. A Wilton carpet covers the floor.
Wishaw Press, 6 April 1923
The main public rooms were on Promenade Deck with an entrance hall, nursery, drawing room, lounge, smoking room and veranda café. In Letitia, the smoking room and veranda café were combined. The principal rooms all had domed or raised ceilings with skylights or clerestory natural light which added immeasurably to their sense of space as their actual dimensions were not large. One of the decorative challenges of these ships, with a hold aft of the bridge island as well as the funnel and engine room casings, was the inevitable "squeezing" of public rooms into the box-like voids and side passageways left. The dining saloon had 264 seats (Athenia) or 258 seats (Letitia) with a fully domed ceiling.
ATHENIA Deck Plans (c. 1939) credit: William T. Tilley
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
Showing the changes from her 1928 refit to three classes: Cabin (Yellow), Tourist Third (Green) and Third (Pink) and alterations from her 1939 refit.
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| Boat Deck |
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| Promenade Deck. |
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| Bridge Deck |
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| Shelter Deck |
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| Upper Deck |
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| Main Deck |
The dining saloon on the upper deck occupies the full width of the ship and has seating accommodation for 264 passengers. Situated at the foot of the main staircase. the dining saloon Is designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance. In the centre of the ceiling Is a domed portion supported by a column of Scagllola marble. The walls are richly ornamented by tapestry of old Venetian scenes. The room is finished in a warm cream colour, and the whole effect, is brightened with coloured curtains and mirrors between the windows.
The lounge hall is entered by two vestibules from the deck and forms a gallery of 40 feet in length along the port side. The decoration is in the style of the later French Renaissance, and is ornamented with green Scagllola marble columns with gilded capitals. Large windows afford an excellent view forward.
An excellent play-room for the children has been fitted on the Athenia. The walls are painted to resemble woodland scenery, with sketches illustrating nursery rhymes and stories dear to the hearts of children. An enamelled dado protects the walls and is brought out along one side to form a locker where the toys are stored. Over the mantlepiece is a copy of Sir Joshua Reynolds' famous picture--" The Age of Innocence." At one end is a little playground, separated from the rest of the room by a rail, where the youngest children may play in absolute safety.
The drawing room is designed In the style of the Adam Brothers of the 18th century. Elliptical arches and tall pilasters give that appearance of dignity which is always associated with these architects. A handsome antique marble mantlepiece is a prominent feature of the room. The style is that of the early Georgian period which is associated with freedom and comfort. The floor area of the lounge is 40 feet by 20 feet and the room is not spoiled by the presence of pillars. Over the centre of the room is a wrought iron dome supported by richly ornamented pendentives. The walls are finished in a pleasing tone of old ivory which imparts a sense of warmth to the room.
The smoking room is finished in dark polished oak, and, like the lounge, it follows the Georgian style. Comfort is the keynote of this room, and the mellow panelling is set off by bright coloured hangings. Opening from the smoke room and leading on to the deck is the verandah rate. This is a semi open-air room, the walls of which are treated to resemble stone and covered with teak trellis work.
Wishaw Press, 6 April 1923
Letitia's interiors were quite distinctive from those of her sister with more use of oak panelling and timbers. The dining saloon being described as "strongly suggesting the best traditions of Old England in the many oak panelled inns, scattered throughout the country." Adding "the drawing room and lounge are furnished with comfortable cretonned covered chairs and the windows have attractive curtains. The galley leading to the public rooms is panelled in oak, as is the stairway leading to the pursers office and the dining room which is also panelled in oak and hung with armorial bearings. There are a number of good etchings and paintings in the gallery, giving it an added attractive appearance. Prominent among these are six etchings of the shipyards, by Muirhead Bone, which were originally done for the British War Memorials. Others are works of Graham Petrie, R.I., these including a painting of Lago Maggiore, and one of the Rio Veneziano and a third of the market in Venice."
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| Cabin Class smoking room in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Cabin Class smoking room in Letitia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Cabin Class drawing room in Letitia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Cabin Class lounge in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Cabin Class dining saloon in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Bedroom (yes and upper and lowers, too!) of a suite with private bathroom attached. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
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| Cabin Class four-berth cabin. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives |
Third Class was, of course, utilitarian although much praised when new for representing considerable improvement on pre-war conditions. Everyone was accommodated in cabins of two, four or six-berths with washstands and reservoir-tank fresh water laid on with polished wood berths and white enamelled walls and bare painted steel overheads. The difference in capacity figures between Athenia (1,132) and Letitia (976) came from "convertible" cabins on Athenia which could be taken apart quickly and the space used instead for cargo. These lacked washbasins and were generally inferior to the permanent cabins and were removed by 1928. The permanent cabin were on Main and Upper Decks with Letitia having 355 berths in Upper Deck cabins and 658 on Main Deck.
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| Third Class four-berth cabin in Athenia. |
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| Third Class smoking room aboard Athenia. |
There were two dining rooms on Upper Deck for Third with 318 and 182 seats. Although the seats were the traditional swivel ones and the tables were the usual long refrectory style, they were laid with cloths, proper cutlery and flowers. Each was provided with an upright piano so could be used for entertainment as well. In addition, there was a smoking room, two lounges and a "lounge" hall. Most of the furniture in these was of the fitted wood slat settee variety and the panelling was polished oak.
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| Aft view of Athenia showing her post 1928 extension to the Bridge Deck-- see the four square windows to the new Tourist Third lounge and aft openings for the new Tourist covered promenade deck. Credit: Benjidog.co.uk |
In 1928, both ships were refitted and rearranged to accommodate three classes, specifically providing separate public rooms for the new Tourist Third Class. This was accomplished by extending the Bridge Deck aft just past no. 5 hold creating a large lounge with side windows for Tourist and an aft facing covered promenade while one deck above, this provided an expanse of open deck for Tourist around the raised hatch for no. 5 hold. Additionally, the original Cabin smoking room was given to Tourist. To compensate Cabin Class for this loss of a room, the Cabin nursery was removed and the forward part of Promenade Deck re-arranged to give Cabin an additional corridor lounge. The vestibule lounge forward of this was given large windows looking out to the forward Cabin open deck. The forward part of the covered promenade was plated in and provided with large windows. The former lounge was re-designated as the smoking room. Providing a separate Tourist Third dining space was rather unfortunately accomplished by the expedient of partitioning off the starboard side of the Cabin dining saloon to provide a 144-seat section while Cabin retaining the center domed portion and portside area.
Tourist Third Class accommodation almost entirely came from the lesser grades of former Cabin Class so that the ships capacity became: Athenia 314 Cabin, 310 Tourist Third and 928 Third (total 1,552) and Letitia 298 Cabin, 310 Tourist Third and 945 Third (total 1,582).
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| Letitia Cabin Class dining saloon, c. 1939. |
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| Athenia, Cabin Class lounge, c. 1939. |
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| An especially smart looking Athenia, possibly just after her 1928 refit and showing the plating in of the forward part of her covered promenade deck and the superstructure extension aft. Credit: Benjidog.co.uk |
Athenia and Letitia proved to be thoroughly dependable, popular and well-found ships, the former proving her mettle staying afloat for some 14 hours after being torpedoed and the latter for a matchlessly varied of career of 35 years in every role and climate imaginable. They were certainly a credit to their builders and to Donaldson Line management and maintenance.
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| The classic Odin Rosenvinge painting used for both ships in official line issued card. Credit: Author's collection. |
'TWENTIES TWINS
& TOURIST THIRD
Having finally commissioned their new twin sisters, Donaldson could at last fulfill their investment and ambitions in a revived trans-Atlantic trade by the mid 1920s. This was aided by the Empire Settlement Plan helping to fill Third Class berths westbound and a greatly increased tourist traffic which stemmed both from the naturally maturing ethnic Scottish community in Canada visiting the "Old Country," Scots visiting relatives in Canada and the beginnings of a tourist boom to Britain and Europe in general that service there during the war years had engendered among North Americans.
The passenger carryings by Athenia and Letitia for this period were certainly encouraging:
1925 11,813
1926 16,130
1927 19,722
1928 19,695
1929 19,433
The new ship was chosen to take Field Marshall Earl Haig and Lady Haig and the British delegates to the British Empire Service League conference in Canada. Letitia and her passengers received an enthusiastic reception upon arrival at Montreal on 27 June 1925 and they sailed for home on 30 July, also in Letitia, which was dressed overall and was given an escort of tugs and small boats on departure.
The passenger carryings by Athenia and Letitia for this period were certainly encouraging:
1925 11,813
1926 16,130
1927 19,722
1928 19,695
1929 19,433
The new ship was chosen to take Field Marshall Earl Haig and Lady Haig and the British delegates to the British Empire Service League conference in Canada. Letitia and her passengers received an enthusiastic reception upon arrival at Montreal on 27 June 1925 and they sailed for home on 30 July, also in Letitia, which was dressed overall and was given an escort of tugs and small boats on departure.
After the St. Lawrence was closed for the season, Athenia again briefly figured in Anchor Line’s New York service, sailing from Glasgow on 28 November 1925, calling at Halifax and arriving at New York on 16 December. She sailed for home on 19 December.
In 1925, Athenia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,978 passengers and four to Halifax/New York carrying 662 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,773 passengers.
That winter, both ships were laid up and underwent their annual overhauls.
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| The first of a series of Scottish themed advertisements for Donaldson Line for 1926. Credit: The Province, 17 April 1926. |
Plans for the 1926 season were announced on 4 February 1926. Cassandra and Saturnia made her final voyages in December 1925 being replaced by Letitia and the new Cunarders so that for 1926 there would be reduction from 30 to 24 sailings or a thrice monthly frequency between Liverpool, Belfast and Montreal by Aurania, Letitia and Athenia. Instead of Moville, Athenia and Letitia would now stop at Belfast westbound as would Cunard’s Aurania, giving it three sailings a month. Athenia and Letitia would also offer six eastbound calls at the Northern Ireland capital May-August. Athenia’s 25 June departure from Montreal was to be a special Tourist Third Cabin sailing.
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| Another of the Scottish themed advertisements for Donaldson Line for the 1926 season. Credit: The Vancouver Sun, 7 May 1926. |
Athenia’s 1926 began with her taking the place of Anchor Line’s Tuscania which had been seconded by Cunard starting that spring for its new London-New York service. Athenia sailed from Glasgow on 5 April for Halifax via Londonderry where she docked on the 11th and reached New York two days later. Her eastbound crossing began on the 17th.
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| Back when the Scots said "Scotch", too! Credit: The Gazette, 22 June 1926 |
OPENING OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
" LETITIA " FIRST OUT FROM GLASGOW
Through a spell of mild weather in Canada the ice in the St. Lawrence River is fast disappearing, and the eagerly awaited opening of its waters to navigation will take place next week. This means that the Canadian emigration season will now commence to operate in real earnest. and it's a good start off several big liners are due to leave Great Britain this weekend with large complements of settlers. There will he the usual keen competition to be " first up the River" which always provides something of a thrill for passengers as well as the vessel's officers. From Scotland the first vessel to leave, for the St. Lawrence will the the Anchor— Donaldson liner Letitia and. by way of added interest, it is the Letitia's first voyage this year. She has been laying up through the winter for a general overhaul in preparation for what is expected to he a heavy emigration season. Her complement on Friday when she sails from Glasgow will be close to 800 passengers, which will include a party of 80 domestic servants, the largest group which has yet sailed from the Clyde under the auspices of the Salvation Army. Their passages were booked under the new fare scheme.
The highlight of the 1926 summer season were Donaldson’s two special Tourist Third Cabin sailings from Montreal, the first of which had Letitia departing on 25 June with 254 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third with no Third Class carried. Athenia followed on 9 July with 131 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third and the local Montreal orchestra, The Gaboliers, was engaged to play aboard.
CANADIAN EMIGRATION STILL PROCEEDING APACE.
Leaving the Clyde for Canada today, the Anchor-Donaldson liner Letitia will make her last calls at Quebec and Montreal for the summer season. Contrary to the usual falling off in the number of settlers sailing at this period of the year, the Letitia's complement promises to be a very good one; some 400 passengers from all parts of Scotland already having been booked up to the moment of writing. By far the biggest proportion of them are industrial workers; a large number of both men and women hailing from Hamilton and Motherwell. Over 40 young women sailing by the vessel are going out to Western Canada and the prairie provinces for household work, in some of the bigger homesteads. Their wages will be anything from £6 to 4 9 per month, and they are fortunate enough to have qualified for a passage out to Quebec under the Empire Settlement Act.
" LETITIA " FIRST OUT FROM GLASGOW
Through a spell of mild weather in Canada the ice in the St. Lawrence River is fast disappearing, and the eagerly awaited opening of its waters to navigation will take place next week. This means that the Canadian emigration season will now commence to operate in real earnest. and it's a good start off several big liners are due to leave Great Britain this weekend with large complements of settlers. There will he the usual keen competition to be " first up the River" which always provides something of a thrill for passengers as well as the vessel's officers. From Scotland the first vessel to leave, for the St. Lawrence will the the Anchor— Donaldson liner Letitia and. by way of added interest, it is the Letitia's first voyage this year. She has been laying up through the winter for a general overhaul in preparation for what is expected to he a heavy emigration season. Her complement on Friday when she sails from Glasgow will be close to 800 passengers, which will include a party of 80 domestic servants, the largest group which has yet sailed from the Clyde under the auspices of the Salvation Army. Their passages were booked under the new fare scheme.
Wishaw Press, 16 April 1926
The highlight of the 1926 summer season were Donaldson’s two special Tourist Third Cabin sailings from Montreal, the first of which had Letitia departing on 25 June with 254 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third with no Third Class carried. Athenia followed on 9 July with 131 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third and the local Montreal orchestra, The Gaboliers, was engaged to play aboard.
CANADIAN EMIGRATION STILL PROCEEDING APACE.
Leaving the Clyde for Canada today, the Anchor-Donaldson liner Letitia will make her last calls at Quebec and Montreal for the summer season. Contrary to the usual falling off in the number of settlers sailing at this period of the year, the Letitia's complement promises to be a very good one; some 400 passengers from all parts of Scotland already having been booked up to the moment of writing. By far the biggest proportion of them are industrial workers; a large number of both men and women hailing from Hamilton and Motherwell. Over 40 young women sailing by the vessel are going out to Western Canada and the prairie provinces for household work, in some of the bigger homesteads. Their wages will be anything from £6 to 4 9 per month, and they are fortunate enough to have qualified for a passage out to Quebec under the Empire Settlement Act.
Forfar Herald, 29 October 1926
Unusual, too, that year was experimenting with sailings to/from St. John, New Brunswick, which were announced for Letitia on 23 September 1926. She left Glasgow on 26 November for St. John and sailed eastbound from the port on 11 December, calling at Halifax the next day. This was the first Donaldson direct crossing from New Brunswick since April 1919.
That winter, Letitia was again laid up, but Athenia would be busy on Anchor Line’s Glasgow-Belfast-Halifax-New York run, filling in for California, Caledonia and Transylvania chartered for winter cruises from America. Her first such crossing arrived at Halifax on Christmas Day and concluded at New York on the 27th.
In 1926, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,596 passengers and one crossing to Halifax/New York carrying 294 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,674 passengers and 2 crossings to Halifax carrying 566 passengers.
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| Late 1920s card for Athenia, artist unknown. credit: Author's collection. |
Letitia would open the 1927 St. Lawrence season with her 22 April sailing from Glasgow following by Athenia on 6 May, calling that crossing only at Moville instead of Belfast.
On 22 January 1927 it was reported that Letita’s sailing from St. John, N.B. was sufficiently popular that Athenia would also call there eastbound, leaving 9 April and a day later from Halifax and then to Belfast and Glasgow.
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| In the 1920s, Athenia and Letitia were promoted along with the greater combined Cunard-Anchor organisation and these early season 1927 adverts highlight Athenia's special spring sailing from Saint John, N.B. "You'll reach the Firth of Clyde all too quickly-- such will be the comfort, attention and entertainment during the trip on this popular, hospitable Scotch liner." |
Letitia’s winter lay up was brief and on her first voyage of the year, she docked at Halifax on 20 February 1927 from Glasgow via Moville with 21 cabin 9 tourist third and 140 third. This was the first Donaldson westbound crossing with three classes and henceforth she and Athenia would accommodate Cabin, Tourist Third and Third Class. In all, Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson would have offer 60 sailings in 1927 with the new Tourist Third Class and of those, seven would offered only that class in addition to Cabin.
Making her first Manhattan arrival, Letitia docked at New York on 22 March 1927 from Glasgow and Halifax and sailed on the 26th. Another maiden call was that of Athenia on 5 April which arrived at St. John, commanded by Capt. James Black who was master of her predecessor.
When a deportee jumped overboard from Montcalm soon after she sailed from Montreal on 4 July 1927, Letitia which was following the CP liner, rescued the man, who continued his unwanted return to Britain in the Donaldson ship instead.
When a deportee jumped overboard from Montcalm soon after she sailed from Montreal on 4 July 1927, Letitia which was following the CP liner, rescued the man, who continued his unwanted return to Britain in the Donaldson ship instead.
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| Tourist Third Cabin was, in 1920s parlance, the "it" development in trans-Atlantic travel in 1927 and Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson were on top of the Tourist Third game on the Canadian run. Credit: Calgary Herald, 2 April 1927. |
Tourist Third Cabin, "The New Way to the Old World", was proving popular with a new generation of traveller from Canadian ports… Scottish-Canadians visiting their relations back in the Old Country… in addition to tourists and college students. However, built for two classes, Athenia and Letitia would have to be modified to accommodate three classes on a permanent basis. With this in mind, among those disembarking from Athenia on 14 July 1927 was Alexander Innes, Chief Engineer Superintendent of Anchor Donaldson, to confer with local agents regarding improvements planned for both ships. Mr. Innes had laid out the original specifications and supervised the construction of both ships. He sailed home in the same vessel on 9 September and the refit could proceed based on the input of Canadian agents.
The St. Lawrence closed quite late that year with Letitia was the last ship to sail from Montreal on 26 November. It was initially announced that she would sail from Glasgow to Halifax in the winter.
Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson announced on 3 December 1927 that Athenia, Letitia, Andania and Antonia would carry Tourist Third Class and Third Class only throughout the coming season. This was an extraordinary decision and aroused much objection from other lines of the Trans-Atlantic Passenger Ship Conference still offering First or Cabin Class.
In 1927, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,190 passengers and six to Halifax/New York carrying 1,654 passengers and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 9,470 passengers and six to Halifax/New York carrying 2,408.
In a change of plans, it was announced on 20 December 1927 that Letitia would replace Anchor Line’s Assyria for one round voyage on their India service, sailing from Liverpool on 31 January 1928 for Bombay via Gibraltar, Marseilles and the Suez Canal with her home passage beginning on 8 March. It was traditional for Anchor to send one of their trans-Atlantic liners on a round voyage to India during the Atlantic off season and the previous year California had been so employed, but when she joined other Anchor liners cruising from America that winter, Letitia was substituted.
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| Anchor-Donaldson poster from 1927 promoting the subsidised Empire Settlement Plan fares for authorised immigrants to Canada. Credit: The Glasgow Story.com |
In a change of plans, it was announced on 20 December 1927 that Letitia would replace Anchor Line’s Assyria for one round voyage on their India service, sailing from Liverpool on 31 January 1928 for Bombay via Gibraltar, Marseilles and the Suez Canal with her home passage beginning on 8 March. It was traditional for Anchor to send one of their trans-Atlantic liners on a round voyage to India during the Atlantic off season and the previous year California had been so employed, but when she joined other Anchor liners cruising from America that winter, Letitia was substituted.
In addition to First and Second Class passengers (including Donaldson’s Chairman and his wife making the round voyage), Letitia would also carry British troops in her Third Class accommodation to India. The sailing attracted 600 passengers and "The passenger list was interesting by reason of the large number of wives and children of regimental officers and others concerned with various public services returning to India after a sojourn in the homeland" (Exeter & Plymouth Gazette, 8 February 1928). Anchor offered an unusual cruise option to Egypt entailing sailing to Port Said in Letitia, touring Egypt by land and Nile steamer and home in the new Britannia leaving Port Said on 17 February and returning to Liverpool on the 27th.
In the face of objections from other Conference line, Cunard announced on 18 January 1928 they would not operate their ships only with Tourist Third Cabin and Third. Instead, this would only offered on certain summer sailings: Letitia from Montreal on 1, 29 June and from Glasgow on 10 August and 7 September.
Details of Athenia and Letitia's refits to better accommodate Tourist Third Cabin were released on 31 March 1928. The Cabin dining saloon on D Deck was partitioned with the starboard side for Tourist Third, seating 144 per sitting and the portside much larger section for Cabin. A separate staircase gave access to the Tourist Third dining saloon from C Deck. In addition, the Bridge Deck superstructure was extended aft to increase public room and deck space for Tourist Third. Film projectors were now fitted for all classes as well. The Gazette commented "Although these changes are not radical, they definitely change for the better the accommodation of tourist third cabin passengers as distinguished from third class passengers."
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| Letitia and Athenia brought more than Scottish settlers to the Dominion... Credit: The Gazette (Montreal) 28 May 1928. |
Over 2,000 unemployed men bound for harvest fields of Canada left Liverpool and Southampton on Saturday in the Cunard liners Letitia, Franconia and Aurania.
Inspiring scenes were witness at Liverpool when the Cunarders Letitia and Franconia left with over 1,400 harvesters. The arrivals were twenty miners from South Wales who were so anxious not to miss the ship that they arrived at the Cunard offices at midnight. Accommodation was found for them by shipping officials.
Special trains from all parts of the country converged on Liverpool during the morning. A large party of men from Newcastle-on-Tyne arrived at Liverpool in the early hours, and were given breakfast before proceeding to the landing stage. From Birmingham a special came direct to Riverside Station at noon, whilst harvesters from Oldham, Wigan, Sheffield and Salford contingent carried a letter of good wishes from the Mayor of Salford.
When the Letitia which came round from Glasgow and had over 400 Scottish harvesters on board, appeared in the river there was a storm of cheering from the harvesters.
Embarkation was speedily carried out by tender, and as the men left the landing stage the cheers and counter cheers broke out again from the tender to the shore where there still nearly 900 men waiting to embark Franconia later in the afternoon.
After departing Montreal on 19 October 1928, Letitia collided with the freighter Brookton near Three Rivers while attempting to pass the slower vessel. The Donaldson liner sustained minor damage to her forward starboard superstructure, but was able to continue on her voyage.
Inspiring scenes were witness at Liverpool when the Cunarders Letitia and Franconia left with over 1,400 harvesters. The arrivals were twenty miners from South Wales who were so anxious not to miss the ship that they arrived at the Cunard offices at midnight. Accommodation was found for them by shipping officials.
Special trains from all parts of the country converged on Liverpool during the morning. A large party of men from Newcastle-on-Tyne arrived at Liverpool in the early hours, and were given breakfast before proceeding to the landing stage. From Birmingham a special came direct to Riverside Station at noon, whilst harvesters from Oldham, Wigan, Sheffield and Salford contingent carried a letter of good wishes from the Mayor of Salford.
When the Letitia which came round from Glasgow and had over 400 Scottish harvesters on board, appeared in the river there was a storm of cheering from the harvesters.
Embarkation was speedily carried out by tender, and as the men left the landing stage the cheers and counter cheers broke out again from the tender to the shore where there still nearly 900 men waiting to embark Franconia later in the afternoon.
Belfast News-Letter, 13 August 1928
After departing Montreal on 19 October 1928, Letitia collided with the freighter Brookton near Three Rivers while attempting to pass the slower vessel. The Donaldson liner sustained minor damage to her forward starboard superstructure, but was able to continue on her voyage.
Athenia sailed from Montreal on 2 November 1928 on the last crossing of the season. She would join the Glasgow-Liverpool-Halifax-New York that winter.
In 1928, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,272 passengers and 7 crossings to New York/Halifax/St. John carrying 3,021 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 8,677 passengers and two crossings to Halifax/St. John carrying 725.
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| Newspaper advertisement for a "first" (and last as it turned out): a Donaldson Line cruise to the Mediterranean direct from the Clyde. |
Letitia got another unusual assignment that winter when it was announced on 19 December 1928 she would undertake Donaldson’s first Mediterranean cruise and the first to originate directly from the Clyde. This sailed from Glasgow on 7 March 1929 and called at Southampton two days later before continuing to Lisbon, Algiers, Palma, Palermo, Nauplia, Athens, Candia, Rhodes, Larnaca, Haifa, Port Said, Naples, Monaco, Gibraltar and back to Southampton and Glasgow. Fare for the 45-day, 8,000-mile voyage started at £65.
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| Typical for the era, even a one-off cruise like that of Letitia to the Mediterranean in March 1929 was afforded its own delightful poster. |
That winter found Athenia oddly shared by Anchor and Cunard Line. She arrived at New York on 2 January 1929 from Glasgow on Anchor Line’s account but her eastbound crossing on the 5th was for Cunard and the remainder of her voyages that winter season were on their account. Prior to departing on her Mediterranean cruise, Letitia instead plied the Anchor Line Glasgow-Halifax-New York run with her first Halifax arrival on 19 January and New York three days later. Sadly, the schedules did not permit a New York reunion of the two Donaldson twins.
In thick fog early on 19 March 1929 in the Mersey, Athenia inbound from New York, collided with the 530-grt coasting steamer Corteen. The coaster was struck near the foremast, and suffered damage to her upper structure and lost her anchor. She was able proceed to Liverpool for repairs. Athenia, too, was slightly damaged and arrived several hours late.
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| Athenia at Boston in April 1929 (a first for a Donaldson liner) en route to Liverpool on her final crossing that season on the Cunard service. Credit: The Mariners' Museum |
Athenia made her final New York arrival for Cunard on 3 April and sailed for Liverpool on the 5th and this called at Boston the next day, the first time a Donaldson liner had called at the Massachusetts port. Meantime, advance bookings for her first St. Lawrence sailings assumed record proportions with a huge response to the new flat £10 rate for settlers to the Dominion. Indeed, her first sailing from Glasgow and the first to open St. Lawrence route for the season was completely sold-out a fortnight in advance.
On 28 April 1929 Athenia arrived at Quebec with a record 1,400 passengers, the largest list from Glasgow in many years and the largest ever for the first crossing of the season. Adding to her list were five shipwrecked seamen from the French barquentine Chevalier Baynard which sank on the 17th off Newfoundland Banks and rescued by a Nova Scotian schooner which transferred them to Athenia. Of the emigrants, 250 travelled by special Canadian National train to Winnipeg. "More than ordinary interest attached to the arrival of the Athenia here this week-end, inasmuch as she had recently undergone extensive and original improvement to her cabin and tourist third cabin accommodation" (Gazette). Aboard was N.F. Graham Donaldson, Donaldson Line Director, to show off the improvements to the vessel. Athenia reached Montreal at 8:30 p.m. on the 29th.
HOLIDAY TRAFFIC TO CANADA
Improved Accommodation in Clyde Vessels
The Anchor-Donaldson Lino is preparing to meet the anticipated large increase of holiday traffic from the Clyde to Canada this summer by extending and completely refurnishing and decorating the accommodation in two of their most popular vessels, the Letitia and the Athenia. To tourists and holidaymakers who are seeking fresh fields of interest and pleasure, the Anchor-Donaldson Line's enterprise will make a strong appeal. The new and improved tourist third cabin accommodation in the two ships mentioned may be enjoyed at the same fare as formerly, £38 10s return to Canada, Tho first consideration in the tourist third cabin accommodation was the enlargement of open and covered deck space. To achieve this, the after-end of " A " deck in each ship has been extended to give increased Promenade area of 1440 feet, which gives a broad expanse of open deck free of obstacles, and therefore ideal for games and dancing.
The weather not always suitable for open-air pursuits, however, and travellers will find in the public rooms on these vessels the accommodation and comfort which are essential on cross-Atlantic trip. In the Athenia, the splendid smoking-room, once the sanctum of cabin passengers, will be at the disposal of the tourist third cabin passengers. It is furnished to ensure case and comfort, and has decided advantage over the verandah cafe, which has hitherto served a double purpose, but which will now be used specifically as a cafe, opening on to the deck. The Letitia has always had smoking room for tourist third cabin passengers. This has now been considerably enlarged. Its oak beams and panelling give it a restful atmosphere.
A fine new dining saloon is another feature of the tourist third cabin accommodation. It is situated within easy reach of the other public rooms, and is well appointed in the modern arrangement of small tables.
Needless to say, the public rooms and state-rooms are all entirely separated from the ordinary third class accommodation, also are tho promenade and decks. On "A" deck in the Athenia, in that section reserved for cabin passengers, tho ship's side plating has been extended and fitted with windows which can opened or closed to the weather, so that what was originally merely a shelter is now deck cafe artistically furnished with wicker chairs and tables set off by palms and fowering shrubs. Those who are familiar with the layout of the Letitia and Athenia accommodation will notice another change on stepping into the cabin entrance hall lounge. What was once the cabin nursery is now a delightful room redesigned and decorated as a corridor lounge and cosily furnished with easychairs, settees, and a writing-table here and there. The lounge proper, newly arranged, and entirely new smoking-room are excellent examples of interior planning. In fact, the arrangement of the cabin public rooms is far more interesting than formerly, and the standard of comfort in both classes undoubtedly very high.
Dundee Courier, 4 June 1929
Back on the Canada run after her winter in the Med, Letitia departed Glasgow on 3 May 1929 with over 1,000 passengers and docked at Quebec on the 12th.
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| Advertisement for Letitia's planned world cruise in December 1929 which did not take place. Credit: The Vancouver Sun, 12 October 1929. |
Even broader horizons briefly beckoned for Letitia when on 13 June 1929 it was announced that the University Travel Association had chartered the vessel for their third around the world cruise. This epic voyage was to take 111 days and depart from New York on 28 December 1929 and also from Naples 12 January 1930, returning to New York 17 April, calling at Mediterranean ports, Egypt, Bombay, Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Japan, Hawaii, San Francisco, Panama and Cuba. Fares started at 286 guineas from Naples. But this was last mention of it and it was quietly cancelled, most likely an early victim of the economic upheaval in the wake of the stock market crash in October.
Rather more humdrum, Athenia and Letitia undertook crossings from Glasgow to Halifax and New York from November through the end of the year.
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| Athenia sailing from Glasgow. Credit: The Evening Telegraph, 4 July 1929 |
Rather more humdrum, Athenia and Letitia undertook crossings from Glasgow to Halifax and New York from November through the end of the year.
In 1929 Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 8,712 passengers and eight crossings to New York/Halifax carrying 1,241 and Letitia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 8,732 passenger and five crossings to Halifax/New York carrying 748.
With no world cruise for Letitia and Anchor Line’s own fleet more than capable of catering to their off season business, both Donaldson liners were idle for the winter.
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| Yorkhill, Glasgow and Prince's Dock was still Scotland's Gateway to the World in the 1930s... here Athenia departs with Anchor Line's Cameronia (left) and Transylvania (right) alongside. Credit: https://www.benjidog.co.uk/ |
'THIRTIES CROSSINGS, CHARTERS & CRUISES
Of course, much of the 'thirties were defined by the severe and lingering economic Depression that started in America and spread as widely and deeply as the increasingly dominate American economy already impacted much of the world. And obviously keenly felt on the trans-Atlantic shipping routes. Whilst the Depression instantly ended America's "Roaring 'Twenties' unparalleled prosperity, there had been no such comparable good times in Britain so the effect was less dramatic.
Overall, traffic and trade, both emigrant and tourist, passenger and cargo, east and westbound, declined dramatically. With the election of a new Conservative Government in Canada under Prime Minister R.B. Bennett, the 1922 Empire Settlement Act lapsed in 1930 with resulting reduction of British immigration to the Dominion.
The effects of the Depression were striking: in 1929, Athenia and Letitia between them carried 19,433 passengers. By 1933 that had dropped 51 per cent to just 9,427. For the associated Anchor Line, it was even worse with total carryings going from 26,913 in 1930 to 9,593 in 1933. Anchor had, in fact, always had one more ship than they knew what to do with after U.S. immigration restrictions killed off its Mediterranean-New York route. Out of necessity, they had developed their cruise business out of America very early on, a trade that the two-ship Donaldson operation had hitherto ignored.
As the slump set it, Donaldson prospected more for alternate employment, especially in the long winter off-season, for Athenia and Letitia so that tough times were also interesting ones. Moveover, the Depression had "flipped" the balance of Donaldson's trans-Atlantic passenger traffic so that by 1933, their eastbound carryings were far greater than westbound and assumed a more tourist orientation which, at least, was ideal for its already well developed Cabin and Tourist Third Cabin product.
Athenia opened Donaldson’s 1930 season with her sailing from Glasgow on 18 April, calling at Liverpool and Belfast and arriving at Montreal on the 28th.
Overall, traffic and trade, both emigrant and tourist, passenger and cargo, east and westbound, declined dramatically. With the election of a new Conservative Government in Canada under Prime Minister R.B. Bennett, the 1922 Empire Settlement Act lapsed in 1930 with resulting reduction of British immigration to the Dominion.
The effects of the Depression were striking: in 1929, Athenia and Letitia between them carried 19,433 passengers. By 1933 that had dropped 51 per cent to just 9,427. For the associated Anchor Line, it was even worse with total carryings going from 26,913 in 1930 to 9,593 in 1933. Anchor had, in fact, always had one more ship than they knew what to do with after U.S. immigration restrictions killed off its Mediterranean-New York route. Out of necessity, they had developed their cruise business out of America very early on, a trade that the two-ship Donaldson operation had hitherto ignored.
As the slump set it, Donaldson prospected more for alternate employment, especially in the long winter off-season, for Athenia and Letitia so that tough times were also interesting ones. Moveover, the Depression had "flipped" the balance of Donaldson's trans-Atlantic passenger traffic so that by 1933, their eastbound carryings were far greater than westbound and assumed a more tourist orientation which, at least, was ideal for its already well developed Cabin and Tourist Third Cabin product.
Athenia opened Donaldson’s 1930 season with her sailing from Glasgow on 18 April, calling at Liverpool and Belfast and arriving at Montreal on the 28th.
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| Hard times meant more advertising and marketing. For 1930, Donaldson commissioned a delightful series of advertisements for the Canadian market highlighting the "Scottish country house" charms, Scottish hospitality and "ocean den" qualities of Athenia and Letitia. |
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| Scottish Boy Scouts, scholarship winners and off to a training trip on Canadian farms in Letitia are welcomed aboard by Capt. Taylor. Credit: The Scotsman, 3 May 1930. |
For 1930, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,264 passengers and Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,896 passengers and 4 crossings to Halifax carrying 833.
Both ships were again idle in the winter and laid up in Shieldhall Basin, Glasgow, as business slacked off considerably for the 1931 season.
The only notable crossing of the year was that of Athenia which docked at Montreal on 20th with a menagerie of kangaroos, leopards, marmozettes, chimpanzees, flamingoes, owls, snakes, zebras and other animals for the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto 28 August-12 September. Letitia sailed from Saint John on 11 December with the first grain shipment of the year, totaling 17,000 bushels.
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| Tourist Third Cabin continued to be focus of Donaldson's advertising in 1931 and certainly Athenia's club-like Smoking Room, once the preserve of Cabin Class passengers, was enticing. Credit: The Gazette, 8 April 1931. |
In 1931, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,375 passengers and Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 3,951 passengers and two to Halifax carrying 320 passengers.
That winter, Athenia was occupied with sailings to Halifax and New York for Anchor Line beginning in mid January through the end of March.
On 10 February 1932 a unique role for Letitia was announced: that of an official Scottish trade mission ship on a voyage to Canada from Glasgow on 5 May with a party of Scottish industrialists, business men and manufacturers in addition to her regular passengers. The ship would showcase Scottish goods during the week she was in Montreal 16-20 May.
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| Letitia in the Mersey in Anchor Line livery, rather easily accomplished by painting over the white band on her funnel in black. This was done for her voyages on the Anchor Line Bombay Mail. Credit: Author's collection. |
Of more immediate interest was Letitia reprising her Bombay mail ship role, sailing from Liverpool on 23 February 1932 for Bombay via Port Sudan. On this she carried First and Tourist Class and was said to have to “embarked a large party of military passengers, including women and children… as well as civilian passengers.” She called at Marseilles on the 29th and arrived at Bombay on 15 March. Her homeward voyage commenced on 24 March and she returned to Liverpool on 14. There she landed 165 boxes of gold bars, seven tons in all, worth £1 mn.
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| Letitia at Princes Dock, Glasgow, loading for her Scottish Trade Mission voyage. Credit: The Scotsman 4 May 1932 |
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| Hands Across the Sea: Letitia's Scottish Trade Mission voyage was one of the highlights of her career. Credit: Calgary Herald 25 May 1932. |
Letitia’s Scottish Trade Mission voyage was the big story for 1932 and on 26 March it was announced that 78 exhibits had already been arranged and 41 firms were sending representatives. She sailed from Glasgow on 5 May, numbering among those aboard “four or five of the best bagpipers in Scotland to provide entertainment.” Letitia came into Quebec the morning of the 13th dressed with the Royal Standard of Scotland from the jack staff and “presented a fine appearance as she rounded the Levis Point and warped to the quay, beneath the frowning cliffs of the citadel. The weather was warm, and the cloudless skies supplied a happy background for the warm reception and welcome to Canada.” (Gazette). She proceeded to Montreal where she docked that evening.
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| This was the crowd queuing to get aboard Letitia at Montreal during her trade ship visit to the post. Credit: The Scotsman, 31 May 1932 |
With 87 displays erected over four of the ship’s decks, there was much on offer for the considerable crowds trying to get aboard and 5,000 were turned away the second day owing to the popularity of the exhibition. In all, some 35,000-45,000 visited the ship and the displays and it was reckoned a great success by all concerned, netting an estimated $500,000 in orders for Scottish goods and services.
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| From the Gazette (Montreal) 18 May 1932 |
Letitia proved just as useful for Canadian exports when on 7 October 1932 she left Montreal with 48,260 boxes and 5,068 barrels of apples for Scotland, the largest single consignment in two years.
Plans for the 1933 season were finalised on 26 October 1932 with 62 crossings to the St. Lawrence by Athenia, Letitia, Andania and Antonia amid rumors that they would offer only Tourist and Third Class accommodation pending approval from the Conference. Letitia and Athenia with Antonia and Andania maintain a weekly service from Montreal and Quebec to Belfast, Liverpool and Glasgow (the Cunarders calling at Greenock).
In 1932 Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,856 passengers and six to New York and Halifax carrying 212 passenger. Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,548 passengers and two crossings to Halifax carrying 285 passengers.
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| Splendid poster for Athenia and Letitia in the St. Lawrence, c. 1933 by Walter Thomas. Credit: The Mariners' Museum. |
It was announced on 13 February 1933 that Athenia and Letitia were to be “entirely renovated and overhauled” with small tables installed in the Cabin Class dining saloon. Third Class was considerably improved, too, when the aft covered promenade deck space in both ships was converted into a spacious new lounge with the refurbished smoking room aft. To facilitate this, Letitia’s 17 March sailing to Saint John and Halifax was cancelled and passengers transferred to Ausonia while on 12 April it was reported that Athenia was at Fairfield for her reconditioning.
During her first Montreal turnaround, 60 travel agents had an inspection and dinner aboard Letitia on 25 May 1933.
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| Athenia sailing from Montreal in 1933. Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056818 |
Finding gainful winter employment for the two ships had always been a challenge, but given the economic circumstances, became even more important. On 21 October 1933 it was stated that “Athenia will be laid up after the St. Lawrence season” but that the Hellenic Travel Club of London had chartered Letitia for its winter cruise season and make four Mediterranean and Aegean trips.
Then on 31 October 1933 it was reported that Athenia, too, had found a winter charter and would sail from Glasgow on 14 February 1934 and from Liverpool the next day on a Jewish Community Cruise to Palestine. This featured a 10-day stay in Haifa for the celebration of the Purim Festival and several Jewish organisations were sponsoring the cruise with the ship providing complete kosher kitchens. Athenia would depart Haifa on 7 March and return to Glasgow on the 18th. In the event, there is no record that this cruise ever took place and like Letitia's world cruise plans, it seems to have been quietly shelved amid the prevailing hard times.
The two sister ships were briefly commanded by brothers when Letitia arrived Montreal on 5 November 1933 commanded by Capt. William Black of Glasgow, the brother of Capt. James Black of Athenia. Normally on the South American cargo run, this was his first visit to the St. Lawrence in years.
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| Letitia outbound in the St. Lawrence, 1932. Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056566 |
The two sister ships were briefly commanded by brothers when Letitia arrived Montreal on 5 November 1933 commanded by Capt. William Black of Glasgow, the brother of Capt. James Black of Athenia. Normally on the South American cargo run, this was his first visit to the St. Lawrence in years.
Winter came early that season and with ice already in the river below Quebec, Athenia did not proceed down to Montreal when she docked at Quebec on 22 November 1933 and sail direct from there to Belfast, Liverpool and Glasgow on the 30th.
In 1933, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,687 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,507 and two crossings to Halifax carrying 233 passengers.
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| Letitia's annual charter to the Hellenic Travellers Club starting in winter 1934 was her most celebrated and the passenger list including some of Britain's most respected academics, scholars and war leaders as well as the creme of society had the cruises featured as above in such magazines as The Tatler (18 April 1934). |
The programme for Letitia’s Hellenic Traveller’s Club season was announced on 20 January 1934. There would be four cruises in all with the first departing Glasgow on 10 February, calling at Plymouth and then Gibraltar, Algiers, Palma and Villefranche. From the French port, she would then make two cruises, the first departing 20 February to Haifa, Alexandria, Piraeus and Istanbul and the second departing 20 March to Syracuse, Nauplia, Crete, Delos and Naples. Her homeward cruise ended at Glasgow on 1 May. The programme and all shore arrangements were arranged by Sir Henry Lunn, one of the pioneers of British cruising. With capacity limited to just 300, Letitia was ideal for the role and upon return it was said that “the cruises were highly successful, and the Letitia, the first Clyde to be employed by the Hellenic Travellers’ Club, proved extremely popular as a cruise ship.”
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| On one of Hellenic Travellers' Club cruises, passengers aboard Letitia watch the Orient liner Orontes pulling free after grounding on a sandbar off Gallipoli, 18 April 1934. Credit: Daily Mirror, 24 April 1934. |
On 12 April 1934, Donaldson announced that Tony Hamilton, “well known radio singer and entertainer” would be aboard for several sailings Montreal to Glasgow and back and “'will provide entertainment in Scottish character" for all classes and that that both ships would carry a pipe band in summer, retained since Letitia came over as exhibition ship. "Both liners have been overhauled and extra rooms with private bath installed."
On the Athenia the major alteration has been in the addition of two more rooms with bath. These are of course provided with beds and they are furnished in the modern manner with tubular lighting, finished in chrome nickel on the walls. The furniture and mirrors are in the latest style of decoration, set off by a carpet of geometric design. The private bathrooms are completely equipped with a regular porcelain bath of full length and depth.
Besides this, all the cabin class staterooms of the Athenia have been redecorated, and partly re-equipped."
The most striking innovation is replacement of the usual type of ship's fixture of mirror and sundry appurtenances by a plain mirror above the wash basin, attached directly to the wall, and the carafe generally used to contain water has been replaced by a neat chrome nickel thermos bottle.
By these changes, the general appearance of the cabins on the Athenia has been very much brightened, and the look of modern comfort was very much commented on by passengers embarking.
Montreal Gazette, 7 May 1934
Athenia made the first trip of the St. Lawrence season from Glasgow on 20 April 1934 followed by Letitia on 4 May.
Letitia numbered among her passengers sailing from Montreal on 5 August 1934, Field Marshall Lord Allenby, famous for his commanding British forces in the Palestine Campaign. He and Lady Allenby were returning to Britain after attending the reunion of the Canadian Corps held in Toronto on the 20th anniversary of the start of the Great War.
After surviving what was called “the storm of the century”, a battered and many hours late Letitia reached Montreal late on 30 October 1934. She had bad weather all the way across, even in the river, damaging her portside bridge wing and carrying away a lifeboat. The crew said it was one of the worst storms they had ever seen. So bad that the schooner Marie Lydia foundered in it, losing three of her crew.
Captain David Taylor, who had commanded Donaldson ships since 1917, made his last voyage before retirement, taking Letitia out from Quebec on 29 November 1934.
In 1934, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,884 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,134 passengers.
Hellenic Travellers’ Club again chartered Letitia for winter 1935 and on 16 December 1934 published their cruise program. It began with a 5-15 February positioning voyage from Glasgow and Plymouth to Gibraltar, Malaga, Algiers and Marseilles. On the 16th she was off to Palermo, Malta, Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, Rhodes, Constantinople, Athens and Marseilles. Her second cruise from Marseilles left on 19 March to Sicily, Greece, Constantinople, Rhodes, Naples and Marseilles and then 6 April from Marseilles to Palermo. Greece, Santorini, Delos, Rhodes and Naples. She sailed for home on 24 April.
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| A busy scene in Malta's Grand Harbour, most likely in February 1935 when Letitia first called there on one of her cruises for the Hellenic Travellers Club. She join an unidentified yacht, the Blue Star cruising liner Arandora Star and in the distance a Glorious-class aircraft carrier. |
Letitia's third cruise was her most eventful, leaving Marseilles on 6 April 1935 with 356 passengers with many notables aboard including Sir Henry Lunn, Dr. Cyril Norwood, Sir Richard Livingston, Sir John Marriott, Mr. & Mrs. Harold Nicholson, Miss Sackville-West, Sir Percy Sykes, Lord Conway and Baroness Ravensdale. On the 11th, approaching Athens, she went aground on a sandbank off Cape Pappas. The Danish salvage tug Viking was dispatched and had her free at 2:30 p.m. on the 13th without damage.
Whilst Letitia was cruising, the corporate connections that bound Donaldson, Anchor and Cunard were torn asunder amid the continued pressure of economic conditions and the shipping slump. In March 1935, Runciman Group acquired control of Anchor Line which had gone into receivership. Anchor still owned 50 per cent of Donaldson Line and the Donaldsons made immediate steps to buy their shares to regain sole control of the company. In the meantime, operations would continue as before.
The 1935 season brought many changes. Making her first voyage of the season, Athenia docked at Montreal on 30 April commanded by Capt. William Rennie. This was his first liner command, having been master of the line’s Canada run freighters for some years. But owing to a strike by 2,000 Montreal dockers, Athenia was obliged to sail on the 4th without unloading her cargo.
On 11 May 1935 Donaldson Line announced it had severed all connections with Anchor Line and also after the 24th, Cunard-White Star would no longer represent Anchor Line in the U.S. or Canada. Athenia and Letitia would, however, still operate a joint weekly service to/from Montreal with Cunard’s Andania and Antonia. Then on the 20th Donaldson announced it had secured control of the Anchor-Donaldson Line, ending the connection with Anchor that began in 1916 and had bought back its shares to have sole control once more. It pledged "Similar policies and standards to those which have proved successful in building up the popularity and prestige of this Scottish service will be maintained."
For Athenia, there was a change in her summer routine not arising from corporate changes, but rather a profitable charter conveying pilgrims to the shrine of Lourdes in France. On 25 June 1935 it was announced that after her sailing from Montreal on the 29th, she would be off the run until August. Instead, she would make two special voyages to Le Verdun, the closest port to Lourdes, one from Glasgow and another from Liverpool and Dublin.
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| The newly created and now independent Donaldson Atlantic Line assumed a new corporate image, advertising and houseflag in summer 1935. |
On 9 July 1935 it was announced that the new independent company would be called the Donaldson Atlantic line. That day Letitia arrived at Montreal, commanded by Capt. J. Black, formerly of Athenia, for the last time an Anchor-Donaldson liner. She sailed on the 12th as a Donaldson Atlantic liner.
But the real introduction of Donaldson Atlantic Line was, appropriately, the first sailing from Glasgow by Letitia the evening of 26 July 1935. Before her departure, the Company hosted a luncheon for agents and shipping industry reporters. Mr. Graham Donaldson outlined the initial plans of the company and his thoughts on the state of shipping business: ''Before the war," he said, "there were eight passenger ships in service. At present we have two, the Athenia and the Letitia. It is our intention to try and bring back the old days of prosperity. We feel that there is necessity for Scots people to go south embark for Canada. " There is another point," he said, "We feel that cruising is getting too strong a hold on the public. We are going to try and encourage Scots people to spend a holiday in Canada rather than go cruising. It has always been a complaint of Canadians that Scots people never go to Canada. One of the best means of bringing people to this country is for Scots to go to Canada. If we had as much traffic going from Scotland to Canada as we have from Canada would be very comfortable indeed."
The guests were shown over the vessel with a stress on the improvements recently made for all three classes. The new revised fare started at £29 third class, £38 tourist, and £45 cabin.
When Letitia sailed she was flying the pennant of the new company, a white flag with a Scottish thistle in the centre, flown above the traditional Donaldson tri-color.
SCOTS PILGRIMS SAIL FOR FRANCE
1100 Seek Health at Lourdes
Eleven hundred Roman Catholic pilgrims opened a new highway to Lourdes yesterday, when they left the Clyde in specially chartered liner for France. They came from all parts of Scotland, and there were pathetic scenes at the quayside when a fleet of ambulances and cars conveyed the sick alongside the Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia. Sixty-five cases were conveyed to the two hospital wards on board, including three cases of sleepy sickness, several of palsy, and many of chronic rheumatism. Three blind persons were led on board by guides, and among the stretcher cases was a man who was advised by his doctor not to book his passage, as it was thought he could not survive until the sailing date. The leader of the pilgrimage is Archbishop M'Donald. Services will be conducted in various chapels on board, and 14 altars have been installed. The pilgrims disembark at Le Verdon, near Havre, on Monday night and entrain for Lourdes, the liner awaiting their return a week later. After returning to the Clyde the Athenia will proceed to Liverpool and will take on board complement of pilgrims from England, calling at Dublin for a large number of Irish pilgrims. Dundee Pilgrims party of 40 from the Dundee district joined yesterday's pilgrimage. Included in the Dundee contingent was a stretcher case. Ihe pilgrims were given an enthusiastic send-off by a large crowd of relatives and friends, who, as the train steamed out of the West Station, sang the Lourdes hymn, "Ave Maria."
Dundee Courier. 13 July 1935
On 24 July 1935 Athenia sailed from Liverpool with 500 pilgrims for Lourdes, by way of Le Verdon, and embarked an additional 527 at Dublin the next day. Among them were 100 sick cases, accommodated in the two lounges on Main Deck which had been converted into hospital wards. Of these, 20-30 were stretcher cases. Athenia returned to Dublin on 3 August and Liverpool a day later.
The charter certainly did not garner ensuring favorable publicity for the new Donaldson organization when on 15 August 1935 it was revealed that 60 cases of enteric fever had broken out in Scotland, concentrated in Glasgow and mostly among women, all of whom had been participants in the pilgrimage cruise. The health authorities contacted most of the 1,100 participants to ascertain their health and any contacts after returning from the trip and the outbreak was quickly contained.
On 5 August 1935 Letitia arrived at Montreal for the first time flying the new colors and after a long absence, Athenia docked there on the 19th.
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| Attracting quite a crowd, Letitia around in Belfast Lough in August 1935. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com, member oceantramp. |
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| Letitia was the biggest tourist attraction in Belfast Lough in summer 1935. Credit: The Sphere, 24 August 1935. |
The new Donaldson organization was tested early on when Letitia had her second grounding that year, going hard aground off Belfast Lough in sudden dense fog at midnight 16 August 1935 on a reef of rocks between Groomsport and Bangor on the County Down side of the entrance to the Lough. A passenger recalled that "the music suddenly stopped and there was consternation for a minute or two. Excellent discipline was maintained by Captain James Black and his officers, and the crew were quick to assure the passengers there was no cause for alarm."
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| The tender Robina takes off Letitia's passengers the morning after she went aground. Credit: The Sphere, 24 August 1935. |
Efforts to refloat the ship at high tide at 2:00 a.m. were unsuccessful and in the morning the 230 passengers were taken off by the tender Robina to Belfast. Her 230 passengers were taken off the following morning. The vessel, bound by rocks on both sides, was buckled in the fore part of the boiler room and no. 4 hold and three of her tanks leaking with her bows embedded in the shingle and parts of her screws exposed. It was feared that might be stuck until the next neap tide in a few weeks time.
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| An aerial view of Letitia aground and smoke and froth indicating another effort to free herself. Credit: The Northern Whig, 20 August 1935. |
Tugs, dispatched from Greenock, were on the scene by 18 August 1935. After she was lightened by the removal of 2,000 tons of cargo and ballast, Letitia was refloated early on the 20th just before high tide by the efforts of four tugs which dragged her off the sand. Towed stern first, she then anchored off Black Head at the entrance to Belfast Lough for divers inspection and later that day towed to Glasgow for drydocking, arriving the following afternoon. Letitia was repaired at Elderslie graving dock, Glasgow, but tragically, a shipyard worker was killed in an accidental fall aboard on the 29th. Letitia resumed service with her sailing from Glasgow was 20 September.
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| Letitia had a new Captain when she docked at Montreal on 29 October 1935, Capt. George E. Baillie who would be indelibly associated with the ship through the war years and after. Credit: Leader Post, 18 November 1935. |
The first cruise for Donaldson Atlantic, announced on 2 November 1935, was suitable and poignant, chartered by the 74th Yeomanry Division, Athenia was to sail to Palestine and Gallipoli 20 years after the battles fought there in the First World War. Departing Glasgow on 7 March 1936 and Southampton two days later, the cruise would call at Villefranche, Haifa (3½ days), Piraeaus, Chanak (two days for Gallipoli) and return to Southampton on 5 April. Prominent military officers and veterans were among her passengers including Major-General Sir Eric Gird wood. General Sir George Burrow, General Sir John Shea, and Major-General Sir Stuart Hare.
In a very busy and eventful 1935, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 3,967 passengers and Letitia completed 12 crossings to Montreal carrying 2,637 passengers. The total of only 6,604 passengers was the lowest for the line in many years so it was not an auspicious beginning for Donaldson Atlantic although traffic steadily improved and the company recorded profits from 1936 onwards.
The Hellenic Travellers’ Club again chartered Letitia for the winter of 1936. On 22 February she sailed from Glasgow and from Plymouth two days later for Cadiz, Gibraltar, Ceuta, Malaga and Toulon where she arrived on 3 March. The next day she left on a 30-day cruise "in the footsteps of St Paul" to Athens, Thessalonica, Troy, Mitylene, Smyrna, Cyprus, Beirut, Port Said and then to Marseilles. Then a 16-day cruise to Constantinople, Chanak, Gallipoli, Samos, Crete and Mycenae. From Marseilles , she returned to the Clyde on a nine-day cruise to Malaga, Ceuta, Gibraltar and Cadiz.
Letitia made the first Montreal call of the year on 12 May 1936.
That winter, Athenia was chartered, along with Laurentic and Tuscania, by the Ministry of Defence to bring back British troops from Palestine. On 21 December 1936 Athenia arrived at Haifa and embarked men of the of 2nd Battalion of the Cameronians, 2nd Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 2d Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. She sailed the next day with 70 officers and 1,200 men and arrived at Southampton on 31 December. But upon return to the Clyde, she was idle for the winter.
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| In 1936 Donaldson Atlantic commissioned an attractive series of advertisements highlighting "your ships" and the captains and pursers of Athenia and Letitia. |
That winter, Athenia was chartered, along with Laurentic and Tuscania, by the Ministry of Defence to bring back British troops from Palestine. On 21 December 1936 Athenia arrived at Haifa and embarked men of the of 2nd Battalion of the Cameronians, 2nd Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 2d Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. She sailed the next day with 70 officers and 1,200 men and arrived at Southampton on 31 December. But upon return to the Clyde, she was idle for the winter.
For 1936, Athenia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,290 passengers and Letitia 16 crossings carrying 4,936 passengers. This represented a gratifying 40 per cent improvement in carryings over 1935.
Letitia reprised her winter charter for Hellenic Travellers’ Club starting in February 1937 and was based on Toulon that season with three cruises to Greece, Turkey and Palestine. For the first time, she called en route from/to Glasgow in both directions at Plymouth where she arrived on 27 April from Toulon via Tangier, Gibraltar and Lisbon.
Athenia opened the St. Lawrence season with her sailing from Glasgow 16 April 1937 and arrived at Montreal on the 25th. Her homeward crossing was sold as Coronation Sailing and attracted 800 passengers, many bound for London for the ceremonies.
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| Advertisement for Athenia's special crossing for the Coronation of King George VI in May 1937. Credit: Edmonton Journal, 18 February 1937. |
On 30 August 1937 Letitia disembarked the largest westbound list for Donaldson since the 1929 slump: 977 passengers.
Still looking for off season employment for the ship, on 20 September 1937 it was reported that Donaldson were planning a winter service with Athenia between Glasgow and Saint John and Halifax. She was already programed for one crossing from Glasgow at the end of November, leaving Saint John on 11 December and Halifax following day on what was promoted as a Christmas crossing. The expanded winter service was confirmed on 3 November with Athenia to making four sailings from Saint John and Halifax to Glasgow: from Saint John 11 December, 28 January, 25 February and 25 March and a day later from Halifax and call en route at Belfast and Liverpool. For Montreal passengers, there would be a special Canadian Pacific train to West Saint John.
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| Donaldson continued to highlight "people and hospitality" in their 1937 advertising. |
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| More Donaldson advertising for 1937 with a "Cruise to Canada" and "House Party Holiday" theme. |
Still looking for off season employment for the ship, on 20 September 1937 it was reported that Donaldson were planning a winter service with Athenia between Glasgow and Saint John and Halifax. She was already programed for one crossing from Glasgow at the end of November, leaving Saint John on 11 December and Halifax following day on what was promoted as a Christmas crossing. The expanded winter service was confirmed on 3 November with Athenia to making four sailings from Saint John and Halifax to Glasgow: from Saint John 11 December, 28 January, 25 February and 25 March and a day later from Halifax and call en route at Belfast and Liverpool. For Montreal passengers, there would be a special Canadian Pacific train to West Saint John.
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| Athenia at Montreal with one of the Cunard "A"s directly astern. |
Dressed overall for Armistice Day and observing the two-minute silence, Athenia left Montreal on Armistice Day 1937 on the last crossing from St. Lawrence for the season.
For 1937, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,281 passengers and two crossings to St. John/Halifax carrying 196 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,665 passengers. This represented a 20 per cent increase over 1936.
Letitia’s winter 1938 Hellenic Travellers’ Club charter began from Glasgow on 7 February and called at Plymouth where 50 additional passengers joined the ship for Gibraltar and Toulon. From there on 15th she was off for Sicily, Athens, Turkey, Asia Minor, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, Egypt and Malta. This was followed by a cruise to Sparta, Athens, Constantinople, Rhodes, Malta and Naples . On 21 April she departed Toulon for Gibraltar and Plymouth and arrived at Glasgow 28 April. Next day she sailed for Quebec and Montreal.
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| For 1938, Donaldson Line advertised Athenia and Letitia's trans-Atlantic service as "A Canadian Cruise" and 'The Friendliest Holiday" |
On 12 March 1938 the Scottish Secondary Schools Travel Trust announced two schoolboy trips to Canada for the coming summer. The first from Glasgow in Athenia 8 July, and the other in Letitia, leaving two weeks later with 20 days in Canada visiting Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, St Catherine's. Niagara Falls, Toronto and Kingston. The cost for the full round trip, including ocean fare, rail fare, food, accommodation, excursions in Canada, and all gratuities was £28/10/-.
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| Captain James Cook assumed command of Athenia in May 1938 and came to be indelibly associated with both her and Letitia. |
Athenia had a new captain to start the 1938 season: Capt James Cook, formerly of Donaldson freighter Salacia, and also once 1st officer of Athenia.
The 1938 season was uneventful and on 5 October Donaldson announced its plans for the winter. Alas, its just introduced Saint John service would not figure, being lightly patronized. Instead, after one sailing from Saint John on 10 December and Halifax three days later, Athenia would be laid up that winter although there were rumors she might be chartered for trooping which the Canadian office discounted: She is registered in Scotland, and the Admiralty makes first call of English vessels for troopship work." Instead, Athenia was to receive a major refit to her accommodation.
Aged 68, Chairman Charles Donaldson died on 7 December 1938 at Airthey Castle, Bridge of Allan, Scotland.
In 1938, Athenia completed 18 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,358 passenger and six crossings to St. John and Halifax carrying 340 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,881 passengers. This was about 1,000 less than the previous year but a good result given that 1938 was a bad year for trans-Atlantic travel as a whole with war scares and Munich that autumn and a severe recession in America.
That winter saw Letitia off to new horizons on her annual charter to Hellenic Travellers’ Club and indeed far from the ancient Classical World. On 4 February 1939 she departed Glasgow and two days later Plymouth for the warmth and sun of the West Indies, calling at Nassau, Miami, Havana, Port Antonio, Kingston, Antigua, St. Lucia, Madeira, Tangier, Gibraltar and Toulon where the 42-day voyage concluded. Among her passengers was Mr. Richard Hughes, author of a High Wind In Jamaica. From there on 18 March she sailed, more traditionally, to Naples, Syracuse, Delphi, Navarino, Mycenae, Athens, Smyrna, Kos, Delos, Rhodes, Santorini, Messina and back to Toulon. This was followed by two back-to-back cruises from Toulon with the same itinerary: Naples, Delphi, Navarino, Mycenae, Athens, Constantinople, Troy, Melos, and Palermo. On 16 May she left Toulon to return to Glasgow calling at Malaga, Gibraltar, Cadiz and Plymouth.
Prior to sailing to the West Indies, Mr. N.F. Donaldson hosted a press luncheon aboard the just refitted and refurbished Letitia at Glasgow extolling the £100,000 in improvements to both Letitia and especially Athenia on which £60,000 was expended. The later ship would not resume service until that April and was instead at Barclay Curle’s Scotstoun yard where all of A Deck was gutted and rebuilt with new cabins as was a portion of B Deck so that almost half her original Third Class was completely stripped and rebuilding. When finished, he said Athenia would be “two thirds an entirely new ship.” All cabins in Cabin and Tourist Class and most in Third now had hot and cold running water, new mattresses and individual ventilation in inside cabins. Additional Cabin Class staterooms now had private baths.
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| Canadian newspaper advertisements heralding the final round of improvements to Athenia and Letitia for the 1939 season. |
Letitia had improvements to her accommodation, but not to the extent of Athenia. When completed, it was stated that Letitia now accommodated 125 Cabin, 250 Tourist and 630 Third Class. Both ships were fitted with new solid bronze manganese screws, far more efficient than the old bolted on bladed originals and reckoned to give as much as an extra knot of speed. Mr. Donaldson said passenger traffic was expected to be spurred by the June 1939 Royal Visit to Canada and the World’s Fair in New York.
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| Credit: The Gazette (Montreal), 29 April 1939 |
Prior to her resuming service on 13 April 1939, Mr. N.F. Donaldson hosted a luncheon and inspection for 200 travel agents to see the “new” Athenia and he was among her passengers for the first crossing of the season. “Luxury is the keynote of the Athenia, and those who inspected the vessel were much impressed by the general lay-out.” The first liner of the season, she arrived at Quebec on the 25th but owing to ice in the lower St. Lawrence, could not proceed to Montreal and sailed from Quebec three days later.
Proving the value of her new screws, Letitia docked at Quebec on 1 July 1939 after her fastest ever crossing. "Her time for the ocean voyage was considerably better than she or other ships her size and class in the Canadian trade have made from the Old Country to the St. Lawrence, and cuts several hours off the usual run… Letitia was overhauled last winter during a lay-off, and equipped with new propellers which gave her additional speed of one knot. She was expected to make better time for the Atlantic crossing, but this is the first voyage on which she has been opened up. The liner averaged 16½ knots from Liverpool to Fame Point."
Dubbed by the press as “A Ship of Parties” when she sailed from Liverpool on 10 July 1939, many of Athenia’s 600 passengers belonged to several large groups of various political, religious, or social organizations. One group was composed of upwards of ninety members of the Conservative Party of Glasgow going on a tour through Canada and the United States. Sadly, the crossing was also marked by the death of two crew members. John Kennedy, a seaman, died through a fall from the crow’s nest, and was buried at sea. A. C. Pollock, a bedroom steward, was reported missing, and believed to have fallen overboard during the night.
Leaving her berth on the morning of 4 August 1939, Letitia struck Alexandra pier as she was moving into the stream, preparing to sail for Glasgow. She dented her bow plates and was brought back to her pier for inspection. Not seriously damaged, she proceeded an hour later for Glasgow and Liverpool.
Athenia docked at Montreal on 13 August 1939, her lists again bolstered by groups including a party from Canadian Car & Foundry who spent several weeks in Britain learning latest developments in aircraft industry, 50 English and Scottish schoolgirls, 15 representatives of Middlesex Teachers Guild and 18 members of the British Home Economic Society. She sailed for home at 11:00 a.m. on the 18th with 28 Cabin, 139 Tourist and 317 Third Class passengers and 5,500 tons of cargo, and arrived at Glasgow on the 27th.
On the morning of 28 August 1939 Letitia arrived at Montreal with 57 Cabin, 104 Tourist and 295 Third Class passengers including 105 Canadian school students who sailed in same ship on 7 July on a tour of Britain.
THE ATHENIA SINKING
On 29 August 1939 it was announced that Letitia had been called back to Britain under Admiralty orders and to sail at daybreak 1 September instead of the 2nd. Passengers embarked the evening of the 31st. Ascania, Aurania, Alaunia, Scythia and Britannic also called up by the Admiralty. Letitia sailed the morning of the 1st with 375 passengers including 47 English school girls (who came over on Athenia), 41 Scottish school girls and 13 schoolboys all whom were returning home after touring Canada.
Also sailing on 1 September 1939 was Athenia (Capt. James Cook) from Glasgow at noon. By then the German invasion of Poland had been going on for seven hours and all but assured Britain and France fulfilling their treaty obligations and declaring war on the Third Reich. Amid the general anxiety among late season American tourists in Britain eager to return home, Athenia, after calling at Belfast proceeded to Liverpool where she embarked 101 American nationals in addition to the 145 who boarded at Glasgow and the 65 who came aboard at Belfast. Altogether she had 1,103 passengers including 468 Canadians, 311 Americans, 72 Britons, an estimated 500 Jewish refugees and 315 officers and crew. She sailed from Liverpool at 1:00 p.m. on the 2nd and headed westward. On the first day at sea, Sunday the 3rd, the ship broadcast Prime Minister Chamberlain’s declaration of war at 11:00 a.m. and following predesignated plans, Capt. Cook put Athenia on a precautionary zig-zag course on her route to Canada, portholes were painted over and preparations for black-out made.
On 29 August 1939 it was announced that Letitia had been called back to Britain under Admiralty orders and to sail at daybreak 1 September instead of the 2nd. Passengers embarked the evening of the 31st. Ascania, Aurania, Alaunia, Scythia and Britannic also called up by the Admiralty. Letitia sailed the morning of the 1st with 375 passengers including 47 English school girls (who came over on Athenia), 41 Scottish school girls and 13 schoolboys all whom were returning home after touring Canada.
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| The Gazette (Montreal) 1 September 1939 |
Also sailing on 1 September 1939 was Athenia (Capt. James Cook) from Glasgow at noon. By then the German invasion of Poland had been going on for seven hours and all but assured Britain and France fulfilling their treaty obligations and declaring war on the Third Reich. Amid the general anxiety among late season American tourists in Britain eager to return home, Athenia, after calling at Belfast proceeded to Liverpool where she embarked 101 American nationals in addition to the 145 who boarded at Glasgow and the 65 who came aboard at Belfast. Altogether she had 1,103 passengers including 468 Canadians, 311 Americans, 72 Britons, an estimated 500 Jewish refugees and 315 officers and crew. She sailed from Liverpool at 1:00 p.m. on the 2nd and headed westward. On the first day at sea, Sunday the 3rd, the ship broadcast Prime Minister Chamberlain’s declaration of war at 11:00 a.m. and following predesignated plans, Capt. Cook put Athenia on a precautionary zig-zag course on her route to Canada, portholes were painted over and preparations for black-out made.
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| Centre spread of the Illustrated London News, 13 September 1939 with specially commissioned drawings by G.H. Davis. |
Athenia was first sighted by the German submarine U-30 (Kapitänleutant Fritz-Julius Lemp) at 4:30 p.m. on 3 September 1939 when she was 60 nautical miles south of Rockall, Ireland. Three hours later, at 7:40 p.m. as second sitting passengers were finishing dinner, U-30 fired two torpedoes, one of which struck Athenia portside in her engine room right at the bulkhead between it and the boiler room. Two massive explosions followed, one from the torpedo and the other probably boilers exploding. Athenia immediately settled by the stern with a portside list which she soon recovered from and much of the interior of the ship in way of the impact point was devastated with debris, dust and escaping steam. The explosion blew the hatch of no. 5 hold into shards of splintered heavy wood, killing five passengers standing nearby on deck.
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| Depiction of the effect of the torpedo explosion, blowing up the hatch cover of No. 5 hold. Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939. |
Amidst general terror and confusion among the passengers, to their credit, Athenia’s crew managed to launch every one of her lifeboats although the loading of them was disorderly and some were terribly overloaded and others still had their plugs unsecured when lowered into the water. The last boat left the ship at 8:45 p.m. In the end, everyone not killed outright by the initial explosion was believed evacuated and fortunately there were a number of vessels answering Athenia’s distress call very close by: H.M.S. Electra, H.M.S. Escort, the famous Swedish motor yacht Southern Cross, the Norwegian tanker Knute Nelson, and the American freighter (but Panamanian registered) City of Flint, the first of which were on the scene shortly after midnight on 4 September. It was prudently decided to wait for first light to effect rescue operations.
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| Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939 |
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| Athenia 3 September 1939 by Arthur J.W. Burgess. Credit: Illustrated London News, 21 October 1939. |
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| One of Athenia's lifeboats alongside H.M.S. Electra or H.M.S. Escort with the yacht Southern Cross in the background. Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939. |
Tragically at the very moment of rescue, there were more casualties in mishandling accidents involving the rescue ships and lifeboats. One boat was drawn into the turning propeller of Knute Nelson which inexplicably went slow ahead with boats still alongside and was crushed and capsized, killing 50 of its occupants, and another capsized below the stern of Southern Cross, killing 10 and three others were crushed during the transfer from boats to one of the destroyers in the heavy seas. In all, 98 passengers and 19 crew of the total of 1,418 souls aboard Athenia perished. Of those, 58 were Canadians and 28 Americans. City of Flint took her 221 survivors to Halifax and Knute Nelson landed her 430 at Galway.
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| Athenia in the first light of 4 September 1939, still afloat 14 hours after being torpedoed, but settling by the stern and gone by 10:40 a.m. |
Stalwart to the end, Athenia stayed afloat until all her passengers and crew were off and settled slowly by the stern with a slight list to port and finally succumbed at 10:40 a.m. on 4 September 1939, sinking by the stern. In October 2007 the BBC reported that shipwreck-hunter David Mearns located the wreck from sonar data, laying 200 meters down on Rockall Bank, off Ireland. “It is split in the aft section where the torpedo hit, but otherwise is sitting proud of the sediment and looks to be in reasonable shape.”
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| Officers and crew of the Norwegian tanker Knute Nelson watch as Athenia finally sinks by the stern at 10:40 a.m. 4 September 1939. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. |
The sinking of Athenia created, of course, a propaganda firestorm and no little embarrassment for the Germans as her torpedoing was both in violation of international law as well as standing orders issued by the Germany Navy as regards attacks on passenger liners. So much so that the Germans denied one of their U-Boats had been involved and blamed it instead on an attack by British destroyers designed to draw America into the war. The unfortunate Kapitänleutant Fritz-Julius Lemp was denied the "kill" and all mention of the sinking removed from his log and records and it was not until the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials that the facts were made known and Germany accepted responsibility.
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| Athenia sinks stern first with her bows rearing out of the sea. This photo was taken by Mr. W.F. Williams who was serving in one of the rescue ships, H.M.S. Electra. Credit: The Age, 17 November 1958. |
As historical asides, Winston Churchill's first statement as the just appointed First Sea Lord was to announce to the Commons the sinking of Athenia. The second Athenia went down just 271 miles from where the first one herself was torpedoed in August 1917. Lemp did not survive the war and was lost when his U-110 was captured at sea by H.M.S. Bulldog on 9 May 1941 and famously with its "Enigma" coding machine and code books intact. Ironically, the man who fired the first shot of the Battle of the Atlantic was a participant in a key engagement which led to its eventual victorious end by the Allies.
Athenia was but the first of a staggering 2,426 British merchantmen lost to enemy action in the Second World War and her sinking understandably overshadows a successful career of what was always a happy and popular ship.
Meanwhile, the eastbound Letitia was in the Belle Isle Strait when, late on 3 September 1939, upon the news of the sinking of her sister, she was ordered to return immediately to Montreal. Late on the afternoon of the 5th, Letitia safely docked and disembarked her passengers who were “stranded” but safe in Canada, including her two large school parties. Now it remained for Letitia to go to war and she had a score to settle.
In 1939, Athenia completed 10 crossings to Montreal carrying 3,980 passengers and Letitia 9 crossings carrying 2,680 passengers.
No. of Crossings (one-way) Passengers Carried Cruises
R.M.S. Athenia 294 110,375 nil
R.M.S. Letitia 246 94,294 29
No two ships better fulfilled their role linking Mother Country and the Dominion of Canada than did Athenia and Letitia. Now only Letitia was left and she had another 21 years of faithful service during which she fought in the Battle of the Atlantic under the White Ensign, carried troops, served as Canada's largest hospital ship and as Empire Brent and Captain Cook went on to link even more far-flung Dominions.
The Donaldson Sisters, 1923-1939
No. of Crossings (one-way) Passengers Carried Cruises
R.M.S. Athenia 294 110,375 nil
R.M.S. Letitia 246 94,294 29
No two ships better fulfilled their role linking Mother Country and the Dominion of Canada than did Athenia and Letitia. Now only Letitia was left and she had another 21 years of faithful service during which she fought in the Battle of the Atlantic under the White Ensign, carried troops, served as Canada's largest hospital ship and as Empire Brent and Captain Cook went on to link even more far-flung Dominions.
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| R.M.S. Athenia outbound from Montreal, 1933. Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056574 |
Next.....
Part Two: H.M.S LETITIA (1939-1941)
H.M.T. LETITIA (1941-1944)
H.M.C.H.S. LETITIA (1944-1945)
H.M.T. EMPIRE BRENT (1945-1951)
T.S.S. CAPTAIN COOK (1952-1960)
Many thanks for such an informative article Peter. As a young boy I saw Captain Cook, ex Letitia, several times in Wellington having arrived with thousands of migrants from the UK to New Zealand between 1952 and 1959. By that time of course Captain Cook was dated and worn out, I don't envy her passengers who had to endure the long voyage. Stephen Berry, Wellington, New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stephen... working on the second installment now and EMPIRE BRENT and CAPTAIN COOK. Just wish the NZ newspapers from this era were on line! She had quite an eventful career!
DeleteWonderfully researched and written. Thank you. The graphics from the 20's were special. Thank you. I look forward to reading of her WWII exploits.
ReplyDelete