By
Rebecca Gibson |
Cunard Line has commissioned historian Eric Sauder to produce a temporary exhibition to commemorate the loss of its former flagship Lusitania.
The first of 22 Cunard ships lost during World War One, Lusitania was torpedoed on 7 May 1915 while en route from New York, US, to Liverpool, UK. The ship sank around 11 miles off the old Head of Kinsale in Ireland.
Displayed onboard Queen Victoria during her seven-night ‘Lusitania Remembered’ voyage, the exhibition will feature china, silver, brochures, postcards, memorabilia and souvenirs. It has been curated by Eric Sauder, a former tour guide on Cunard’s Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. Sauder has dived on the Lusitania wreck and has authored two books on the subject: RMS Lusitania: The Ship and Her Record and The Unseen Lusitania: The Ship in Rare Illustrations. The latter book will be released on the 100th anniversary of the sinking.
Sailing roundtrip from Southampton, the Lusitania Remembered voyage will call at St Peter Port, Guernsey; Le Havre, France; and Cobh and Dublin in Ireland.
On 7 May, Queen Victoria will call at Cobh, which played a major role in the aftermath of the tragedy, to enable passengers to attend an onshore remembrance service and a number of other tributes. Passengers will also be able to attend a Commemorative Dinner onboard the ship.
“The sinking of Lusitania was a tragedy and we intend to mark the anniversary of her sinking on 7 May 2015 in a fitting and respectful way,” said David Dingle, CEO of Cunard Line. “But her story was also one of triumph in the technical achievement of her construction and her glittering career from 1907 until the outbreak of war. We are pleased to be working with Eric Sauder on this exhibition that will recall that triumph and tragedy, and bring an added element on this special Lusitania voyage.”