Naval artist E D Walker. Naval art print
'RMS Acquitania (1914) Leaving the Mersey' byE D Walker depicting the
Ocean Liner RMS Acquitania on her way from Liverpool in 1914.
After completing three round-trip voyages and arriving in Liverpool on
July 27th, 1914, the Aquitania was converted to an armed
merchant cruiser on the outbreak of World War I. In August of that
year, she was paid off by the Admiralty as she was considered too large
for operations.
In 1915, however, she was used as a troop transporter to the
Dardanelles. Later she served as a hospital ship in the
Mediterranean until 1917. In that year she was laid up but was put back
into service again, transporting American troops to France. After the war
she resumed the Transatlantic service, leaving Southampton on June 14th,
1919. Between December 1919 and August 1920, Aquitania was converted
to oil-firing. At the beginning of the Second World War, she was
once again requisitioned for war service until 1948, when she re-entered
passenger service. She made her last passage for Cunard in November,
1949.
