KINSALE — 1915 · Major Tragedy
The Sinking of the Lusitania
During the First World War the British liner RMS Lusitania, sailing from New York to Liverpool, was torpedoed without warning by the German submarine U-20 on 7 May 1915, about 11 nautical miles off the Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland. A second explosion followed the torpedo strike, and the huge ship sank in just 18 minutes. Only 763 of the 1,960 people aboard survived; around 128 of the dead were American citizens. The attack turned public opinion in many countries against Germany and contributed to the US entering the war two years later. The cause of the second explosion, including the role of munitions carried aboard, is still debated.
- Date
- 1915
- Place
- Off the Old Head of Kinsale, Cork, Ireland, Kinsale, IE
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 51.4167, -8.5500 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1 May 1915Lusitania sailed from New York for Liverpool.
- 7 May 1915The ship was torpedoed off Kinsale and sank in 18 minutes.
- June-July 1915A formal British inquiry was held.
- 6 April 1917The US entered the First World War.
Sources
- The Guardian — Lusitania divers warned of danger from war munitions in 1982 theguardian.com ↗
- BBC News — RMS Lusitania: flotilla marks centenary of sinking bbc.co.uk ↗
- Wikipedia — Sinking of the RMS Lusitania en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.