Carrying Canadian Troops The Story of RMS Olympic as a First World War Troopship David R. Gray Introduction sources provide interesting details of n the long adventurous life of Royal the experiences of sailing on the vessel IMail Ship (RMS) Olympic, the older and of life on board, including the sister of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, the difficulties of embarkation and disembarkation, the danger from time she spent as a troopship ferrying Canadian troops during the First World submarines, and the general supply and handling of this large ship in frequently War is a notable but frequently overlooked part of her career. Olympic hazardous circumstances. was cheered enthusiastically by Canadian troops who sailed aboard her, Prewar History respected as the “Old Reliable,” praised for ie first of three similar sister-ships, that services rendered to other ships, and honoured T included the Titanic an d the Britannic, the for her own success in attacking an enemy Olympic was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast submarine. Carrying more Canadian soldiers and launched as RMS Olympic in 1910, a year than any other troopship, O lympic w as an earlier than Titanic, with her maiden voyage important part of Canada’s war effort. taking place in 1911. As the newest and largest of the trans-Atlantic liners, O lym pic w as Able to accommodate close to 6000 troops described with all the superlatives later applied at a time, Olympic made ten round trips from to Titanic: “Ocean Greyhound,” “Finest Steamer Liverpool to Halifax between March and Afloat,” “Largest vessel in the World,” and “Queen December 1916. On the return voyages she of the Ocean.” At 882 feet in overall length, with carried wounded soldiers and civilians back to a gross registered tonnage of 45,324 tons and a Canada. For the next two years O lym pic total of nine decks, Olympic was the largest ship continued to ferry Canadian and American afloat from the time of her launch until the troops across the Atlantic, and in 1919, brought completion of the German liner Imperator two the victorious soldiers home. Although she was years later. After Titanic’s tragic loss on her once a household name in Canada, Olympic’s maiden voyage in 1912, Olympic returned to her wartime service has since slipped into obscurity. birthplace and was extensively rebuilt, with new NAC PA 30304 NAC PA side bunkers, extended double hull, and Most inform ation on Olympic as a troopship watertight bulkheads. With enough lifeboats now is derived from the memoirs of the Olympic’s fitted for for all passengers and crew, she was wartime Captain, Sir Bertram Hayes.1 Using able to accommodate a total of 2440 passengers.2 Hayes’s account as a framework, this article helps to further illuminate Olympic’s w artim e Early Wartime History history with new material such as diaries, and other sources housed at the National Archives hen Great Britain declared war on of Canada and at the hitherto largely untapped WGermany on 4 August 1914, Olympic was on her usual passage from Southampton to New Archives of the Canadian War Museum. These York. After returning from New York, on her next © Canadian Military History, Volume 11, Number 1, Winter 2002, pp.54-70. 55 process of loading it through the Olympic’s side Department of Militia and Defence contracted ports would take three days, provided no other with White Star Line to victual the troops in large ships required loading at the same time. Olympic on the Canadian scale, at the level of CD g O « They also estimated the total amount of coal 3rd Class passengers. 9 Olympic sailed from E o available in Halifax to meet all refueling needs Liverpool “completely victualled” and for the first to be 10,000 tons. Consequently, the collier trip in March 1916 required only fish, eggs, and Brighton was sent to Louisbourg in Cape Breton salad from Halifax. In March 1916 her projected 0 CJ II to load extra coal so that Halifax would be ready accommodation for 6000 troops was to be 500 15 1 . to meet all requirements. in first class berths, 958 other ranks in other 2 ro berths, and 4542 in hammocks. This was later is I Not all those in charge of planning for amended to 500 first class, 716 NCOs in berths, Olym pic’s arrival were optimistic, and some 1033 men in berths, and 3765 men in 0o O Q_ officials were still of the opinion that it was ham m ocks on decks D, E, F, and G. Of these, impossible to coal large troopships like Olympic “The World’s Biggest Ship.” - The S.S. “Olympic” leaving Belfast for Liverpool. 898 men were to be in hammocks in what had in Halifax. There were, for example, only eight been the First Class Dining Saloon.10 voyage west she carried many Canadians and of ferrying Canadian troops across the Atlantic coal lighters available. Also, Olympic’s w ater Americans returning home from Britain. On her to Europe. As one of the largest and fastest ships requirements were from 1500 to 2500 tons, and Arrival of the Troops she used 75 tons a day while in port. There were next return voyage from New York, she helped afloat, she was perfect for the role. Olympic left oldiers from across Canada arrived in only two old water boats available in Halifax, rescue the crew of the mined British battleship Liverpool for Halifax, on the first of what would Halifax aboard special troop trains. The and even when both were in commission, they S HMS A udacious and attempted to tow the be many trips, on 22 March 1916, arriving six trains often arrived before Olympic was ready could only supply 800 tons of water daily. To stricken vessel to port before she sank. Olympic days later. for embarkation and consequently, as they meet the initial needs and avoid delays, local made three trans-Atlantic crossings, mainly with waited their turn to board the vessel, the restless fire engines and all the resources of the water American civilians returning home, before the Preparation: Coal, Water, soldiers were marched around Halifax, given department were put to work to pump the British Admiralty selected her for troopship duty. Provisions, and Beds leave, and sometimes accommodated in local In early October 1914, she returned to the required water on board.7 In view of he embarkation, accommodation, and Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast for a 10- the scarcity of facilities in Halifax cl provisioning of six thousand soldiers, plus month conversion to fit her for the new role.3 T some suggested th at Olympic should S the logistics of handling tons of coal and water instead be coaled in New York. ^ Captain Bertram Hayes, who was to for each voyage, was a massive undertaking for Although this alternative was not z com m and Olympic throughout the war, joined Halifax and preparations were in full swing by resorted to, in reality, Olympic’s first Q her at the end of the refit at Gladstone Docks, February for the planned first arrival of the vessel sailing from Halifax was delayed, o Liverpool. Bearing the number 2810, with a in late March. Accommodating a ship of the size owing to the inadequate means at s number of naval ratings aboard to man her two of the Olympic was a new and daunting challenge the port for coaling and watering. 2 new guns (a 4.7-inch gun at the bow and a 3- for port authorities. Coaling Olympic actually took about inch gun at the stern), Olympic began her six days rather than the three that troopship career in mid September 1915. Still Among the many details to be arranged, the the Dominion Coal Company had one of the grandest ships afloat, she was now ship’s owner, the White Star-Dominion Line, estim ated. painted grey, dark grey for the hull and a lighter requested Naval Service Headquarters to provide a harbour patrol boat or other suitable grey for the superstructure. Her first task was During the first voyages from protection to avoid propellor damage, as the CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE to carry 6000 fresh troops to the eastern Halifax, the troops were embarked almost 900-foot O lym pic would seriously to une Mediterranean on four voyages to Spezia, Italy, as early as three days before coaling CANADA ENGLAND. J . 1916 overhang the 700-foot Pier 2 at Halifax.5 and Mudros (on the Greek island of Lemnos) in was completed. In consideration of For Peace, Justice and Freedom. Cod Save the King. support of the Gallipoli campaign.4 the health of the soldiers, who had For the Atlantic crossing, Olympic needed to live on board during coaling with g Carrying the Canadian Contingent at least 5100 tons of coal, as her daily the port holes closed, E.H. Martin, g> consumption at her average speed was 850 tons. the Captain Superintendant of HMC “ s the Canadian commitment to supplying Depending on various factors, the amount of coal Dockyard, later requested that z troops for her European war effort grew A she needed to load at Halifax to fill h er b u n k ers coaling be completed before troop § during the course of 1915, a consistently ranged from 3000 to 6000 tons. On 20 March embarkation began.8 o available means of transporting them was 1916, a message from Halifax informed Ottawa CO considered essential. Hence the Canadian that the Dominion Coal Company could supply A lth o u g h O lym p ic w a s on 2 Government requested from the British the 3000 tons of coal required by Olympic, th en imperial service as a transport on Admiralty the use of O lym pic as a troop en route for Halifax from Liverpool.6 The Admiralty charter, the Canadian transport.