Sinking of HMS Campania


1918

The aircraft carrier HMS Campania sank during a storm a mile (1.5 km) off Burntisland on 5th November, 1918. Having dragged her anchor the Campania collided with two other capital ships, HMS Royal Oak and HMS Glorious which were also at anchor, causing her hull to be split and the engine room to flood. The Campania sank after five hours, thankfully with no loss of life, and still lies under 27m (88 feet) of water.

The ship was built at the Fairfield Yards in Govan as the liner RMS Campania and launched in 1891. It was largest and fastest passenger liner afloat when she entered service two years later. Her engines were the largest of the time, and remain amongst the biggest reciprocating steam engines ever built. She plied the North Atlantic for the Cunard Line until superseded in 1914. On the point being scrapped, she was bought by the Admiralty and converted to become an aircraft carrier. She was commissioned in this role in 1916.


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