The Launch of the Queen Mary

n this 21st Century, few ocean liners stir the imagination, as does the Queen Mary. True ocean liners no longer exist, and the Queen Mary is virtually the last and grandest from the Golden Age of transatlantic passenger service. Built during the darkest days of the Great Depression, the legendary Queen Mary is the pinnacle of shipbuilding, renowned as the most luxurious and coveted passenger liner of her day.

In May of 1930, Britain’s Cunard Steamship Company awarded John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland the task of constructing what was hailed as the “ultimate ship”. An all-British undertaking, the ship was constructed of the finest materials from suppliers and manufacturers from more than 60 towns and cities throughout Britain. Her steel, castings and steering equipment came from Motherwell, her windows from Liverpool, her porcelain and cooking ware from Worcester and her linen from Northern Ireland.

Production on the ultimate ship was halted for 18 months due to financial difficulties experienced by Cunard. With the help of the British Government and some creative financing, John Brown and Company was able to continue production on the ship and the Royal Mail Steamer was launched at Clydeband on September 26, 1934.

A Royal Legacy
Legend has it that the board of directors of Cunard, the ship’s owners, had decided to name the ship Queen Victoria. This would have been in keeping with the tradition of Cunard having ships with names that end in the suffix – ia, such as Mauretania, Aquitania and Berengeria. The legend continues that a delegation of Cunard directors went, as was protocol, to ask King George’s blessing of the ship’s proposed name. The spokesman for the Cunard board said to the king, “We have decided to name our new ship after England’s greatest Queen”, meaning Queen Victoria, the King’s Grandmother. The King is reported to have replied, “My wife will be delighted that you are naming the ship after her.”

Divine Art Deco
It would be another 18 months before she would make her first transatlantic voyage. During that period, workers labored night and day to install engines, fittings and the furnishings that would ensure the Queen Mary’s reign as the world’s ultimate passenger liner. The sheer magnitude of her Art Deco flourishes and finishes make her one of the best examples of the era. The penchant for combining exotic materials used by the Art Deco designers was perfectly reflected in the design philosophy of the Queen Mary. Specific vignettes throughout the ship echo common themes in the style of mythology, animals, and natural settings, abstracted into pure form. The finest materials were used; more than three-dozen types of wood (some now said to be extinct), marble, tapestry – even the then futuristic linoleum, or rather a special cork and linoleum composite – made for a floating palace unrivaled in her day.

The Essence of Luxury and Glamour
The Queen Mary sailed her maiden voyage from Southampton, England on May 27, 1936. She boasted five dining areas and lounges, two cocktail bars and swimming pools, a grand ballroom, a squash court and a small (but well equipped) hospital. The Queen Mary quickly seized the imagination of the public on both sides of the Atlantic, representing the spirit of an era that was characterized by elegance, style and the height of luxury.

The rich and famous considered a transatlantic crossing aboard the Queen Mary the only civilized way to travel. She carried some of the world’s richest and most famous passengers, from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Winston Churchill to Noel Coward, Bob Hope, and Fred Astaire.

The Transformation to Troopship
When she docked in New York Harbor in September of 1939, the civilian passengers she carried would be her last for years to come. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the ship that had come to epitomize the style and elegance of the thirties was called up for duty by the British Government.

To transform her into a troopship, she was stripped of her signature Cunard red, black and white and slapped with a coat of camouflage grey. Placed in storage, along the Hudson River, were her finer amenities, including several miles of plush carpeting, expensive art deco furnishings and more than 200 cases of crystal, china and silverware. The luxuries were replaced with an underwater sound detection system, a single, four-inch gun, a mine sweeping paravane system and a degaussing girdle meant to neutralize magnetic mines. More than 2,000 stateroom doors were removed in order to install tiers of wooden bunks and rows of canvas hammocks. Posh shops and boutiques were now the quarters of military offices.

Future refits would include the installation of several thousand standee bunks to the ship’s Promenade Deck, first-class swimming pool and ladies’ drawing room. Additional toilet facilities would be added as well as storage areas to house the several hundred tons of food and water that would be consumed by the many troops. Enhancements to the armament and the anti-aircraft defenses included a 40mm cannon, a 24 single-barrel 200mm cannon, six three-inch high/low angle guns and four sets of two-inch rocket launchers. Any trace of elegance, except her graceful silhouette, had vanished.

The Grey Ghost Era
The Queen Mary was the largest and fastest troopship to sail, capable of transporting as many as 16,000 troops - a figure that has never been exceeded to this day - at a speed of 30 knots. Even Adolph Hitler couldn’t stop her, despite his offer of $250,000 and the Iron Cross to any U-boat captain that would sink her. During the war, the Grey Ghost would encounter several close calls with the enemy; however, she would always manage to outwit the combined military intelligence of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

In June of 1943, the Queen Mary, now known as The Grey Ghost, began her duty as a GI shuttle, making transatlantic crossings on a schedule that resembled her pre-war party days. The six-day GI “shuttle” had thousands of men aboard passing the time playing card and dice games, watching nightly films, or reading books. Those with more religious ties spent time in the ship’s Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish chapels. Daily lifeboat and abandon ship drills also made the monotony more bearable, and some units occupied their time with training lectures and exercises. Eating and sleeping schedules were rotated in order to accommodate the masses. The elegant First-Class Dining Room was converted to a 24-hour mess hall.

The Grey Ghost also served as a means of transporting prisoners, patients and “very important passengers.” Her most notable wartime passenger was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Churchill and his entourage of government officials were housed in staterooms outfitted with the trademark Cunard luxuries. Instead of having to stomach such wartime staples as chipped beef on toast, Churchill and his staff savored such specialties as Macaroni Bolognaise, Navarin of Lamb and Corn Ox Tongue. Cigars and dinner mints, displayed on silver trays bearing Churchill’s family coat of arms, were passed butler-style for all to enjoy. Despite the indulgence, Churchill and his staff maintained a grueling schedule aboard. Plans were orchestrated for invasion; aerial offensives against Hitler were worked through and many other strategies were in place before the ship reached its destination.

The End of the War
On May 7, 1945, Nazi Germany surrendered, ending the Second World War in Europe and in August, Japan would be forced to do the same. Almost immediately, The Grey Ghost began transporting American soldiers home. As the ship approached New York Harbor, troops swarmed the upper decks to get their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. Within two months, the troopship had returned more than 31,000 American soldiers to their native land and the numbers would increase dramatically as similar voyages were made.

The ships final tour of duty was one of her most pleasant. “Operation Diaper” was announced in January 1946 and more than 66,000 women and children were to be transported to their new homes in America and Canada. Before she could begin her “Bride and Baby” voyages, the ship had to be demilitarized to comfortably accommodate the women and children. Although her exterior was still painted a dull grey, the ship took on an air of elegance as she prepared for yet another voyage.

In February of 1946, the Queen Mary traveled from Southampton to New York in just five days, ultimately traveling more than 31,000 miles and transporting more than 12,000 war brides and their children to America. Overall, the Queen Mary safely transported nearly 25 percent of all service dependents brought over from Europe following the end of the war. On July 31, 1947, the Queen Mary resumed regular passenger service and her stellar reputation, and continued to cross the Atlantic for two more decades.

A Landmark Legend Lives On
On October 31, 1967, the Queen Mary departed on her “Last Great Cruise”. Arriving in Long Beach on December 9, 1967, she was officially removed from British registry and officially turned over to her new owners, the City of Long Beach, California on December 11, 1967.

The Queen Mary, now found on the National Register of Historic Places, is permanently docked, yet sill afloat, at Long Beach Harbor in Southern California. Her operation, maintenance, and preservation are entrusted to the RMS Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The historic ship is a cherished icon recognized worldwide. Considered the Crown Jewel of Southern California, the Queen has emerged as the area’s ultimate entertainment destination. Visitors to the grand ship can take a self-guided tour of her 12 decks, a behind the scenes guided tour, or visit one of the exciting exhibitions that have become a standard feature of this intriguing ship. Filled with hundreds of unique spaces, the Queen Mary has been host to many film productions, such as, The Aviator, Godfather Part 3, The Poseidon Adventure and Pirates of the Caribbean. A myriad of festivals and special events are scheduled year-round and 17 Art Deco salons are available for social or corporate events and meetings.

Modern-day passengers can stay aboard the historic vessel turned landmark hotel in one of the 365 original staterooms spanning three decks, which includes eight full suites. Dining on board the Queen Mary is an event in and of itself, with three award-winning restaurants to choose from. The Grand Salon, the ship’s original First Class Dining Room, is an elegant setting for the most spectacular champagne Sunday brunch in Southern California, featuring cuisine from around the world. The original First Class Lounge, now the Art Deco Observation Bar, is the perfect place to relax, savor a sunset from the panoramic views, and enjoy the truly unique atmosphere, proving elegance and taste never goes out of style.

Historical source: “The Little Book of Facts About the Big Ship”
© 2003-2005 Scott F. Gray. Book is available for purchase here

For more information, please visit: www.queenmary.com

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