In 1915, the RMS Lusitania was sailing to Liverpool but only made it as far as the Irish coast when it was torpedoed by German forces. On the shore where the dead were washed up, their spirits seem to linger in the cemetery and in the hotel where the wounded were brought.
In the annals of maritime history, few stories are as memorable as that of the RMS Lusitania. A luxury ship of its time, it was not just a ship; it was a symbol of wealth and luxury, floating in the turbulent waters of World War I. Her tragic tale, marked by a ruthless attack by a German U-boat, left an indelible mark on history – and perhaps in the realm of the supernatural.
During World War I, the Lusitania was more than just another ocean liner; was a prized target for German forces. So much so that the German embassy took the extraordinary step of placing warnings in 50 American newspapers advising potential passengers against traveling on this ship.
Despite this dire advice, courage and curiosity prevailed, and on that fateful day of May 1, 1915, both passengers and crew boarded the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool.
The sinking of the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania carried 1,266 passengers and 696 crew, for a total of 1,962 people. At 2:10 p.m., Lusitania crossed paths with the German U-boat U-20. Due to the liner's high speed, some believe the encounter was accidental, as otherwise the U-20 would have had difficulty catching up with the swift ship.
The U-boat fired one torpedo at RMS Lusitania, hitting it on the starboard bow, just below the wheelhouse. Moments later, a second explosion occurred in the ship's hull at the point of impact.
The ship began to sink rapidly, listing to the starboard side. Crew members rushed to launch the lifeboats, but sinking conditions made this extremely tough and many of the lifeboats capsized or broke apart. Only 6 of the 48 lifeboats were successfully launched.
Eighteen minutes after being hit by the torpedo, the ship's trim leveled off and disappeared beneath the waves, with the funnels and masts the last parts perceptible. Chaos ensued as the ship quickly plunged into the abyss, leaving only a few lifeboats to brave the icy waters
Tragically, of the 1,962 people on board the RMS Lusitania, 1,199 lost their lives. The heroic actions of survivors and Irish rescuers brought the number of survivors to 764, although three later succumbed to injuries sustained during the sinking.
Ghostly Remnants: Queenstown
In the wake of this devastating event, the town of Queenstown, now known as Cobh, witnessed a grim spectacle. The bodies of the few survivors and many victims were washed ashore or brought to the city.
At the Old Church Cemetery, located on the outskirts of Cobh, almost 200 of the unfortunate passengers of the RMS Lusitania found their final resting place, both in mass and individual graves.
It is here, among the gravestones and fading memories of the passengers of the RMS Lusitania, that the veil between the living and the dead seems to skinny. Witnesses from various social groups, including the enigmatic White Witch of Cobh ia Grave inspectorthey told amazing experiences.
The White Witch of Cobh
But who is this white witch who supposedly makes people believe her claims about hauntings? Her name is Helen Barrett and she is a fifth generation witch. Of the 3,500 witches in Ireland, only one is said to outrank her in Kerry.
She is mainly known for fortune telling and magic spells such as wind whistling, but she also claims to have seen some of the ghosts that are said to haunt her town. She claimed, among other things, that she predicted the death of Princess Diana, as well as the beginning of the end of the world in 2012.
Haunted funeral procession
The most critical of these accounts is the blood-curdling sound of the mass funeral procession of the Lusitania victims on May 10, 1915. Most people who claim to have experienced this report hearing hushed voices as well as the sound of footsteps on the cemetery wall.
The White Witch herself claims to have “seen” this phenomenon – a spectral spectacle that haunts the imagination.
These mournful echoes of the past confuse the audience, making them believe that a funeral procession is approaching and the road turns out to be empty. It is as if the ghosts of the Lusitania's passengers still gather to remember their untimely end, leaving a lasting and haunting legacy on the hallowed grounds of the Old Church Cemetery in Cobh, Ireland.
Haunting at the Commodore Hotel
When the ship sank there was a hotel in Cobh which was originally known as The Queens Hotel and is still in operation. It was run by a German and the entire Humbert family had to hide in the basement because of the enraged crowd that had gathered outside.
At the time the RMS Lusitania was torpedoed, many survivors were taken to a hotel where they treated the wounded and stored the dead to composed the enraged crowds.
This is said to have left a mark on the hotel, with many of the unexplained sounds and sightings being the result of the victims' ghosts.
However, according to legends, these are not the only ghosts haunting the hotel. The hotel is also said to be haunted by a British soldier who took his own life and the ghost of a child who was allegedly left there in a suitcase.
Tragic haunting from the RMS Lusitania
The disturbing tale of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania and the ghosts washed ashore is a tale that resonates with depth of history. As time passes, these spirits continue to linger, and their presence can be felt in eerie whispers in the Old Church Cemetery and the haunted halls of the Commodore Hotel.
As the years pass, the tragic haunting from the RMS Lusitania becomes a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and a testament to the resilience of the spirits that continue to endure. The stories of these lost souls continue to captivate us, reminding us of the mysterious and enduring connections between the world of the living and the realm of the dead.
We can only wonder if these restless spirits will ever find peace, and if their presence will continue to be felt by those who venture into the hallowed grounds of Cobh and the haunted halls of the Commodore Hotel.
Bibliography:
Cobh, Ireland: 5 haunted places to visit | Scary Islands
Hotel Commodore | Haunted Cork, Ireland | Ghost Island
https://darkemeraldtales.com/2015/05/05/ghosts-of-rms-lusitania-and-the-port-of-cobh/ The Witch of Cobh claims to have predicted Diana's death – The Irish Times
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