A fake British ship fought the real ship it was disguised as.

World History

L uxury ocean liners were at the height of their popularity at the beginning of the 20th century, and ships such as the RMS Mauretania attracted wealthy first-class travelers with lavish dining rooms, opulent lounges, and plush accommodations. When World War I struck, however, several ocean liners ended up being drafted into the war effort as hospitals, troop transport, and even battleships. Two of these converted ships met in battle — and, with one vessel disguised as the other and neither built for fighting, what followed was pretty awkward.

One of the involved ships was the SMS Cap Trafalgar, a German three-funnel passenger ship that was docked in Buenos Aires when the war broke out. Planning to use the ship to disrupt British trade in the region, the German navy outfitted it with guns and a crew of more than 300 soldiers. For a final touch, they removed one of the funnels and painted the remaining two to look like the two-funnel British ocean liner RMS Carmania. Meanwhile, the British navy armed the Carmania with its own wartime makeover — and a more militaristic all-gray paint job.

The Carmania was sent to Trindade, a small island off the coast of Brazil, to check on intelligence suggesting a German ship coaling facility. There, they found the German Cap Trafalgar that was posing as the Carmania — suddenly a much less effective disguise.

The ensuing battle was sloppy: Crews on both ships had no way to coordinate with one another like they would on a real warship, so gunners just fired whenever they saw a target. Both ships were badly damaged, but Britain's Carmania ultimately prevailed when the Cap Trafalgar fled and sank.

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By the Numbers

Passenger capacity of the Carmania

2,650

Peak height (in meters) above sea level on Trindade

600

Did you know?

The RMS Mauretania's speed rivals that of modern cruise ships.

One of the most storied ships from the golden age of luxury ocean liners was the RMS Mauretania, which held the record for the fastest trip across the Atlantic for more than 20 years. Its service speed was 25 knots, or just under 29 miles per hour. By comparison, Royal Caribbean cruise ships have speeds up to 20 knots, and Holland America's fastest vessel reaches speeds up to 22.5 knots. Granted, some passenger liners have traveled much faster than the Mauretania ever did — the SS United States hit more than 35 knots in 1952 — but compared to the typical ship, the century-old Mauretania's speed still feels quite modern.

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