The Titanic is arguably the most famous ship in history. Countless films, books, and documentaries have been produced about it. Many remember the tragedy that befell this iconic ocean liner: the events leading up to its untimely demise, the innocent lives lost, and the decades of mystery and speculation that surrounded its final moments — until new information came to light after the wreck’s discovery in 1985.
However, the Titanic was not alone. She was the second ship in a trio of liners planned by the White Star Line. The class comprised three nearly identical ships: Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. Of these, only Olympic would go on to complete her service life. The rest of the class met their fate at sea, sinking early in their careers.
Olympic (left) beside Titanic (right). (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
The Olympic-class ships were ordered and built by the White Star Line, one of several prominent companies specializing in transatlantic passenger service from Southampton, England. This class of vessels was conceived as a response to their rival, Cunard Line, and its revolutionary pair of liners: the Lusitania and Mauretania. Both earned great fame for their incredible speed, crossing the Atlantic from Southampton to New York in just over four to five days, setting the record for fastest crossing in 1909.
But White Star Line’s strategy was not to compete on speed. Instead, it focused on luxury and passenger comfort. The Olympic-class ships were renowned for their lavish interiors and state-of-the-art amenities, even for third-class passengers, who were often overlooked by shipping companies of the era.
Few could have predicted at her launch in 1910, but Olympic would go on to enjoy a long and eventful career spanning 24 years — from 1910 to 1935 — a service life that would see her witness the transformation of the shipping industry and a radically different world following the First World War.
Though her career lacked the drama of her more infamous sister, Olympic’s story was far from unremarkable. She quickly gained a reputation as a comfortable and stately passenger ship. During her heyday, she survived numerous close calls, including a notorious collision with the British warship HMS Hawke in 1911. The incident seriously damaged Olympic’ssteel plating, caused flooding in two compartments, and damaged her starboard propeller shaft. The repair was monumental. Harland & Wolff, the shipyard responsible for her maintenance, diverted massive resources away from Titanic to expedite Olympic’s return to service — a move that delayed Titanic’s maiden voyage from March 20 to April 12, 1912. Many historians believe this contributed to the events that led to Titanic’s collision with an iceberg just three days after she departed.
During World War I, Olympic was requisitioned by the British Royal Navy, converted into an armed troopship, and designated HMT Olympic. She transported Allied troops across the Atlantic to fight on the Western Front. Her iconic livery was replaced with “dazzle” camouflage — a striking pattern of random geometric shapes designed to confuse enemy submarine crews about her speed and course. At one point during the war, Olympic spotted the German submarine U-103and rammed it as it tried to take evasive action. This made Olympic the first ocean liner credited with sinking a submarine, earning her the nickname “Old Reliable.”
After the war, Olympic returned to civilian service, this time sailing the transatlantic route alone following the loss of her last sister ship, Britannic, which struck a sea mine off the coast of Kea in the Mediterranean. Olympic enjoyed nearly 17 more years of active service. Despite her enduring popularity, her fate was sealed. The economic downturn of the 1930s, declining immigration to the United States, her aging design, and the fact that she was nearing the end of her operational life all weighed against her. Despite public campaigns to preserve “Old Reliable,” she was ultimately withdrawn from service and sold for scrap. After spending five months docked alongside her longtime rival, Mauretania, both ships were demolished in 1935.
By the time of her retirement, Olympic had transported 430,000 passengers on 257 round trips, traveling 1.8 million miles over her 24-year career. She remains an underrated legend in naval history — a story that deserves to be told and remembered.
