Empress of Britain: Canadian Pacific's Greatest Ship

Rating:
Summary: The definitive history of the 1930s greatest cruise ship
Review: Gordon Turner has written a worthy tribute to Canadian Pacific's flagship RMS Empress of Britain of 1931. This splendid looking vessel was the first large liner built for both crossing and cruising and the author has done an excellent job of telling the ship's story from inception to construction and then a year to year account of her world-girding cruises and Atlantic crossings (from Quebec to Southampton) and her glamourous passengers. The book is extremely attractive with superb photographs, many never published before. The illustrations of the ship's magnificent public rooms are of special interest. Fascinating appendices give all of the ship's technical details. The saddest part of the book, of course, is the complete account of her tragic loss during the early days of the Second World War when she was bombed by the Luftwaffe. Empress of Britain was the largest Allied merchantman sunk the war. The likes of her will never be seen again and Mr. Turner is to be congratulated for telling her story with such affection and attention.