2-696-434 - Kirk & Sons of Cowes/Heritage-Images

Hole torn in the hull of 'RMS Olympic' after the collision with 'HMS Hawke' in the Solent, 20th September 1911. The collision took place as Olympic and Hawke were running parallel to each other through the Solent. As Olympic turned to starboard, the wide radius of her turn took the commander of Hawke by surprise, and he was unable to take sufficient avoiding action. Hawke's bow, collided with Olympic's starboard side near the stern, tearing two large holes in Olympic's hull, above and below the waterline which resulted in the flooding of two of her watertight compartments and a twisted propeller shaft. At a subsequent inquiry the Royal Navy blamed Olympic for the incident, alleging that her large displacement generated a suction that pulled Hawke into her side.