More about Frances William Clarke

Mrs Frances Clarke, also known as Norah, was the daughter of Mr David Ritchie of Broughty Ferry and Newport. She was well known at Dundee High School and was living in Toronto, Canada when she took passage from New York to Liverpool in May 1915. RMS Lusitania was a Cunard Liner engaged in the Transatlantic trade and became one of the most famous victims of the German policy of sinking merchant ships without warning. The Lusitania was sailing off the Old Head at Kinsale in Southern Ireland when she was hit by one torpedo fired by the German submarine U-20 and sank in 18 minutes. Very few of the lifeboats could be launched because of the list to starboard and despite the good weather almost 1200 men women and children were lost. 760 passengers and crew were rescued. The international outrage forced the Germans to temporarily stop their submarine strategy and was a major factor in America decision to enter the conflict on the side of the Allies later.