The sinking

The Lusitania is 14 miles offshore as she takes the hit.  The official Admiralty version is that two torpedoes struck the ship. Schwieger's log and the testimony of several survivors shows categorically that he only fired one torpedo; but a larger, second explosion had occurred almost instantaneously, which was highly likely to have been attributable to a bomb.

The glazed look from debauchery and drugs.

Churchill’s motive

Much has been made of his part in the disaster, largely based upon his supposed desire to purposefully have the LUSITANIA sunk and so bring America into the conflict on the side of Britain. This would be achieved by the fact that American citizens regularly crossed the Atlantic on the LUSITANIA and in the event of her destruction by a U Boat , some of them were bound to perish, thereby inflaming American opinion, resulting in America subsequently declaring war on Germany. .

Churchill’s position As first Lord of the Admiralty, Churchill was indeed fully aware of the latest intelligence updates on the positions of U-boats. These were obtained by Naval Intelligence from wireless intercepts, sighting reports and reports of sinking's.

 On Wednesday, 5th May, 1915, two days before the disaster Churchill held a briefing in the Admiralty's war room. Unfortunately, First Sea Lord Jacky Fisher and First Lord Winston Churchill were at odds over Churchill's disastrous Dardanelles campaign again. Fisher was harbouring a good deal of resentment with Churchill's name on it, and Churchill himself was off to France that afternoon to participate in a Naval convention which would bring Italy into the war on the side of the Allies.

Churchill cancels the Luistania’s destroyer escourt

After that formality, he was to visit the Headquarters of Sir John French, who was going to mount what would ultimately prove to be an equally disastrous offensive on the Aubers Ridge the following Friday, a totally un-necessary diversion for Churchill. Churchill knew that U-20 was on her way toward Fastnet, as was the LUSITANIA, and the cruiser due to escort her, HMS JUNO. The U-boat and the cruiser would arrive there ahead of the Cunarder. HMS JUNO, being of an obsolete design, was particularly vulnerable to U-boat attack, so was immediately recalled to Queenstown. No message was sent to Captain Turner on the LUSITANIA to advise him that the escort he was expecting had now been cancelled. The briefing over, Churchill had lunch with his wife, then hurried to Waterloo station to catch his train. This left the Admiralty in the charge of First Sea Lord Jacky Fisher, aged 75 and sadly, showing signs of senility, and Admiral Oliver, who was deputising for Churchill whilst he was away.

Churchill learns of other attacks Late that same Wednesday afternoon, U-20 sank a small schooner, the EARL OF LATHOM, off Kinsale. The Admiralty received notification of the sinking by 21.30 that night. By midnight, news came in that the British Steamer CAYO ROMANO had been unsuccessfully attacked off Queenstown (now Cobh). The next day, Thursday May 6th, U-20 sank two cargo ships, the CANDIDATE and the CENTURION, in the entrance to St. George's Channel, near the Conningbeg lightship. She also unsuccessfully attacked the White Star liner ARABIC. By 11.00 on Thursday May 6th, the Admiralty in London knew of the sinking of the CANDIDATE, though they didn't see fit to inform the Naval base at Queenstown, Ireland, for a further 24 hours. By 03.40 on Friday, May 7th, they also knew the fate of the CENTURION. If one considers Churchill's penchant for intrigues, he was certainly behind this dastardly plan to fulfilment. He would then have been directly responsible for the deaths of 1,201 men, women and children.

She was pregnant when she married Lord Churchill and the father is in doubt.

Churchill puts the blame on the Captain

The only area where Churchill WAS guilty was in neglecting his duty by "going off on a jolly" as Fisher called it, and joining in with the subsequent persecution of Captain Turner. "Fully concur! As the Cunard company would not have employed an INCOMPETENT man, the certainty is absolute that Captain Turner is not a fool, but a knave! It is my profound hope that Captain Turner will be arrested after the inquiry, whatever the outcome." The answer, was Captain William Thomas Turner.