On this day a century ago ........ the sinking of the Lusitania and the dark arts of propaganda

British, replica Lusitania medal 1916

I am looking at a British medal from 1916 commemorating the sinking of the Lusitania the year before and as often happens the story behind it is as intriguing as the object itself. 

The sinking of the Lusitania on May 7 1915 remains one of those controversial acts of war.

She was torpedoed by a German U Boat off the coast of Ireland and sank within eighteen minutes with a loss of 1,198 lives.

The debate still continues as to whether Lusitania was a legitimate target.

She was carrying a large quantity of rifle cartridges and non explosive shell casings and just a month earlier the German embassy in Washington had issued a warning that British ships in the Atlantic were liable to attack.

But she was a passenger ship and a lot of people perished which in the eyes of many around the world was enough to condemn Germany.

Box and notes

And of course the propaganda value of the awful act was not lost on either of the belligerents.

The Germans claimed that the ship was carrying guns while the British steadfastly failed to admit to the public that there were rifle cartridges and non explosive shell casings on board and used the event in recruiting campaigns.

And the British Government was also quick to capitalise on a German medal which was issued soon after the ship went down.

It aimed to pin the blame on the British Government linking the sinking to the military cargo it alleged the Lusitania was carrying.

Now propaganda like election slogans do not always work out the way they are intended, and so it was with the medal.

The British Government obtained a photograph of the medal and not only circulated it around the world but commissioned a replica to be made which was sold widely in Britain,
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It cost a shilling came in a handsome box with a carefully worded account of how the ship was the victim of  a premeditated attack which came with no warning.

The accompanying propaganda story

In all something like 250,000 of these medals were issued with the proceeds of the sale going to war relief.

Now I have to confess I only vaguely knew of the German medal and was totally unaware of the British replica until my old friend David Harrop showed me a copy still in its box and still with its accompanying propaganda.

It is one of a large number of memorabilia that David has collected from both world wars many of which are on display in the Remembrance Lodge in Southern Cemetery.

Pictures; the replica British Lusitania medal 1916 from the collection of David Harrop