--- title: "That time ocean liners fought an old-time naval battle" description: "In 1914, a German navy cruiser Cap Trafalgar hid its figure and accidentally started a naval battle with a luxury ocean liner." date: "2022-11-12" modified: "2022-11-12" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/intense-old-time-naval-battle-ocean-liner/" categories: - "History" - "Navy" - "War History" --- # That time ocean liners fought an old-time naval battle ![]() *U.S. Navy photo 80-GK-5645; U.S. Defense Visual Information Photo HD-SN-99-03026* It was naval deception at its finest, using converted ocean liners. In 1914, just after the outbreak of [WWI](), the German navy cruiser Cap Trafalgar hid its figure and flew under a false flag, pretending to be the British armed merchant HMS Carmania. The goal was to lay in wait for other British ships, lure them in close, then fly the German flag and wreak havoc. It worked, she was soon face-to-face with... the *actual HMS* Carmania. Admittedly, it would have been a great tactic if they pulled it off. Cap Trafalgar and Carmania were both converted ocean liners with orders to raid enemy shipping. Carmania's skipper knew the Cap Trafalgar was operating in the area, though he may not have known the German ship was disguised as his own. What can be certain is that once he encountered the fake Carmania, [a ferocious naval battle ensued](). Ships' guns in The Great War had a lot more range than in previous conflicts, especially those in the age of sail. These converted liners could have fought from a distance, and in fact the battle began with the two ships [four miles apart](). These two ocean liners were vicious. But as each tried to gain the advantage on the other, they ended up much closer than they had to. Cap Trafalgar realized it fared much better at closer ranges as Carmania took more and more damage. The German captain moved to close the gap. ![illustration of cruise line naval battle]() *He probably should have started sooner.* Blasting into each other's hull from distances more akin to cannon from the age of sail, Carmania and Cap Trafalgar went to work. [Carmania took 79 shots](), causing 304 holes, nine dead, and 26 wounded. Cap Trafalgar fared much worse, even though she took fewer hits. [Hit by 73 shots and having 380 holes](), the ship began to list to the starboard (right) and sank ten minutes after the captain gave the order to abandon ship. The German cruiser lost 16 sailors, [including her captain](), and more than 270 were captured by the Royal Navy for the duration of the war. ![accidental naval battle announcement]() Carmania lost use of her guns and, with her bow in flames, had to be escorted into a nearby Brazilian island by the HMS Cornawl. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [The largest naval battle in history happened during a different war than you think]() - [‘The Unsinkable Stoker’ of World War I survived four sinkings and two major collisions]() - [The insanely lucky sub that changed naval warfare in one fight]() - [These Coasties were tougher than your first sergeant]() - [The insanely simple reason Lord Nelson revolutionized naval warfare]() - [The Great Lakes aircraft carriers of World War II]() - [That time a Nazi captain recommended HMS Glowworm captain for the Victoria Cross]() - [That time the Royal Navy welded together a ‘Frankenship’]()