The collision explains Hawke's later straight bow and became one of the ship's best-known peacetime episodes. Hawke lost her bow, while Olympic suffered serious damage around the stern. The legal dispute turned on the ships' movements and responsibility for the accident. Royal Navy navigators reconstructed their position and actions well enough for the White Star Line to lose both the case and its appeal.
Notable Point · 15:30-16:35
HMS Hawke's collision with RMS Olympic
The 1911 collision cost Hawke her bow and badly damaged Olympic, while the resulting legal case favored the Royal Navy's navigation evidence.