|
Paris followed the French
Line’s 23,666-ton liner
France launched in 1910 and became
the company’s largest ship at that
time. Although she was laid down in 1913,
the outbreak of World War One delayed her
launched until 1916. With the war
continuing until November 1918 and a
shortage of materials in the following
years, Paris eventually entered
service in 1921. She set out on her
maiden voyage from Le Havre - New York
June 15th 1921, eight years after
construction had began. While
Paris was docked at Le Havre in
1929, a fire broke out in her upper
decks. That fire caused so much damage to
her passenger compartments repairs took
almost six months to complete.
Paris caught fire a second
time while docked at Le Havre April 18th
1939. This time the flames raged out of
control causing the death of two people
and serious damage to the ship. As fire
fighters used excessive amounts of water
to control the flames, she became top
heavy, turned on her port side and sank
at her berth. With Paris then
blocking the opening to a dry dock that
contained the French Line’s
flagship Normandie, her funnels
and masts had to be dismantled to allow
Normandie out of the dock. The
outbreak of World War Two in August of
that year forced the French Line to
abandon their stricken liner. Five years
later, the end of the war saw the German
liner Europa awarded to France as
compensation for the loss of their finest
liner Normandie. The French Line
tied Europa up next to the
extensively damaged Paris at Le
Havre until she could undergo a refit.
Before that work could be carried out,
Europa snapped her moorings during
a violent storm, hit the half submerged
Paris and sank in an upright
position. Although the French Line took
the decision to salvaged Europa,
they had their liner Paris
dismantled where she lay in 1947.
Paris on fire at Le
Havre
|
