Before the First World War reshaped the world, the Royal Edward was a symbol of luxury and speed — a Glasgow‑built liner racing across the Atlantic in an age obsessed with progress. But when war came, the ship’s destiny changed forever.
Fastest to Canada: From Govan to Gallipoli traces the remarkable life and tragic end of the Royal Edward, from her proud launch on the Clyde to her final, devastating moments in the Aegean Sea. Drawing on personal family history and meticulous research, Richard Oliff brings to life the ship’s transformation from elegant passenger vessel to troopship, and the fateful 1915 voyage that ended in disaster when a German U‑boat struck with deadly precision.
Rich with archival photographs and human stories, this compelling narrative honours the nearly 1,000 men who lost their lives and preserves the memory of a ship whose journey reflects both the promise and the peril of its era.