The Tragic Tale of Johnny McDermott

Dr Milton Wayne, our resident golfing historian, tells the tale of a shamefully forgotten legend of the game

Ted Ray, Alex Smith and Harry Vardon at an event at Shawnee-on-the-Delaware

The Scapegoat Steamer

The Kaiser Wilhelm II was built by AG Vulcan at Bredow, near Stettin, for the Bremen Line (aka Norddeutscher Lloyd). Launched in 1902, at 216m long, 22m wide and with a depth of 16m it was larger than any previous fast steamer. It was the latest in a line of ever faster four funnel ships built by the Norddeutscher Lloyd line and was specifically designed for exceptional speed as well as first-class luxury. When full, passengers and crew totaled over 2,500. In June 1904 it took the coveted Blue Riband for the fastest-ever eastbound Atlantic crossing, at an average speed of 23.15 knots. The ship was interned by the Americans at the outbreak of World War I and became a troop ship when the US entered hostilities in 1917. Renamed USS Agamemnon it carried troops back and forth until 1920 when it was laid up. It languished for years and was finally broken up in 1940. 

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Written by Dr. Milton Wayne

Click here to see the published article.

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