Turner seals verdict of wilful murder

THE last Master of the Lusitania was known to his friends as “Bowler Bill” because of the hats he wore when off duty, writes Ray Ryan

But the veteran skipper, who was torpedoed three times in his long career, was never snobbish, avoided the social trappings of his commands as much as possible, was respected by his employers Cunard and was popular with the crews who travelled with him on the ocean waves.

William Thomas Turner, who resisted the desire of his Everton family that he should become a churchman, rose from being a deckboy on small boats to command some of the greatest British passenger liners including the sisters Lusitania and Mauretania.