Editing RMS Queen Elizabeth (section)

==Second World War==
At the start of the Second World War, it was decided that ''Queen Elizabeth'' was so vital to the war effort that she must not have her movements tracked by German spies operating in the Clydebank area. An elaborate ruse suggested to any German observers that she would sail to Southampton to complete her fitting-out.<ref name=maxtone359/> Another factor prompting the ship’s departure was the necessity to clear the fitting-out berth at the shipyard for the battleship {{HMS|Duke of York|17|6}},<ref name=maxtone359/> for final fitting-out, as only it could accommodate the [[King George V-class battleship (1939)|''King George V''-class battleship]]s.

[[File:The three largest ships in the world, New York, 1940 - photographic postcard (3796186285).jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|''Normandie'', ''Queen Mary'' and ''Queen Elizabeth'' at [[New York Harbor]] in 1940]]

One major factor that limited the ship's departure date was that there were only two spring tides that year high enough for ''Queen Elizabeth'' to leave the Clydebank shipyard,<ref name=maxtone359/> known also by German intelligence. A minimal crew of four hundred were assigned for the trip; most were transferred from {{RMS|Aquitania|3=2}} and told that this would be a short coastal voyage to Southampton,<ref name=maxtone359/> but to pack for six months.<ref name=palaces>''Floating Palaces.'' (1996) A&E. TV Documentary. Narrated by Fritz Weaver</ref> Parts were shipped to Southampton, and preparations were made to move the ship into the [[King George V Graving Dock]] when she arrived.<ref name=maxtone359/> The names of Brown's shipyard employees were booked to local hotels in Southampton, and Captain John Townley, who had previously commanded ''Aquitania'' on one voyage and several of Cunard's smaller vessels, was appointed as her first [[sea captain|master]].

By the beginning of March 1940, ''Queen Elizabeth'' was ready to move; the ship had been fuelled, and adjustments to her compass were made, along with some final testing of equipment. The Cunard colours were painted over with [[battleship grey]], and on the morning of 3 March, the ship quietly left her moorings in the Clyde and proceeded out of the river, where she was met by a [[King's Messenger]],<ref name=maxtone359/> who presented sealed orders directly to the captain.

[[File:British troops arrive in the Middle East having been transported by the liner QUEEN ELIZABETH, 22 July 1942. E14706.jpg|thumb|''Queen Elizabeth'' painted in wartime grey, having just transported troops to the Middle East in 1942]]
[[File:Ss Queen Elizabeth FL10011 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'' as a troopship during [[World War II]]]]

They were to take the ship directly to New York, in the neutral United States, not to stop or even slow to drop off the Southampton [[harbour pilot]] who had embarked on at Clydebank, and to maintain strict radio silence. Later that day, when she was due to arrive at Southampton, the city was bombed by the [[Luftwaffe]].<ref name=maxtone359/>

''Queen Elizabeth'' zigzagged across the Atlantic to elude German U-boats and took six days to reach New York at an average speed of 26 knots. There she found herself moored alongside both ''Queen Mary'' and the French Line's {{SS|Normandie|3=2}}, the only time the world's three largest ocean liners were ever berthed together.<ref name=maxtone359/>
The three ships remained together for two weeks before ''Queen Mary'' departed for [[Sydney]], Australia.<ref name="cross355" /> Captain Townley received two telegrams on his arrival in New York, one from his wife, and the other from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth thanking him for the vessel's safe delivery. The ship was then secured so that no one could board her without prior permission, including port officials.<ref name=maxtone359/>

''Queen Elizabeth'' left the port of New York on 13 November 1940, for Singapore to receive her troopship conversion.<ref name=qe/> After two stops to refuel and replenish her stores in [[Trinidad]] and [[Cape Town]], she arrived in Singapore's naval docks, where she was fitted with [[anti-aircraft]] guns, and her hull repainted grey.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

''Queen Elizabeth'' left Singapore on 11 February, and on 23 February 1942, secretly arrived in [[Esquimalt]], British Columbia, Canada. She underwent refit work in drydock adding accommodation and armaments, and three hundred naval ratings quickly painted the hull.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Queen_Elizabeth.php|title = Queen Elizabeth}}</ref> In mid-March, carrying 8,000 American soldiers, ''Queen Elizabeth'' began a 7,700-mile voyage from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia.<ref>[https://www.williamzacha.com/artists/dorr-bothwell/db-art/wwii-diary/queen-elizabeth/ ''The RMS Queen Elizabeth (1942)''] Zacha's Bay Window Gallery</ref> She then carried Australian troops to [[theater (warfare)|theatres]] of operation in Asia and Africa.<ref name=scots>{{cite web |url=http://www.ayrshirescotland.com/ships/ships/042queenelizabeth.html |title=Rms. Queen Elizabeth |publisher=Ayrshire Scotland |access-date=17 May 2012 |archive-date=8 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108071036/http://www.ayrshirescotland.com/ships/ships/042queenelizabeth.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> After 1942, the two ''Queens'' were relocated to the North Atlantic for the transportation of American troops to Europe.<ref name=scots/> Their high speeds allowed them to outrun hazards, principally German [[U-boat]]s, usually allowing them to travel outside a [[convoy]] and without escort.<ref name=palaces/> Nevertheless, ''Queen Elizabeth'' was the target of [[German submarine U-704|U-704]], which fired four torpedoes at her on 9 November 1942.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Blair |first=Clay |title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945 |date=2000 |publisher=Modern Library |location=New York |pages=107}}</ref> The commander, Horst Wilhelm Kessler, heard a detonation<ref name=":0" /> and Nazi radio propaganda claimed she was sunk.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Image |url=https://rmhh.co.uk/ships/pages/RMS%20Queen%20Elizabeth%208.html |access-date=2024-01-31 |website=rmhh.co.uk}}</ref> In reality, one of the torpedoes detonated prematurely and the ship was unharmed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HISTORY - The CUNARD - WHITE STAR Liner rms QUEEN ELIZABETH (1938-1972) |url=https://earlofcruise.blogspot.com/2017/03/history-cunard-white-star-liner-rms.html |access-date=2024-01-31 |website=earlofcruise.blogspot.com}}</ref>

During her war service ''Queen Elizabeth'' carried more than 750,000 troops, and sailed some {{Convert|500000|mi}}.<ref name="qe" />