The 83,000 ton Cunard-White Star Liner "Queen Elizabeth" cast off her moorings and Southampton and slid slowly from her berth to begin her maiden passenger voyage to New York. A great crowd on the quayside gave the ship a rousing sendoff, other vessels at Southampton Water sounded their sirens in farewell as she gathered speed. Overhead half a dozen aircraft circled the "Q.E.", agleam in her new paint, as she steamed down the Solent to show the world the determination of Britain to hold pride of place in luxurious high-speed ocean travel. Picture shows crowds watching at Southampton as "Queen Elizabeth" gay with bunting leaves her berth on her maiden passenger voyage across the Atlantic. 16 October 1946