"Queen Elizabeth" Goes To Sea -- Crowds on the quay-side give a warm send-off the "Queen Elizabeth" as, decked with bunting, she leaves her berth at Southampton today (Wednesday). At precisely two o'clock this afternoon (Wednesday) the 83,000-ton Cunard-White Star liner "Queen Elizabeth" cast off her moorings at Southampton and slid slowly from her berth to being her maiden passenger voyage to New York. A great crowd assemble don the quayside gave the ship a rousing send-off, other vessels in Southampton water sounded their sirens in farewell as she gathered speed. October 16, 1946.