View source for HMHS Britannic

{{short description|Olympic-class ocean liner and WWI hospital ship}}
{{For|other White Star liners with this name|SS Britannic (1874)|MV Britannic (1929)}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|RMS Britannic|RMS Britannia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English | date = April 2025}}

{| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = HMHS Britannic.jpg
| Ship caption = His Majesty's Hospital Ship (HMHS) ''Britannic''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country = United Kingdom
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|UK|government}}
| Hide header = 
| Ship name = HMHS ''Britannic''
| Ship owner = [[File:House flag of White Star Line.svg|25px]] [[White Star Line]]
| Ship operator = White Star Line (1915) {{flagicon|UKGBI|naval}} [[Royal Navy]] (1915-1916)
| Ship registry = [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom
| Ship route = 
| Ship ordered = 1911
| Ship builder = [[Harland and Wolff]], [[Belfast]]
| Ship yard number = 433{{sfnp|Lynch|2012|page=161}}
| Ship laid down = 30 November 1911
| Ship launched = 26 February 1914
| Ship completed = 12 December 1915
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship in service = 23 December 1915
| Ship out of service = 21 November 1916
| Ship fate = Sank after striking a mine set by [[SM U-73|SM ''U-73'']] on 21 November 1916 near [[Kea (island)|Kea]] in the [[Aegean Sea]]
{{Coord|37|42|05|N|24|17|02|E|display=title,inline|type:landmark_scale:300000_region:GR-L}}
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Olympic|ocean liner|1}}
| Ship tonnage = 48,158 [[gross register ton]]s
| Ship displacement = 53,200 [[ton]]s
| Ship length = *{{cvt|882|ft|9|in|m|1|abbr=on}} [[length overall|overall]]
| Ship beam = {{convert|94|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = {{convert|175|ft|abbr=on}} from the keel to the top of the funnels
| Ship draught = {{convert|34|ft|7|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth = 64 ft 6 in (19.7 m)
| Ship decks = 9 passenger decks
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship sail plan = 
| Ship power = * 24 double-ended, 5 single-ended (coal-fired) boilers<ref name="Mari">{{cite web|url=http://www.maritimequest.com/liners/britannic_data.htm|title=HMHS Britannic (1914) Builder Data|publisher=MaritimeQuest|access-date=9 August 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902074803/http://www.maritimequest.com/liners/britannic_data.htm|archive-date=2 September 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* Two four-cylinder triple-expansion reciprocating engines, each producing {{convert|16000|HP|abbr=on}} for outboard wing [[propellers]], one low-pressure turbine producing {{convert|18000|HP|abbr=on}} for the centre propeller
* Total {{convert|50,000|HP|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *Two bronze triple-blade outboard wing propellers
* One bronze quadruple-blade central propeller
| Ship speed = * {{convert|21|kn|km/h mph|0|lk=in}} (service)
* {{convert|23|kn|km/h mph|0}} (maximum)
| Ship capacity = 3,309
| Crew (Nov.21, 1916) = 673
| Casualties = 30 dead and 38 injured
}}
|}

'''{{abbr|HMHS|His Majesty's Hospital Ship}} ''Britannic''''' (originally to be the '''RMS ''Britannic'''''; {{IPAc-en|b|r|ɪ|ˈ|t|æ|n|ɪ|k}}) was the third and final vessel of the [[White Star Line]]'s {{Sclass|Olympic|ocean liner|4}} of steamships and the second White Star ship to bear the name ''Britannic''. She was the younger sister of the {{RMS|Olympic}} and the {{RMS|Titanic}} and was intended to enter service as a [[Transatlantic crossings|transatlantic]] [[passenger liner]]. She operated as a [[hospital ship]] from 1915 until her sinking near the Greek island of [[Kea (island)|Kea]], in the [[Aegean Sea]], in November 1916. At the time she was the largest hospital ship in the world, and the largest vessel built in Britain.

''Britannic'' was launched just before the start of the [[First World War]]. She was designed to be the safest of the three ships with design changes made during construction due to lessons learned from the [[sinking of the Titanic|sinking of the ''Titanic'']]. She was laid up at her builders, [[Harland and Wolff]], in [[Belfast]] for many months before being requisitioned as a [[hospital ship]]. In 1915 and 1916 she served between the United Kingdom and the [[Dardanelles]]. 

On the morning of 21 November 1916, she hit a [[naval mine]] of the [[Imperial German Navy]] near the Greek island of [[Kea (island)|Kea]] and sank 55 minutes later, killing 30 of 1,066 people on board; the 1,036 survivors were rescued from the water and from [[lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboats]]. ''Britannic'' was the largest ship lost in the First World War.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vladisavljevic |first1=Brana |title=Titanic's sister ship Britannic could become a diving attraction in Greece |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/britannic-become-diving-attraction |access-date=9 October 2021 |work=Lonely Planet |language=en}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025}}</ref> After the War, the White Star Line was compensated for the loss of ''Britannic'' by the award of SS ''Bismarck'' as part of [[World War I reparations|postwar reparations]]; she entered service as {{RMS|Majestic|1914|6}}. The wreck of the ''Britannic'' was located and explored by [[Jacques Cousteau]] in 1975. The vessel is the largest intact passenger ship on the seabed in the world.<ref name=MC275>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=275}}.</ref> It was bought in 1996 and is currently owned by Simon Mills, a maritime historian.

== Characteristics ==
The original dimensions of ''Britannic'' were similar to those of her older sisters, but her dimensions were altered whilst still on the building stocks after the loss of ''Titanic''. With a gross tonnage of 48,158, she surpassed her older sisters in terms of internal volume, but this did not make her the largest passenger ship in service at that time; the German {{SS|Vaterland|1913|6}} held this title with a significantly higher tonnage.<ref name=MC217>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=217}}.</ref>

The ''Olympic''-class ships were propelled by a combined system of two triple-expansion steam engines which powered the three-bladed outboard wing propellers whilst a low-pressure steam turbine used steam exhausted from the two reciprocating engines to power the central four-bladed [[propeller]] giving a maximum speed of 23 knots.<ref name=MC231>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=231}}.</ref>

=== Post-''Titanic'' design changes ===
[[File:RMS Britannic (crop).jpg|thumb|281x281px|An artist's conception of ''Britannic'' in her intended White Star livery]]
''Britannic'' had a similar layout to her sister ships. Following the ''Titanic'' disaster and the subsequent inquiries, several design changes were made to the remaining [[Olympic class liner|''Olympic''-class liners]]. With ''Britannic'', these changes made before launch included increasing the ship's beam to {{convert|94|ft|m}} to allow for a [[double hull]] along the engine and [[boiler room (ship)|boiler rooms]] and raising six out of the 15 watertight bulkheads up to B Deck. Additionally, a larger {{convert|18000|hp|lk=in}} turbine was added instead of the {{convert|16000|hp}} units installed on the earlier vessels in response to the increased hull width. The central watertight compartments were enhanced, allowing the ship to stay afloat with six compartments flooded.<ref name="MC220">{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=220}}.</ref>

Externally the largest visual change was the fitting of large [[Crane (machine)|crane]]-like [[davit|gantry davit]]s, each powered by an electric motor and capable of launching six [[Lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboats]] which were stored on gantries; the ship was designed to have eight sets of gantry davits but only five were installed before ''Britannic'' entered war service, with the difference being made up with boats launched by manually operated [[Axel Welin|Welin]]-type davits as on ''Titanic'' and ''Olympic''.<ref name=MC224>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=224}}.</ref><ref name=Piouffre307>{{harvnb|Piouffre|2009|p=307}}.</ref>

Additional lifeboats could be stored within reach of the davits on the deckhouse roof, and the gantry davits could reach lifeboats on the other side of the ship, providing that none of the [[funnel (ship)|funnels]] was obstructing the way. This design enabled all the lifeboats to be launched, even if the ship developed a [[Angle of list|list]] that would normally prevent lifeboats from being launched on the side opposite to the list. Several of these davits were placed abreast of funnels, defeating that purpose. The elevators, which previously stopped at A deck, could now reach the boat deck.<ref name="Bonsall">{{cite book
| last = Bonsall
| first = Thomas E.
| title = Titanic
| year = 1987
| publisher = Bookman Publishing
| location = Baltimore, Maryland
| isbn = 978-0-8317-8774-5
| page = 54
| chapter = 8
}}</ref> The ship carried 48 lifeboats, capable of carrying at least 75 people each. Thus, at least 3,600 people could be carried by the lifeboats, which was well above the ship's maximum capacity of 3,309.

== History ==
=== Conception ===
In 1907, [[J. Bruce Ismay]], director general of the [[White Star Line]], and [[William Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie|Lord Pirrie]], chairman of the [[Harland & Wolff]] shipyard in [[Belfast]] had decided to build a trio of ocean liners of unmatched size to compete with the Cunard Line's {{RMS|Lusitania||2}} and {{RMS|Mauretania|1906|2}} not in terms of speed but in terms of luxury and safety.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=12}} The names of the three vessels were decided at a later date and they showed the intention of the designers regarding their size: ''Olympic'', ''Titanic'' and ''Britannic''.<ref name="Piouffre41">{{harvnb|Piouffre|2009|p=41}}</ref>

Construction of the ''Olympic'' and the ''Titanic'' began in 1908 and 1909 respectively.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=19}} Their sizes were so large that it was necessary to build the [[Arrol Gantry]] to shelter them, wide enough to span the two new building slips and allow two ships to be built at a time.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=14}} The three ships were designed to be 270 metres long and to have a gross tonnage of over 45,000. Their designed speed was approximately 22 knots, well below that of the ''Lusitania'' and ''Mauretania'', but still allowing for a transatlantic crossing of less than one week.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=18}}

=== Rumoured name-change ===
[[File:Britannic under construction.jpg|thumb|The [[Arrol Gantry]] towering above ''Britannic'', circa 1914]]
Although the White Star Line and the [[Harland and Wolff]] shipyard always denied it,<ref name="Bonsall" /><ref name="name_dispute">{{cite web |url=http://www.ocean-liners.com/ships/britannic.asp |title=HMHS Britannic |publisher=ocean-liners.com |access-date=12 February 2006 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219001335/http://www.ocean-liners.com/ships/britannic.asp |archive-date=19 December 2005 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> some sources claim that ''Britannic'' was to be named ''Gigantic'', but her name was changed so as not to compete with ''Titanic'' or create comparisons.<ref name="britannic_name">{{cite book |last1=Bonner |first1=Kit |last2=Bonner |first2=Carolyn |title=Great Ship Disasters |page=60 |publisher=MBI Publishing Company |year=2003 |isbn=0-7603-1336-9}}</ref>{{sfnp|Lynch|2012|page=161}} One source is a poster of the ship with the name ''Gigantic'' at the top.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.20thcenturyliners.com/wsl_britannic_gallery.htm |title=White Star Line |publisher=20thcenturyliners.com |access-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624131511/http://www.20thcenturyliners.com/wsl_britannic_gallery.htm |archive-date=24 June 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Other sources are November 1911 American newspapers stating the White Star order for ''Gigantic'' being placed, as well as other newspapers from around the world both during construction and immediately after the sinking of the ''Titanic''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89907443?searchTerm=titanic+gigantic |title=24 Apr 1912 – WHITE STAR'S NEXT GREAT LINER. – Trove |publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au |date=1912-04-24 |accessdate=2022-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15291918?searchTerm=titanic+gigantic |title=25 Nov 1911 – A MAMMOTH STEAMER. – Trove |publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au |date=1911-11-25 |accessdate=2022-02-27}}</ref><ref>[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn99062034/1911-11-27/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1911&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=8&state=&date2=1911&proxtext=Titanic&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=4 The Madison Daily Leader] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005030806/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn99062034/1911-11-27/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1911&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=8&state=&date2=1911&proxtext=Titanic&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=4 |date=5 October 2018 }} 27 November 1911..Retrieved 4 October 2018</ref><ref>[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92070417/1911-11-21/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1911&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=16&state=&date2=1911&proxtext=Titanic&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3 Las Vegas Optic: "1,000 FOOT SHIP MAY DOCK IN NEW YORK"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005071825/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92070417/1911-11-21/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1911&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Titanic&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=16&state=&date2=1911&proxtext=Titanic&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=3 |date=5 October 2018 }}, 21 November 1911..Retrieved 4 October 2018</ref>

Tom McCluskie stated that in his capacity as archive manager and historian at Harland and Wolff, he "never saw any official reference to the name ''Gigantic'' being used or proposed for the third of the ''Olympic''-class vessels".<ref name="Milford">[http://www.jmilford-titanic.com/2013/10/what-happened-to-gigantic.html Joshua Milford: ''What happened to Gigantic?''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305141359/http://www.jmilford-titanic.com/2013/10/what-happened-to-gigantic.html |date=5 March 2016 }} Website viewed 9 June 2014</ref><ref name="Chirnside">[http://www.markchirnside.co.uk/Gigantic_Dossier.html Mark Chirnside: ''Gigantic Dossier''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204908/http://www.markchirnside.co.uk/Gigantic_Dossier.html |date=3 March 2016 }} Website viewed 1 May 2012</ref> Some hand-written changes were added to the order book and dated January 1912. These only dealt with the ship's moulded width, not her name.<ref name="Chirnside" />

=== Construction ===
[[File:Britannic Funnel in transport.jpg|thumb|One of ''Britannic''{{'s}} funnels being transported to Harland & Wolff shipyards]]
[[File:Britannic & Olympic Sisters Together in Belfast Shipyard.jpg|thumb|''Britannic'' (right) during fitting out in Belfast alongside ''Olympic'']]
''Britannic''{{'}}s keel was laid on 30 November 1911 at the [[Harland and Wolff]] shipyard in Belfast, on the gantry slip previously occupied by {{RMS|Olympic|3=2}}, 13 months after the [[Ceremonial ship launching|launch]] of that ship, and {{RMS|Arlanza|1911|2}}, launched seven days before.<ref name=Piouffre307 /> The acquisition of the ship was planned to be at the beginning of 1914.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=216}}.</ref> Due to improvements introduced as a consequence of the ''Titanic''{{'}}s disaster, ''Britannic'' was not launched until 26 February 1914,<ref name=MC242>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=242}}.</ref> which was filmed along with the fitting of a funnel.<ref>[http://www.britishpathe.com/video/ss-britannic-aka-ss-Britannic Launch footage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511204700/http://www.britishpathe.com/video/ss-britannic-aka-ss-brittanic |date=11 May 2014 }} and [http://www.britishpathe.com/video/britannic "Funnel fitting".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621061217/http://www.britishpathe.com/video/britannic |date=21 June 2013 }} British Pathé. Retrieved 18 February 2013</ref> Several speeches were given in front of the press, and a dinner was organised by [[White Star Line|White Star]] in honour of the launching.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=238}}.</ref> Fitting out began subsequently. The ship entered dry dock in September and her propellers were installed.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=239}}.</ref>

Reusing ''Olympic''{{'}}s space saved the shipyard time and money by not clearing out a third slip similar in size to those used for the two previous vessels. In August 1914, before ''Britannic'' could commence transatlantic service between [[New York City|New York]] and [[Southampton]], the [[World War I|First World War]] began. Immediately, all [[shipyard]]s with [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] contracts were given priority to use available raw materials. All civil contracts including ''Britannic'' were slowed.<ref name=MC240>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=240}}.</ref>

The naval authorities requisitioned a large number of ships as [[armed merchant cruiser]]s or for troop transport. The Admiralty paid the companies for the use of their ships but the risk of losing a ship in naval operations was high. The larger ocean liners were not initially taken for naval use, because smaller ships were easier to operate. ''Olympic'' returned to Belfast on 3 November 1914, while work on ''Britannic'' continued slowly.<ref name=MC240/>

=== Requisition ===
[[File:Britannic during WWI.jpg|thumb|''Britannic'' seen after her conversion to an operative hospital ship, {{circa}} January 1916]]
The need for increased tonnage grew critical as naval operations extended to the [[Eastern Mediterranean]]. In May 1915, ''Britannic'' completed mooring trials of her engines and was prepared for emergency entrance into service with as little as four weeks' notice. The same month also saw the first major loss of a civilian ocean liner when Cunard's {{RMS|Lusitania}} was torpedoed near the Irish coast by {{SMU|U-20|Germany|6}}.<ref>{{harvnb|Le Goff|1998|p=50}}</ref>

The following month, the Admiralty decided to use recently requisitioned passenger liners as [[Troopship|troop transports]] in the [[Gallipoli Campaign]] (also called the [[Dardanelles]] service). The first to sail were Cunard's {{RMS|Mauretania|1906|6}} and {{RMS|Aquitania}}. As the Gallipoli landings proved to be disastrous and the casualties mounted, the need for large hospital ships for treatment and evacuation of wounded became evident. ''Aquitania'' was diverted to hospital ship duties in August (her place as a troop transport would be taken by ''Olympic'' in September). Then on 13 November 1915, ''Britannic'' was requisitioned as a hospital ship from her storage location at Belfast.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Repainted white with large red crosses and a horizontal green stripe, she was renamed HMHS (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) ''Britannic''<ref name="MC240" /> and placed under the command of [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[Charles Alfred Bartlett]].<ref name=MC241>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=241}}.</ref> In the interior, 3,309 beds and several operating rooms were installed. The common areas of the upper decks were transformed into rooms for the wounded. The cabins of B Deck were used to house doctors. The first-class dining room and the first-class reception room on D Deck were transformed into operating rooms. The lower bridge was used to accommodate the lightly wounded.<ref name=MC241 /> The medical equipment was installed on 12 December 1915.<ref name=MC240 />

=== First service ===
[[File:HMHS Galeka and the HMHS Britannic.jpg|thumb|''Britannic'' with {{HMHS|Galeka}}, taking on board the wounded at [[Mudros]]]]
When declared fit for service on 12 December 1915 at Liverpool, ''Britannic'' was assigned a medical team consisting of 101 nurses, 336 non-commissioned officers and 52 commissioned officers as well as a crew of 675 people.<ref name=MC241 /> On 23 December, she left Liverpool to join the port of [[Mudros]] on the island of [[Lemnos]] on the [[Aegean Sea]] to bring back sick and wounded soldiers.<ref name=MC243>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=243}}.</ref> She joined with several ships on the same route, including ''Mauretania'', ''Aquitania'',<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=92}}.</ref> and her sister ship ''Olympic''.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=94}}.</ref> The four ships were joined a little later by {{SS|Statendam|1914|2}}.<ref>{{usurped|1=[http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20120414091511/http://www.webtitanic.net/frameBritannica.html « HMHS ''Britannic'' »]}}, ''WebTitanic''. Accessed 5 April 2011.</ref> She made a stopover at [[Naples]] before continuing to Mudros, in order for her stock of coal to be replenished. After she returned, she spent four weeks as a floating hospital off the [[Isle of Wight]].<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=244}}.</ref>

The third voyage was from 20 March 1916 to 4 April. The Dardanelles was evacuated in January.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=245}}.</ref> At the end of her military service on 6 June 1916, ''Britannic'' returned to Belfast to undergo the necessary modifications for transforming her into a transatlantic passenger liner. The British government paid the White Star Line £75,000 to compensate for the conversion. The transformation took place for several months before being interrupted by a recall of the ship back into military service.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=246}}.</ref>

=== Recalled ===
The Admiralty recalled ''Britannic'' back into service as a hospital ship on 26 August 1916, and the ship returned to the Mediterranean Sea for a fourth voyage on 24 September of that year.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=247}}.</ref> On 29 September on her way to Naples, she encountered a violent storm from which she emerged unscathed.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=249}}.</ref> She left on 9 October for Southampton. Then, she made a fifth trip, which was marked by a quarantining of the crew when the ship arrived at [[Moudros|Mudros (now Moudros)]] because of food-borne illness.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=250}}.</ref>

Life aboard the ship followed a routine. At six o'clock, the patients were awakened and the premises were cleaned up. Breakfast was served at 6:30 AM, then the captain toured the ship for an inspection. Lunch was served at 12:30 PM and tea at 4:30 PM. Patients were treated between meals and those who wished to go for a walk could do so. At 8:30 PM, the patients went to bed and the captain made another inspection tour.<ref name="MC243" /> There were medical classes available for training the nurses.<ref name=MC254>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=254}}.</ref>

=== Last voyage and sinking ===
{{ multiple image |total_width=500

| image1=2011 Dimos Keas.png | caption1=The location of [[Kea (island)|Kea]] in the [[Cyclades]] [[archipelago]] in the [[Aegean Sea]]

| image2=ISS009-E-15405-Kea-Makronisos-N-at-top.jpg | caption2= The channel between [[Makronisos]] (near top) and [[Kea (island)|Kea]] (bottom); ''Britannic'' sank closer to Kea
}}
After completing five successful voyages to the [[Middle Eastern theatre of World War I|Middle Eastern theatre]] and back to the United Kingdom transporting the sick and wounded, ''Britannic'' departed Southampton for [[Lemnos]] at 14:23 on 12 November 1916, her sixth voyage to the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref name=MC241 /> The ship passed [[Gibraltar]] around midnight on 15 November and arrived at [[Naples]] on the morning of 17 November, for her usual [[Coaling (ships)|coaling]] and water-refuelling stop, completing the first stage of her mission.<ref name=MC253>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=253}}.</ref>

A storm kept the ship at Naples until Sunday afternoon when Captain Bartlett decided to take advantage of a brief break in the weather and continue. The seas rose once again as ''Britannic'' left the port. By the next morning, the storms died, and the ship passed the [[Strait of Messina]] without problems. [[Cape Matapan]] was rounded in the first hours of 21 November. By morning, ''Britannic'' was steaming at full speed into the [[Kea Channel]], between [[Sounion|Cape Sounion]] (the southernmost point of [[Attica]], the prefecture that includes [[Athens]]) and the island of [[Kea (island)|Kea]].<ref name=MC253 />

There were 1,066 people on board: 673 crew, 315 [[Royal Army Medical Corps]] (RAMC), 77 nurses, and the captain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hmhsbritannic.weebly.com/sinking.html|title=Sinking|work=Hospital Ship HMHS Britannic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810003608/http://hmhsbritannic.weebly.com/sinking.html|archive-date=10 August 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==== Explosion ====
[[File:19161123 Hospital Ship Brittanic Sunk - The New York Times.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2| Some newspapers printed reports that the sinking was caused by one of two torpedoes launched by respective German submarines whose commanders would have known the ship, being northbound, did not carry combatants.<ref name=NYTimes_19161123/> The report stated that after the explosion there was "perfect order" and "not the slightest panic", and that "the women, of course, were saved first".<ref name=NYTimes_19161123>{{cite news |title=Hospital Ship Britannic Sunk; 50 Lives Lost |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:19161123_Hospital_Ship_Brittanic_Sunk_-_The_New_York_Times.jpg |work=The New York Times |date=November 23, 1916 |page=1 }}</ref>]]
At 08:12 am European Eastern Time ''Britannic'' was rocked by an explosion after hitting a mine.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}} The mines had been planted in the Kea Channel on 21 October 1916 by {{ship|SM|U-73}} under the command of {{ill|Gustav Sieß|de}}.

The reaction in the dining room was immediate; doctors and nurses left instantly for their posts but not everybody reacted the same way, as further [[aft]], the power of the explosion was less felt, and many thought the ship had hit a smaller boat. Captain Bartlett and Chief Officer Hume were on the [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]] at the time and the gravity of the situation was soon evident.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=259}} The explosion was on the [[starboard]]{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=259}} side, between holds two and three. The force of the explosion damaged the watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]] between hold one and the [[forecastle|forepeak]].{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}} The first four watertight compartments were filling rapidly with water,{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}} the [[boiler-man]]'s tunnel connecting the firemen's quarters in the bow with boiler room six was seriously damaged, and water was flowing into that boiler room.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}}

Bartlett ordered the watertight doors closed, sent a [[distress signal]], and ordered the crew to prepare the lifeboats.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}} An SOS signal was immediately sent out and was received by several other ships in the area, among them {{HMS|Scourge|1910|6}} and {{HMS|Heroic}}, but ''Britannic'' heard nothing in reply. Unknown to either Bartlett or the ship's wireless operator, the force of the first explosion had caused the antenna wires slung between the ship's masts to snap. This meant that although the ship could still send out transmissions by radio, she could no longer receive them.<ref name=MC256>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=256}}.</ref>

Along with the damaged watertight door of the firemen's tunnel, the watertight door between boiler rooms six and five failed to close properly.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=260}} Water was flowing further aft into boiler room five. ''Britannic'' had reached her flooding limit. She could stay afloat (motionless) with her first six watertight compartments flooded. There were five watertight bulkheads rising all the way up to B Deck.{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=261}} Those measures had been taken after the ''Titanic'' disaster (''Titanic'' could float with only her first four compartments flooded).<ref name=hublots>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=258}}.</ref>

The next crucial bulkhead between boiler rooms five and four and its door were undamaged and should have guaranteed the ship's survival. However, there were open [[porthole]]s along the front lower decks, which tilted underwater within minutes of the explosion. The nurses had opened most of those portholes to ventilate the wards, against standing orders. As the ship's [[angle of list]] increased, water reached this level and began entering aft from the bulkhead between boiler rooms five and four. With more than six compartments flooded, ''Britannic'' could not stay afloat.<ref name=hublots/>

==== Evacuation ====
On the bridge, Captain Bartlett was already considering efforts to save the ship. Only two minutes after the blast, boiler rooms five and six had to be evacuated. In about ten minutes, ''Britannic'' was roughly in the same condition ''Titanic'' had been in one hour after the [[Iceberg that sank the Titanic|collision with the iceberg]]. Fifteen minutes after the ship was struck, the open portholes on E Deck were underwater. With water also entering her aft section from the bulkhead between boiler rooms four and five, ''Britannic'' quickly developed a serious list to starboard.<ref name=MC257>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=257}}.</ref>

Bartlett gave the order to turn starboard towards the island of [[Kea (island)|Kea]] in an attempt to beach her. The effect of ''Britannic's'' starboard list and the weight of the [[rudder]] made attempts to navigate the ship under her own power difficult, and the steering gear had been knocked out by the explosion, which eliminated steering by the rudder. The captain ordered the port shaft driven at a higher speed than the starboard side, which helped the ship move towards Kea.<ref name=MC257/>

At the same time, the hospital staff prepared to evacuate. Bartlett had given the order to prepare the lifeboats, but he did not allow them to be lowered into the water. Everyone took their most valuable belongings with them before they evacuated. The chaplain of the ship recovered his Bible. The few patients and nurses on board were assembled. Major Harold Priestley gathered his detachments from the Royal Army Medical Corps to the back of the A deck and inspected the cabins to ensure no one was left behind.<ref name=MC257 />

While Bartlett continued his desperate manoeuvre, ''Britannic's'' list steadily increased. Fearing that the list would become too large to launch, some crew decided to launch lifeboats without waiting for the order to do so.<ref name=MC257 /> Two lifeboats were put onto the water on the port side without permission by Third Officer Francis Laws. These boats were drawn towards the still-turning, partly surfaced propellers. Bartlett ordered the engines to stop but before this could take effect, the two boats were drawn into the propellers, completely destroying both and killing 30 people.<ref name=hublots /> Bartlett was able to stop the engines before any more boats were lost.<ref name=MC259>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=259}}.</ref>

==== Final moments ====
By 08:50, most of those on board had escaped in the 35 successfully launched lifeboats. At this point, Bartlett concluded that the rate at which ''Britannic'' was sinking had slowed so he called a halt to the evacuation and ordered the engines restarted in the hope that he might still be able to beach the ship.<ref name=MC260>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=260}}.</ref> At 09:00, Bartlett was informed that the rate of flooding had increased due to the ship's forward motion and that the flooding had reached D-deck. Realising that there was now no hope of reaching land in time, Bartlett gave the final order to stop the engines and sounded two final long blasts of the whistle, the signal to abandon ship.<ref name=MC261>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=261}}.</ref> As water reached the bridge, he and Assistant Commander Dyke walked off onto the deck and entered the water, swimming to a collapsible boat from which they continued to coordinate the rescue operations.<ref>[http://www.titanic-titanic.com/britannic.shtml « ''Britannic'' »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806070941/http://www.titanic-titanic.com/britannic.shtml|date=6 August 2009}}, ''Titanic-titanic.com''. Accessed 12 July 2009.</ref>

''Britannic'' gradually capsized to starboard, and the funnels collapsed one after the other as the ship rapidly sank. By the time the stern was out of the water, the bow had already slammed into the seabed. As ''Britannic'''s length was greater than the depth of the water, the impact caused major structural damage to the bow before she slipped completely beneath the waves at 09:07, 55 minutes after the explosion.<ref name=MC261 /> [[Violet Jessop]] (who was one of the survivors of the ''Titanic'', and had also been on board when the ''Olympic'' collided with {{HMS|Hawke|1891|6}}) described the last seconds:<ref>Gleick, Elizabeth; Carassava, Anthee (26 October 1998). "Deep Secrets". ''[[Time International]] (South Pacific Edition)''. No. 43. p. 72.</ref>

<blockquote>She dipped her head a little, then a little lower and still lower. All the deck machinery fell into the sea like a child's toys. Then she took a fearful plunge, her stern rearing hundreds of feet into the air until with a final roar, she disappeared into the depths, the noise of her going resounding through the water with undreamt-of violence....</blockquote>

When the ''Britannic'' came to rest, she became the largest ship lost in the First World War.<ref name="largest">{{cite web
 |url          = https://www.pbs.org/lostliners/britannic.html
 |title        = PBS Online – Lost Liners – Britannic
 |access-date  = 9 November 2008
 |publisher    = PBS
 |url-status   = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20081014140615/http://www.pbs.org/lostliners/britannic.html
 |archive-date = 14 October 2008
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==== Rescue ====
[[File:Britannic's survivors.jpg|thumb|Survivors of ''Britannic'' on board {{HMS|Scourge|1910|6}}]]
[[File:Dr. John Cropper.JPG|thumb|Captain John Cropper of the RAMC, who died in the sinking<ref>{{cite web|title=CWGC record for John Cropper|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1647786/CROPPER,%20JOHN|access-date=28 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728135415/http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1647786/CROPPER,%20JOHN|archive-date=28 July 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>|alt=]]
Compared to ''Titanic'', the rescue of ''Britannic'' was facilitated by three factors: The water temperature was higher ({{convert|20|C|F|abbr=}}{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=262}} compared to {{convert |-2|C|F}}{{sfn|Lord|2005|p=149}} for ''Titanic''), more lifeboats were available (35 were successfully launched and stayed afloat{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=266}} compared to ''Titanic''{{'}}s 20{{sfn|Lord|2005|p=103}}), and help was closer (it arrived less than two hours after first distress call{{sfn|Chirnside|2011|p=266}} compared to three and a half hours for ''Titanic''{{sfn|Brewster|Coulter|1998|pp=45 and 62}}).

The first to arrive on the scene were fishermen from Kea on their [[caïque]], who picked many survivors from the water.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|pp=261–262}}.</ref> At 10:00, {{HMS|Scourge|1910|6}} sighted the first lifeboats and 10 minutes later stopped and picked up 339 survivors. [[Armed boarding steamer]] HMS ''Heroic'' had arrived some minutes earlier and picked up 494.<ref name=MC262>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=262}}.</ref> Some 150 had made it to [[Korissia, Kea]], where surviving doctors and nurses from ''Britannic'' were trying to save the injured, using aprons and pieces of [[Lifebuoy|lifebelts]] to make dressings. A little barren quayside served as their operating room.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

''Scourge'' and ''Heroic'' had no deck space for more survivors, and they left for [[Piraeus]] signalling the presence of those remaining at Korissia. {{HMS|Foxhound|1909|6}} arrived at 11:45 and, after sweeping the area, anchored in the small port at 13:00 to offer medical assistance and take on board the remaining survivors.<ref name=MC262 /> At 14:00 the light cruiser {{HMS|Foresight|1904|6}} arrived. ''Foxhound'' departed for Piraeus at 14:15 while ''Foresight'' remained to arrange the burial on Kea of RAMC Sergeant William Sharpe, who had died of his injuries. Another two survivors died on the ''Heroic'' and one on the French [[tugboat|tug]] ''Goliath''. The three were buried with military honours in the Piraeus Naval and Consular Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cemetery Details {{!}} CWGC|url=https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/36007/PIRAEUS%20NAVAL%20AND%20CONSULAR%20CEMETERY/|access-date=2021-09-26|website=www.cwgc.org|language=en}}</ref> The last fatality was G. Honeycott, who died at the Russian Hospital at Piraeus shortly after the funerals.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In total, out of the 1,066 people on board, 1,036 people survived the sinking. Thirty people lost their lives in the disaster<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|pp=325–327}}.</ref> but only five were buried; others were not recovered and are honoured on memorials in [[Thessaloniki]] (the [[Mikra British Cemetery|Mikra Memorial]]) and London. Another 38 were injured (18 crew, 20 RAMC).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hmhsbritannic.weebly.com/crew-lists.html|title=Crew Lists|work=Hospital Ship HMHS Britannic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815084538/http://hmhsbritannic.weebly.com/crew-lists.html|archive-date=15 August 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Survivors were accommodated in the warships that were anchored at the port of Piraeus while nurses and officers were hosted in separate hotels at [[Phaleron]]. Many Greek citizens and officials attended the funerals. Survivors were sent home, and few arrived in the United Kingdom before Christmas.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=264}}.</ref>

In November 2006, ''Britannic'' researcher Michail Michailakis discovered that one of the 45 unidentified graves in the New British Cemetery in the town of [[Hermoupolis]] on the island of [[Syros]] contained the remains of a soldier collected from the church of Ag. Trias at Livadi (the former name of Korissia). Maritime historian Simon Mills contacted the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]. Further research established that this soldier was a ''Britannic'' casualty, and his remains had been registered in October 1919 as belonging to a certain "Corporal Stevens".<ref name="Mills, Simon 2009">{{cite journal|title=The Odyssey of Sergeant William Sharpe|author= Mills, Simon|journal= Titanic Commutator |volume=33|number=186|date=2009|publisher= Titanic Historical Society}}</ref>

When the remains were moved to the new cemetery at Syros in June 1921, it was found that there was no record relating this name with the loss of the ship, and the grave was registered as unidentified. Mills provided evidence that this man could be Sergeant Sharpe and the case was considered by the [[Service Personnel and Veterans Agency]].<ref name="Mills, Simon 2009"/> A new headstone for Sharpe was erected and the CWGC has updated its database.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1648073/SHARPE,%20WILLIAM |website=CWGC |title=CWGC Record for Sharpe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142516/http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1648073/SHARPE,%20WILLIAM |archive-date=2 April 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Visualised as an ocean liner ==
The plan of ''Britannic'' showed that she was intended to be more luxurious than her sister ships in order to compete with {{SS|Imperator}}, {{SS|Vaterland|1913|6}} and {{RMS|Aquitania}}. Enough cabins were provided for passengers divided into three classes. The [[White Star Line]] anticipated a considerable change in its customer base. Thus, the quality of the Third Class (intended for migrants) was lowered when compared to that of her sisters, while the quality of the Second Class increased. In addition, the number of crew planned was increased from about 860 – 880 onboard ''Olympic'' and ''Titanic'' to 950 aboard ''Britannic''.<ref name=MC296>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=296}}.</ref>

The quality of the First Class was also improved. Children began to appear as part of the clientele that needed to be satisfied, and thus a playroom for them was built on the boat deck.<ref name=MC225>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=225}}.</ref> Similar to her two sister ships, the first class amenities included the [[Grand Staircase of the Titanic|Grand Staircase]], but ''Britannic''{{'}}s amenities were more sumptuous, with worked balustrades, decorative panels and a pipe organ.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090209221134/http://www.hospitalshipbritannic.com/rms_adeck.htm RMS ''Britannic'': A deck], ''Hospital Ship Britannic'' on ''The Internet Archive''. Accessed 7 April 2011.</ref> The A Deck of the ship was devoted in its entirety to the First Class, being fitted with a salon, two veranda cafes, a smoking room and a reading room.<ref name=MC226>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=226}}.</ref> The B Deck included a hair salon, post office, and redesigned deluxe Parlour Suites, dubbed Saloons in the Builder's Plans.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090209225046/http://hospitalshipbritannic.com/rms_bdeck.htm « RMS ''Britannic'': B deck »], ''Hospital Ship Britannic'' on ''The Internet Archive''. Accessed 7 April 2011.</ref> The most important addition was that of individual bathrooms in almost every First Class cabin, which would have been a first on an ocean liner. Aboard the ''Olympic'' and ''Titanic'', most passengers had to use public bathrooms.<ref name=MC227>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=227}}.</ref>

These facilities were installed but were soon removed because the ship was converted to a hospital ship and were never re-installed because the ship sank before she could enter transatlantic service, so the planned facilities were either cancelled, destroyed, reused on other vessels, like the ''Olympic'' or ''Majestic'', or just never used.<ref name=MC240 /> Of these accessories, only a large staircase and a children's playroom remained installed. Under the glass dome was a white wall above the first-class staircase instead of a clock and a large painting.
[[File:Welte organ britannic II.jpg|thumb|upright|Welte philharmonic organ on ''Britannic'' in a company catalogue of 1914]]

=== Pipe organ ===
A [[Welte-Mignon|Welte]] philharmonic organ was planned to be installed on board ''Britannic'' but because of the outbreak of war, the instrument never made its way to Belfast from Germany.<ref name=MC240 /> After the war, it was not claimed by Harland and Wolff since ''Britannic'' sank before she could have ever entered transatlantic service. It also was not installed on ''Olympic'' or ''Majestic'' since White Star Line did not want it. For a long time, it was thought that the organ was lost or destroyed.<ref name=MC240 />

In April 2007, the restorers of a Welte organ, now in the ''{{ill|Museum für Musikautomaten|de}}'' in [[Seewen, Solothurn|Seewen]], Switzerland, detected that the main parts of the instrument were signed by the German organ builders with "''Britanik''".<ref name="Seewen">Christoph E. Hänggi: Die Britannic-Orgel im Museum für Musikautomaten Seewen So. Festschrift zur Einweihung der Welte-Philharmonie-Orgel; Sammlung Heinrich Weiss-Stauffacher. Hrsg.: Museum für Musikautomaten Seewen SO. Seewen: Museum für Musikautomaten, 2007.</ref> A photograph of a drawing in a company prospectus, found in the Welte-legacy in the [[Augustiner Museum]] in [[Freiburg]], proved that this was the organ intended for ''Britannic''. It was found that Welte had first sold the organ to a private owner in Stuttgart instead. Later, in 1937 it had been transferred to a company's concert hall in Wipperfürth, where it was eventually acquired by the founder of the Swiss Museum of Music Automatons in 1969. At the time, the museum was still unaware of the organ's original history.<ref name="organ">{{cite web |url=http://www.davidrumsey.ch/Britannic_discovered.pdf |title=Sunken Ocean-Liner Britannic's pipe organ found: Rare Welte-Philharmonie Organ Scheduled to Play Again | publisher=David Rumsey: Organist, Consultant |date=23 May 2011 |access-date=2012-04-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316215050/http://www.davidrumsey.ch/Britannic_discovered.pdf |archive-date=16 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="OrganHistory">[https://www.musikautomaten.ch/mma/en/home/britannic-orgel/history-of-the-organ.html Museum of Music Automatons Seewen: ''History of the organ''] Website viewed 20 November 2023</ref> The museum maintains the organ in working condition and it is still used for fully automated and manual performances.

== Wreck ==
{{Location map|Greece|label=|marksize=6|mark=Red pog.svg|lat_dir=N|lat_deg=37|lat_min=42 |lat_sec=05|lon_dir=E|lon_deg=24|lon_min=17|lon_sec=02|position=right|width=250|caption=The wreck's location off the coast of Greece}}
[[File:Annotated Bow Shot. White Star Liner Britannic.jpg|thumb| Annotated side-scan sonar image of ''Britannic'' bow, shot by the Bluebird Project, September 2003]]

The wreck of HMHS ''Britannic'' is at {{coord|37|42|05|N|24|17|02|E|scale:75000_region:GR-L|display=inline}} in about {{convert|400|ft|m|0}} of water.<ref name=MC275 /> It was discovered on 3 December 1975 by [[Jacques-Yves Cousteau|Jacques Cousteau]], who explored it.<ref name="Documentary">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmBbH5yi-X8 |title=Britannic Jacques Cousteau's Search for Titanic's Sister Ship, Britannic Full Documentary |publisher=YouTube |date=5 September 2014 |access-date=12 December 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117024456/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmBbH5yi-X8 |archive-date=17 January 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=MC296 /> In filming the expedition, Cousteau also held conference on camera with several surviving personnel from the ship including Sheila MacBeth Mitchell, a survivor of the sinking.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-sheila-macbeth-mitchell-1430218.html ''The Independent''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921002844/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-sheila-macbeth-mitchell-1430218.html |date=21 September 2017 }}, obituary:Sheila Macbeth Mitchell; Friday 18 March 1994..Retrieved 29 February 2016</ref> In 1976, Cousteau entered the wreck with his divers for the first time.<ref name=MC276>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=276}}.</ref> He expressed the opinion that the ship had been sunk by a single torpedo, basing this opinion on the damage to her plates.<ref name="Times231176">{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=British Red Cross ship hit by torpedo |date=23 November 1976 |page=8 |issue=59868 |column=F }}</ref>

The giant liner lies on her starboard side relatively intact, hiding the large hole that was torn open by the mine. There is a huge hole just beneath the forward [[well deck]]. The [[bow (ship)|bow]] is heavily deformed and attached to the rest of the hull only by some pieces of C-Deck. The crew's quarters in the forecastle were found to be in good shape with many details still visible. The holds were found empty.<ref name=MC276 />

The forecastle machinery and the two cargo cranes in the forward well deck are well preserved. The foremast is bent and lies on the seabed near the wreck with the crow's nest still attached. The bell, thought to be lost, was found in a dive in 2019, having fallen from the mast and is now lying directly below the crow's nest on the seabed. Funnel number 1 was found a few metres from the Boat Deck. Funnel numbers two, three, and four were found in the debris field (located off the stern).<ref name=MC276 /> Pieces of coal lie beside the wreck.<ref name=MC277>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=277}}.</ref>

In mid-1995, in an expedition filmed by [[Nova (American TV program)|''NOVA'']], Dr. [[Robert Ballard]], best known for having discovered the wrecks of {{RMS|Titanic|3=2}} in 1985, and the {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck}} in 1989, visited the wreck, using advanced side-scan sonar. Images were obtained from remotely controlled vehicles, but the wreck was not penetrated. Ballard found all the ship's funnels in surprisingly good condition. Attempts to find mine anchors failed.<ref name="expedition">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090515203346/http://britannic.marconigraph.com/muw_expeditions.html « HMHS ''Britannic'' Expedition Summary 1976–1999 »], ''Marconigraph'' on ''The Internet Archive''. Accessed 7 April 2011.</ref>

In August 1996, the wreck was bought by Simon Mills, who has written two books about the ship: ''Britannic – The Last Titan'' and ''Hostage to Fortune''.<ref name=MC284>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=284}}.</ref>

In November 1997, an international team of divers led by Kevin Gurr used open circuit [[Trimix (breathing gas)|trimix]] diving techniques to visit and film the wreck in the newly available [[DV (video format)|DV]] digital video format.<ref name=expedition />

In September 1998, another team of divers made an expedition to the wreck.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|pp=282–284}}.</ref><ref>Hope, Nicholas (1998). [http://www.bubblevision.com/underwater-videos/HMHS-Britannic.htm#Britannic "How We Dived The ''Britannic''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212171043/http://bubblevision.com/underwater-videos/HMHS-Britannic.htm |date=12 December 2010 }}, Bubblevision.com. Retrieved 1 January 2011.</ref> Using [[diver propulsion vehicle]]s, the team made more man-dives to the wreck and produced more images than ever before, including video of four telegraphs, a helm and a [[telemotor]] on the captain's bridge.<ref>Hope, Nicholas (1998). [http://www.bubblevision.com/underwater-videos/HMHS-Britannic.htm "HMHS ''Britannic'' Video"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212171043/http://bubblevision.com/underwater-videos/HMHS-Britannic.htm |date=12 December 2010 }}, Bubblevision.com. Retrieved 1 January 2011.</ref>

In 1999 [[Global Underwater Explorers|GUE]] divers acclimated to [[cave diving]] and ocean discovery led the first dive expedition to include extensive [[penetration diving|penetration]] into ''Britannic''. Video of the expedition was broadcast by [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]], BBC, the History Channel and the Discovery Channel.<ref name="ocean_discovery">{{cite web|url=http://www.ocean-discovery.org/britannic.htm|title=HMHS Britannic|publisher=Ocean Discovery|access-date=14 August 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513173638/http://www.ocean-discovery.org/britannic.htm|archive-date=13 May 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In September 2003, an expedition led by Carl Spencer dived into the wreck.<ref name="Wreck"> [https://web.archive.org/web/20090210012451/http://www.hospitalshipbritannic.com/the_wreck.htm « The Wreck »], ''Hospital Ship Britannic'' on ''The Internet Archive''. Accessed 7 April 2011.</ref> This was the first expedition to dive ''Britannic'' where all the bottom divers were using closed circuit rebreathers (CCR). Diver [[Leigh Bishop]] brought back some of the first photographs from inside the wreck and his diver partner Rich Stevenson found that several watertight doors were open. It has been suggested that this was because the mine strike coincided with the change of watches. Alternatively, the explosion may have distorted the doorframes. A number of mine anchors were located off the wreck by Bill Smith using sonar,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weinman |first1=Steve |title=The Million-Dollar Dive |url=https://divernet.com/world-dives/the-million-dollar-dive/ |website=Diver Magazine - World Dives |date=7 November 2016 |access-date=21 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=DeForest |first1=Peter |title=Titanic's Forgotten Sister |url=https://thedolphintalk.com/2011/03/23/titanic%E2%80%99s-forgotten-sister-by-peter-deforest/ |website=Dolphin Talk |access-date=22 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Wreck of the HMHS Britannic |url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2912850728 |website=Steam Workshop |access-date=22 May 2025}}</ref> confirming the German records of {{SMU|U-73|3=2}} that ''Britannic'' was sunk by a single mine and the damage was compounded by open portholes and watertight doors. The September 2003 dive found mine anchorage apparatus with its time-delay release mechanism activated. Spencer's expedition was broadcast extensively across the world for many years by National Geographic and the UK's Channel 5.<ref name="wreck2">{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.abyssplongee.be/images/library/file/BRITANNIC%202008/dh_20081010_lie_infoge_20.pdf « Plongée par 120&nbsp;m de fonds »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002232450/http://www.abyssplongee.be/images/library/file/BRITANNIC%202008/dh_20081010_lie_infoge_20.pdf|date=2 October 2013}}, ''La Dernière Heure''. Accessed 28 July 2009.</ref> {{fails verification|date=May 2025}}

In 2006, an expedition, funded and filmed by the History Channel, brought together fourteen skilled divers to help determine what caused the quick sinking of ''Britannic''.<ref name=wreck2 /> 

On 24 May 2009, Carl Spencer, drawn back to his third underwater filming mission of ''Britannic'', died in Greece due to equipment difficulties while filming the wreck for National Geographic.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tributes paid to diver Carl Spencer, killed filming Titanic sister ship|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/may/25/deep-sea-diver-carl-spencer-dies|work=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=3 May 2012|first=Helen|last=Pidd|date=25 May 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308071212/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/may/25/deep-sea-diver-carl-spencer-dies|archive-date=8 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Last Word, 29/05/2009 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kkd93 |website=BBC Radio 4 |access-date=21 May 2025}}</ref>

In 2012, on an expedition organised by Alexander Sotiriou and Paul Lijnen, divers using rebreathers installed and recovered scientific equipment used for environmental purposes, to determine how fast bacteria are eating at ''Britannic''{{'}}s iron compared to ''Titanic''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.divernet.com/wrecks/1525484/Project_britannic.html|title=Project Britannic|publisher=divernet.com|access-date=11 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021094941/http://www.divernet.com/wrecks/1525484/Project_britannic.html|archive-date=21 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On 29 September 2019, a British technical diver, Tim Saville, died during a 120 m / 393&nbsp;ft dive on the wreck of ''Britannic''.<ref>Rosemary E Lunn [https://xray-mag.com/content/little-good-comes-brit-wreck-divers-death/ A little good comes from Brit wreck diver's death] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107130616/https://xray-mag.com/content/little-good-comes-brit-wreck-divers-death |date=7 November 2019 }} X-Ray Magazine</ref>

== Legacy ==
Having her career cut short in wartime, never having entered commercial service, and having had few victims, ''Britannic'' did not experience the same notoriety as her sister ship ''Titanic''. After being largely forgotten by the public, she finally gained fame when her wreck was discovered.<ref name=MC274>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=274}}.</ref> Her name was reused by the [[White Star Line]] when it put {{MV|Britannic|1929|6}} into service in 1930. That ship was the last to fly the flag of the company when it retired in 1960.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101220121836/http://titanic-whitestarships.com/WSL_Britannic_III.htm « White Star Line MV ''Britannic'' (III) 1930–1960 The last WSL ship »]}}, ''« Titanic » and Other White Star Ships''. Accessed 28 July 2009.</ref>

After Germany capitulated at the end of the First World War followed by the [[Treaty of Versailles]], it handed over some of its ocean liners as war reparations, two of which were given to the company. The first, the ''Bismarck'', renamed {{RMS|Majestic|1914|2}}, replaced the ''Britannic''. The second, the ''Columbus'', renamed the {{RMS|Homeric|1913|2}}, compensated for other ships lost in the conflict.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirnside|2011|p=107}}.</ref>

The last survivor, George Perman, died on 24 May 2000, just short of his 100th birthday. At the time of the sinking, he was a 15-year-old Scout working on ''Britannic'', and the youngest person onboard the ship.<ref>{{cite web|title=Southampton scout survived sinking of First World War hospital ship|date=16 October 2015 |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/13875532.southampton-scout-survived-sinking-of-first-world-war-hospital-ship/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=George Perman [Britannic Survivor] |url=https://trmaarchive.com/db/db-01/db_11.html |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=trmaarchive.com}}</ref>

=== In popular culture ===
A fictionalised version of the sinking of the ship was dramatised in a 2000 television film, [[Britannic (film)|''Britannic'']], that featured [[Edward Atterton]], [[Amanda Ryan]], [[Jacqueline Bisset]] and [[John Rhys-Davies]], depicting a German agent sabotaging the ship, due to it secretly carrying munitions.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

A BBC2 documentary, ''Titanic's Tragic Twin – the Britannic Disaster'', was broadcast on 5 December 2016; presented by [[Kate Humble]] and [[Andy Torbet]], it used up-to-date underwater film of the wreck and spoke to relatives of survivors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rees |first1=Jasper |title=Titanic's Tragic Twin: The Britannic Disaster felt under-researched but the survivor testimony was grimly fascinating – review |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/12/05/titanics-tragic-twin-britannic-disaster-felt-under-researched/ |access-date=6 December 2016 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=5 December 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206184816/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/12/05/titanics-tragic-twin-britannic-disaster-felt-under-researched/ |archive-date=6 December 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The historical docudrama ''The Mystery Of The Britannic'' was released in 2017, in which the maritime explorer Richard Kohler investigates the ship's last voyage.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

[[Alma Katsu]]'s 2020 novel ''[[The Deep (Katsu novel)|The Deep]]'' was set partly on the ''Britannic'', and on its sister ship the ''Titanic'', and centred around the sinking of both ships.<ref>{{cite web|title='The Deep' book review – Voyage of nightmares and memories|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2020/jun/07/the-deep-book-review---voyage-of-nightmares-and-memories-2152277.html|access-date=2020-07-15|website=The New Indian Express|date=6 June 2020 |archive-date=17 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717010807/https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2020/jun/07/the-deep-book-review---voyage-of-nightmares-and-memories-2152277.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The ''Gigantic'', the apparent setting of the 2009 escape-room game ''[[Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors]]'', references the ''Britannic'' as a sister ship of the ''Titanic'' retrofitted as a hospital ship.<ref>{{cite video game |title=[[Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors]] |developer=[[Chunsoft]] |publisher=[[Spike Chunsoft|Spike]] |date=2009-12-10 |platform=[[Nintendo DS]] |level=Hospital Room |quote='''Seven''': 'Chances are, it's the [Gigantic]' }}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2023}}

== Postcards ==
{{Gallery
|title=Postcards of ''Britannic''
|width=322
|height=200
|align=left
|File:Britannic launching postcard.jpg|alt1=Large hull of a ship in its shipyard, painted grey above the waterline and red below|''Britannic'' in the shipyard before her launch
|File:Britannic postcard.jpg|alt2=Steamship shown at sea, with smoke pouring from three of her four stacks, and two sailboats in the foreground. The ship is mostly black, painted white at and above the open decks.|''Britannic'' at sea in her intended White Star livery}}
{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book
 | last1 = Brewster
 | first1 = Hugh
 | last2 = Coulter
 | first2 = Laurie
 | year = 1998
 | title = 882 1/2 Amazing Answers to your Questions about the Titanic
 | publisher = Madison Press Book
 | isbn = 978-0-590-18730-5
 | url-access = registration
 | url = https://archive.org/details/88212amazingansw00hugh
 }}
* {{cite book
 | last = Chirnside
 | first = Mark
 | year = 2011
 | orig-year = 2004
 | title = The Olympic-Class Ships
 | location = Stroud
 | publisher = [[Tempus Publishing|Tempus]]
 | isbn = 978-0-7524-2868-0
 }}
* {{cite book
 | last = Lord
 | first = Walter
 | year = 2005
 | orig-year = 1955
 | title = A Night to Remember
 | location = New York
 | publisher = St. Martin's Griffin
 | isbn = 978-0-8050-7764-3
 }}
* {{cite book|last=Le Goff|first=Olivier|title=Les Plus Beaux Paquebots du Monde|publisher=Solar|year=1998|language=fr|isbn=9782263027994}}
* {{cite book
  |title=Belfast Built Ships
  |first=John |last=Lynch
  |year=2012
  |publisher =The History Press
  |isbn = 978-0-7524-6539-5
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Piouffre
  | first = Gérard
  | year = 2009
  | language = fr
  | title = Le Titanic ne répond plus
  | publisher = Larousse
  | isbn = 978-2-263-02799-4
  }}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last=Mills|first=Simon|title=H.M.H.S. "Britannic": Last Titan|date=1992|publisher=Waterfront Publications|location=Dorset|isbn=0-946184-71-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Mills|first=Simon|title=Hostage to Fortune: the dramatic story of the last Olympian, HMHS Britannic|date=2002|publisher=Wordsmith|location=Chesham, England|isbn=1-899493-03-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Mills|first=Simon|title=Exploring the Britannic: The Life, Last Voyage and Wreck of Titanic's Tragic Twin|date=2019|publisher=Adlard Coles|location=London|isbn=978-1-4729-5492-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Layton|first=J. Kent|title=The Edwardian Superliners: a trio of trios|date=2013|publisher=Amberley |isbn=978-1-4456-1438-0}}
* {{cite book|last1=Kohler|first1=Richie|last2=Hudson|first2=Charlie|title=Mystery of the Last Olympian: Titanic's Tragic Sister Britannic |date=2016|publisher=Best Publishing Company |isbn=978-1930536869}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Britannic (ship, 1915)}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/hms-britannic/ Newsreel footage of the construction of HMHS ''Britannic'', 1914]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/liners/britannic_page_1.htm Maritimequest HMHS ''Britannic'' Photo Gallery]
* [http://atlanticliners.com/white_star_home/britannic_home/ ''Britannic Home'' at Atlantic Liners]
* [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/titanic NOVA Online-Titanic's Lost Sister] (Companion website to the PBS special ''Titanic's Lost Sister'')
* [http://www.hmhsbritannic.weebly.com/ Hospital Ship ''Britannic'']
* [http://www.davidrumsey.ch/origins.pdf About the origins of the ''Britannic'' Organ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710151921/http://www.davidrumsey.ch/origins.pdf |date=10 July 2021 }}
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=HMHS%20Britannic&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=&district=&placeName= Images of HMHS ''Britannic''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422132452/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=HMHS%20Britannic&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=&district=&placeName= |date=22 April 2014 }} at the [[English Heritage Archive]]{{deadlink|date=October 2024}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140221232328/http://www.britishpathe.com/gallery/titanics-sisters British Pathé gallery on the Olympic class]
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/OceanLinerArchitect/comments/1ft82hj/the_white_star_atlantic_mail_steamer_britannic/ Deck plans of Britannic as an ocean liner]

{{Four funnels}}
{{Olympic-class ocean liners}}
{{White Star Line ships}}
{{Largest passenger ships}}
{{November 1916 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}
{{RMS Titanic}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Britannic}}
[[Category:1914 ships]]
[[Category:Four funnel liners]]
[[Category:Hospital ships in World War I]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1916]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in Greece]]
[[Category:Olympic-class ocean liners]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships built by Harland and Wolff]]
[[Category:Ships built in Belfast]]
[[Category:Ships of the White Star Line]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by mines]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of Greece]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Underwater diving sites in Greece]]
[[Category:World War I shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea]]