Issue H011 of 23 September 2001

HMHS Britannic

The Titanic sank in 2 hours and 10 minutes, on April 14, 1912 with a loss of at least 1,5000 lives of civilians. However, there was a sister ship of the Titanic, which was named the Britannic, and was also used as a liner until the break of the First World War. In November 1915, the Titanic was remodeled and converted to a floating hospital and it was ready to accommodate 3,309 wounded soldiers.

HSHM Brittanic

During the first year of her service, the Britannic traveled five times in the Mediterranean Sea and in winter 1916 was ordered to sail to Moudros harbor of Lemnos Island, North Aegean, Greece. However, on November 21, 1916 at 8:12 in the morning, as she was bypassing southeast Attica, between the islands of Makronesos and Kea, an explosion sank the ship in just 55 minutes. Twenty one crew members and 9 RAMC men lost their lives.

Since then a number of questions have tantalized Historians: Why did she sink so quickly compared to the Titanic? Did the Britannic hit a mine, did a German torpido sank it, was it an accident, did the ship transport weapons secretly to the British forces in the Balkans or did it carry gold to Russia?

HMHS Britannic sunk (a dramatized view)The wreck was discovered in 1975 by J-J Coustau and his team. Since then 5 missions have tried to solve the mysteries. There efforts as well as more information on the Britannic and her fate can be read at:

Britannic

HMHS Britannic; The Forgotten Sister

Michail Michailakis' Britannic

Britannic '98 Diving Expedition

Britannic '99 Diving Expedition




The Titanic



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