Key Information
Britannic
| Type | Olympic-class ocean liner |
| Ordered | 1911 |
| Laid Down (Construction Started) | 30 November, 1911 |
| Launched | 26 February, 1914 |
| Completed | 12 December, 1915 |
| In Service | 23 December, 1915 |
| Sank | 21 November, 1916 – 1,036 survived, 30 lost |
| Capacity | Passengers: 2,636, crew: 673. Total: 3,309 |
| Lifeboats | 48 (sufficient for 3,600 people) |
| Displacement | 53,200 tonnes |
| Dimensions | Length: 882 ft 9 in; Beam: 94 ft; Height: 175 ft; Draught: 34 ft 7 in; Depth: 64 ft 6 in |
Learning Point
- The Britannic was the “upgraded” younger sister of the Titanic, redesigned with a double hull and massive crane-like davits to be the world’s safest liner. However, it never carried a single paying passenger. Instead, World War I turned it into a high-tech floating hospital, painted white with giant red crosses to signal its mission. In 1916, it hit an underwater mine near Greece and sank in just 55 minutes. Despite the speed, its safety features and warm water saved nearly everyone on board, including Violet Jessop, a nurse who famously survived both the Titanic and Britannic disasters.
Project
- Draw a picture of the RMS Britannic.
- Overview
- Comparison
- Violet Jessop
Location
| Location | Near Kea, Aegean Sea |
Fun Facts
- The Britannic was actually the biggest of the three “Olympic-class” sisters, making it even larger than the famous Titanic!
- As a hospital ship, it had huge red crosses painted on its sides that lit up at night using 125 electric lightbulbs so everyone could see it from miles away.
- Because the ship was so long and the water was relatively shallow, its front hit the ocean floor while the back was still sticking up in the air, giving the wreck a “bent nose.”
- It had special giant cranes called “davits” that were so strong they could launch six lifeboats at once, even if the ship was tipping over!
- Because it is in much shallower and warmer water than the Titanic, the wreck is in great shape. Divers can still see the floor tiles and even some of the windows!
Past Lessons
| 205 | April 15, 2026 | (North America) |