It was launched on February 26, 1914 and its inaugural voyage between Southampton and New York was planned for spring 1915. The 1st world war was going to change the plans, it was indeed requisitioned November 1915 and was transformed into hospital, of its name of HMHS Britannic is His Majesty Hospital Ship. Its hull was painted in white, three red crosses were laid out on each side, and a large green tape painted on all its length. Its interior equipment yet finished steps was transformed into dormitory and operating rooms. December 12, 1915, it was fine loan. It arrived to Liverpool that day escorted by the army. The ship was under the commands of the Captain Charles A. Bartlett. an employee of White Star since 1874.
Britannic then took the sea for its maiden voyage on December 23, 1915. It was to carry out the connection between Southampton and the island of Mudros in the Aegean Sea, where each time, it transports some 3'000 wounded and patients which it brings back to England. It will thus join on this line of other ships, such as Mauretania, Aquitania and its brother Olympic. Christmas was celebrated on Britannic whereas it navigate towards Naples; it was to fill the tank with coal. This made. he took the road of Mudros, at Aegean sea. He was back in Southampton on January 9, 1916, his patients were then transferred by train towards hospitals from London. The second voyage was shorter but it made only the way return for Naples. It spent thereafter four weeks off the Island of Wight like floating hospital.
June 6, 1916, Britannic went back to Belfast because its service of war was finished. Harland & Wolff then started to modify it for the traffic of the travellers. Unfortunately in August 1916, he was recalled by admiralty. He thus took again his occupations of military hospital. He made a fourth then then a fifth voyage.
One day superb, November 21, 1916, it navigate in the strait of K�a. A little after 8h00 resounds suddenly an enormous explosion, water is engulfed then in an enormous breach with the front one. In less than 55 minutes, the ship is at the bottom of water, a so close bottom (approximately 100 meters) that when the prow touches it, the poop still draws up aus-top of water. Only 30 sailors on the 1'100 which were on board will perish because two lifeboats were grabbed by the enormous propellers which were not stopped yet. Why the steamer sunk it so quickly whereas it was supposed being much safety than Titanic which sank him in three times longer. Perhaps simply by the fact of heat that that day ago, much port-holes were indeed open to allow a better ventilation of the interior of the ship. The tight gates had also not been closed, which was very risky for a boat navigate in danger zones...
What did it occur? One believed a long time in a mine o� a torpedo launched by a German submarine. But when the ship was found in 1976 by the team of the commander Cousteau, it was discovered that the explosion seems to have occurred interior towards outside, it could act of an explosion which had with the coal dust, a kind of firedamp explosion. Titanic had also known similar accident without consequence. Britannic git always by 100 meters basic in a rather good general state. The true reason of this shipwreck perhaps never will be completely explained.