The Sinking of Britannic - Titanic's Forgotten Sister Ship

[@davidjohnson3890]

My Great Aunt was a nurse working on this ship when Britanic sank. She always maintained two things, (1) whatever it was that holed the ship was so slight it hardly caused the ship to shudder and the noise so slight it was difficult to hear and (2) the dressing down the nursing staff had received the previous day for closing portholes. They had been instructed to open all portholes, windows and watertight doors to "air" the ship in preparation for taking on wounded. This was against wartime regulations. Apparently, the Chief Medical Officer (I can't remember his official title) was a firm believer and stickler for the benefits of Fresh Air in the treatment of wounds. My great-aunt survived and lived to be 99 and 10 months. She always maintained that had the portholes and watertight doors been shut the captain would have been able to beach the ship and she could have been saved and repaired but its continued forward motion with the portholes open let in so much water that it was inevitable she was lost. My grandfather, an experienced officer on the battleship HMS Thunderer an Orion Class mark 6 Super Dreadnought of the same period also thought the same and that the speedy enquiry sought only to cover this up to protect both the Navy and the government. I am nearly 80 and I still have postcards from my great-aunt to her parents in London following the sinking.

[@DotDotDot0272]

Dear David Johnson. It might be a good idea to head to a printer shop and have those letters scanned (digitised), for historical preservation reasons. You could also ask your kids/ grandkids to do it for you, if you have any.

[@GarthWatkins-th3jt]

I concur. Pity to lose yet another little piece under the waterline of history.

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

Yeah, that checks out. The "CMO" would have been the "Surgeon", who was a warrant officer with a terrible, non-descriptive title, and reported directly to the Captain of the ship (as opposed to "Captain" as the rank--this distinction will make sense just six words into the next sentence). In Britannic, the Surgeon was Captain John Cropper of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who died with the ship, which may be why they covered it up. By the way, Navy Captain = rank 6. Army Captain = rank 3. Yeah, it's confusing, but the military will never let "making sense" get in the way of tradition. Also, a warrant officer is an officer that is chosen because of specific non-military skills, usually professional practitioners, so they may feel bound by the ethics of their profession rather than by military rules. They are above all enlisted men, but below all comissioned officers, regardless of rank. BUT they have some leeway in how they deal with the things directly under their purview, and may have argued that because the ship's captain didn't know about the (now debunked) medical use of fresh air, then his order may not have taken it into account. If he did, though, then it absolutely is against the rules to disobey a direct order.

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

​​​​​​​​Honestly, the meaningless deaths worry me a lot more. I dislike meaningless ship destructions (such as when the US Navy INEXPLICABLY decided to use the only surviving Nagato-class battleship--the Nagato itself--as bomb fodder), but in this situation, you have to prioritize the people. You wanna save the ship? Go ahead, but let your officers roast the idea first to see if it still stands, and keep the non-combatants out of it. ​@@GarthWatkins-th3jt

[@josephbaucom3302]

sounds like that guy wanted the ship to be sunk. almost like he used "fresh air" as a plausible deniability excuse for wanting the ship to sink.

[@applejacks971]

The level of quality and detail of this presentation is off the charts, unreal. It's just like watching an actual movie. Up and beyond expectations to say the least. Hat's off to the team that put this together 🥰🤩🙌

[@georgemartin1436]

It is next level.

[@crakkbone]

It IS an actual movie. Our Disney overlords just weren’t the ones to produce it so it has you confused.

[@SHO1989]

Absolutely wonderfully done! Thank you Mike! Amazing how a KZbinr can now put out content that is on par or better than the History channel could back when it was actually a history channel and not the pathetic reality drama mess that it is now. Thanks again for this excellent content.

[@nicknelson9450]

Yes, but it's a shame because I think there may possibly be something wrong with the encoding? I'm getting very slight frame hesitations every few seconds in the scenes with lots going on and regardless of the browser or resolution I pick and with nothing much else running...for example the detailed scenes of the ship in motion starting at 2:08. Stats for nerds shows no dropped frames and in 4K full screen my GPU usage is only at around 25%.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

A movie would be (most likely) much less accurate. 😉 Mike has the ability and work ethos to provide a griping narration that still is true to the facts. No sensationalism, no made-up stuff.

[@trainknut]

Y'know, despite the devastating losses of Titanic, the fact both ships remained stable and above water long enough for all(most) the boats to be launched successfully is actually a testament to their design, as we saw with less stable ships like Lusitania, the fact they didn't violently list or even roll over (at least until the very end) probably saved countless lives.

[@Deevo037]

Well, look at Costa Concordia.

[@sleazymeezy]

​@@Deevo037it listed eventually. Once it ran aground. Almost everyone got off except for the few deaths there were, and a few people trapped but unharmed. You really dont know what you're talking about.

[@Deevo037]

@@sleazymeezy I defer to your obvious expertise on the subject seeing as you have such intimate knowledge. The point I was making was that despite more modern design specifications (and the grossest level of crew incompetence in the case of the CC) any ship is going to sink if enough water gets into it. Despite this the Olympic class ships were a damn sight better constructed for safety than most of their contemporaries.

[@captainwarhead5626]

Titanic would of listed heavily more I think if it wasn’t due to the movement of coal due to the coal fire days prior. Fate of dumb luck which probably did save a lot more lives. God rest all their souls

[@carastone3473]

@@captainwarhead5626- *would have

[@jesterr7133]

The story of Violet Jessup is amazing. She survived not only the Olympic collision, but also the Titanic and Brittanic sinkings. The stories she must have had. I am shocked that more people aren't more familiar with her story.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

I recognised her name when I heard it here but thought it was just two sinkings she'd survived - which I guess was true if the other was a collision, but not an actual sinking? How brave that lady was. I'd have been terrified to go aboard another ship if that had been me. She surely deserves more recognition than perhaps she received.

[@xKitzunexx]

@@brigidsingleton1596 Honestly I'd be terrified to go on a ship if she was on it. At that point I'd believe her to be cursed.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

@@xKitzunexx Poor lady... I would feel the same tbh. Mind you, I can't swim, so apart from being afraid of the ship foundering and pulling me under with it, there's the propellers to worry about, a fire on board, or just straight forward drowning, or dying from exhaustion, hypothermia, dehydration, hunger and whatever else could occur. I am a coward. I confess. Mea culpa. 😞

[@xKitzunexx]

@@brigidsingleton1596 Don't worry I'm a coward as well. I will never set foot on a ship due to fear of sinking and I just hate water in general.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

@@xKitzunexx We shall stay safe and happy then, as our friend Mike Brady wishes us to be...yes? Hopefully.

[@akamered4483]

I got goosebumps at the ship's whistles over the picture of it tilted helplessly in the water... what a scenery...

[@brandycarter9829]

That image of Brittanic..... in her death throes.....half-submerged and blasting her whistle in one last agonized scream before the ocean swallows her whole..... will probably stay with me for quite a while. Great piece as always, Mike! Interesting subject matter, brought to life with beautiful imagery & clear narration. Well done, Captain!

[@Clementinewoofwoof]

I absolutely agree, it’s like an animal dying…

[@Pprokop87]

That sound would carry for miles of open sea. It would be heard on islands and by aproaching ships. "We are here, we are sinking" A last call for help for the survivors with what steam She had left. Damn, now i will sink into Nightwish for days...

[@deaks25]

That was the exact image I was left with. It shows how skilled and talented Mike's narration is that a story I was aware of could conjure a powerful image.

[@CHRIS_5226]

I began crying upon hearing the whistles

[@Spookybozo]

@@Clementinewoofwoofnot just an animal dying, but a majestic animal

[@BucksSuperStereoWorld]

Thank you all SO much for featuring Britannic! She may be the somewhat forgotten sister of the Olympic Class liners, but she will never be forgotten by me and many others. Ship number 433 was the peak of the Olympic Class and she was the absolute pinnacle of maritime engineering after learning the lessons from Olympic and Titanic. She was as perfectly built and arranged as any large ocean liner could be in her day. I would've loved to have seen Britannic become a true staple of maritime history and be preserved as Queen Mary has. The third and final ship of the Olympic Class, easily surpassing the Cunard trio (although Aquitania was bigger and closely as luxurious), Lusitania (sunk on May 7th, 1915 by U-20 captained by Walther Schweiger during WWI), and the ever-beautiful Mauretania. Like Mike has always told us, the Olympic Class liners were built to be the absolute last word in luxury. When Titanic was lost, the industrious town of Belfast was absolutely devastated in so many ways. Thomas Andrews was an Orangeman, (kind of like we have the Eagles Clubs and Croatian Clubs of today), and he was well-known in Belfast and especially within Harland and Wolff. After Lord Pirrie's exit from the yard due to his support of England having their rule over Ireland (as well as his brother-in-law Alexander Carlisle, the Chief Designer quitting), it was expected that Thomas Andrews would take over the shipyard for his uncle, Lord William Pirrie. Titanic (along with every ship built) had what was known as the "Guarantee Group" that included the top workers from the shipyard to shake the ship down during it's maiden voyage to make sure that the ship was in top shape, with any issues being reported back to the shipyard to be incorporated into the newest vessels. Mike is a great maritime historian, and while I am 40 years old, and have been researching Titanic and maritime history in general for the last 34 years of my life, he continues to teach me of even the most mundane details of the great liners. I genuinely appreciate his teachings. Thank you again Mike!

[@Leosedits-n1r]

that's the longest, and the best comment I've ever read.

[@PuffKitty]

😊 OP would be a good person to have at dinner parties as far as I'm concerned

[@olympicnut]

Britannic was larger than Aquitania.

[@BucksSuperStereoWorld]

@@Leosedits-n1r I know bud, I'm sorry. I have been researching Titanic and maritime history in general for the majority of my life and I have ADHD, so when I get started it's hard to shut me down...lol

[@BucksSuperStereoWorld]

@@PuffKitty I will take that as a compliment and thank you. I try to learn as much as I can, and I still learn new things every single day, but I'm actually a pretty boring person to be around...🤣🤣🤣 Besides, I'm a truck driver, so it's hard to tie me down for a dinner date.

[@3ountyhunter]

I cannot understate just how gorgeous this video was. You should be very proud of the visuals and storytelling. They work together to create a gripping narrative. It really tugs on the heart strings to see such a beautiful ship slip beneath the waves. Incredible work, honestly.

[@Rosco-P.Coldchain]

I agree

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

You mean “overstate”.

[@Beastgrows]

*overstate

[@Mahoneyyay]

A very different life than her sisters. Saved many many lives during her duty. Rest easy Britannic Wonderful video sir

[@michaelmyers7064]

Anybody else watch this through and then wonder where the heck the hour went? That’s how engrossing this thing was.

[@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACY]

At least most of those on board made it to safety. There were ships that sank even faster like for instance the RMS Lusitania which took only 18 minutes to completely sink.

[@Pprokop87]

Time? I got 1:55AM and should be asleep to watch it in the morning with a cup of coffe.

[@Pprokop87]

​@@DANIELLE_BREANNA_LACYin the history of seafarring, it is more common for a handfull to survive, if any do. This is why sailors pray to the Gods of the Sea.

[@treacy1809]

The sleeping sun reference at 37:48 is SUCH a good touch, most people that are enthusiasts nowadays probably saw that old Britannic video years back and its what got them into the hobby of ocean liner history, I know I definitely did.

[@Mr.Volcanoes22]

Yea I had completely forgotten of that video but with just those words for a moment I was a child discovering this ship for the first time again. I can't believe it has 51 million views.

[@WilliamBugge96]

Holy shit yeah I remember that, it was really cool

[@TheEmeraldMenOfficial]

It was part of my interest sparking: the other was my dad being a massive Titanic buff. Britannic and Sleeping Sun expanded my love of ships and the sea beyond Titanic, though, and that was a cute touch.

[@Nephalem2002]

That was my first exposure to Britannic. I remember showing it to my class in Grade 4.

[@hurricanefury439]

literally EVERY ship related video used sleeping sun for a while. and to this day i have no idea why it was so popular for that

[@marcusthelegend]

The Britannic really doesn't get the attention she deserves, I think if she was built as planned, she would've been one of the greatest ships ever.

[@Truecrimeresearcher224]

If titanic didn't happen maybe she would have been in the limelights

[@R32R38]

Its sinking probably doesn't get much attention because the vast majority of the people onboard survived and it happened during wartime.

[@V3ntilator]

10 years before Titanic, SS Norway sank with 700 people. No one on the planet ever heard about it. There is only one video about it on KZbin.

[@fabulousspamulous]

@@V3ntilatorWell the thing is, Titanic was the most popular, luxurious, and greatest ship during her time. That’s why the sinking was so tragic. Only a little bit over 700 people survived.

[@Taylorswiftfan13308]

So many winding ifs there though. If Titanic hadn't met tragedy, Brittanic wouldn't have received all those safety upgrades, and it is all speculation what that could have meant.

[@Ethan.401]

Such a beautiful ship it's a shame she never saw service as an ocean liner

[@GoobertFoobert]

Yeah :(

[@oscartapia1409]

She would’ve looked so beautiful. I can imagine seeing Britannic getting scraped next Aquitania in the 1950s

[@Henry46858]

Easily would've been one of the most successful liners white star had

[@Galileo1912]

ethan get back to work on titanic sos

[@themightyspartan1012]

@@oscartapia1409Probably but maybe it could of been preserved as monuments for the sinking of her sister: Titanic.

[@rescueme1060]

that final whistle gave me tears

[@dragosstoian5326]

Finally found someone who did the same thing that I did…

[@CHRIS_5226]

Same here

[@thefanification]

Violet Jessup's story is one of those "stranger than fiction" moments that sounds crazy but is true and its honestly one of my favorite stories to come from the Olympic class

[@agp11001]

One might wonder why White Star never gave out a standing order to never let Jessop within 500 yards of any White Star Lines ship ever again.

[@18Hongo]

​@@agp11001 Are you kidding? She was the survivor! I'm surprised they didn't mention her in the safety manual. "When things go to hell, find Violet Jessup. Trust me, she'll be there".

[@agp11001]

@@18Hongo "When things go to hell - and trust us, they will when Violet is around - stay close to her to increase your chances of survival."

[@Don_com_cq]

Arthur John Priest (31 August 1887 - 11 February 1937) was an English fireman and stoker who was notable for surviving four ship sinkings, including the RMS Titanic[2] HMS Alcantara, HMHS Britannic and the SS Donegal.[3] Due to these incidents, Priest gained the moniker "the unsinkable stoker".[3]

[@masterkgamer1766]

That one brief moment that gave a glimpse of hope where she was for a 2nd time, having her accommodations fitted out again. Sadly she was desperatly needed for her war-service, in which she did serve well under. It's just a shame she never truly got the chance to sail across the Atlantic under a passenger service.

[@timsneek7809]

I've always felt that ships, more than any other means of transport, seem to have their own character and personality. When we tell their stories, fictional or true, it becomes easy to root for the ship as if it were a person. I remember learning about Britannic early in my teen years and becoming obsessed with her. Of the three Olympic class ships she became my favourite, and I think the reason lies in the tragedy of her story. This video really captured that in such a way that it reminded me of those early teen years reading about this doomed ship, and I want to applaud how well you manage to convey that character and personality, turning the ship herself into the main character of her story. This video is phenomenal.

[@jericho86]

I think the machines we build become vessels (pun intended) for the memories of they people who's lives they touch. It doesn't matter if it's papaw's old farm tractor or your dad's old work truck. They become special because they are the means by which the people we care about left their mark on the world. Ships just can touch the lives of people at a scale no other machine can match.

[@SpoonSputnik]

Britannic is my favourite, because of her amazing story, she is a beautiful ship

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

@@SpoonSputnik What if she told you she was really a ... He? Hey if we're gong to anthropomorphize, this is a valid scenario.

[@SpoonSputnik]

@@mikejones-vd3fg haha!

[@EvantheKidDS]

Mike’s narration is so wonderful to listen to, combined with the outstanding visuals provided by the THG Team created a quality tribute to an unfortunate Olympic-Class sister, in which bad luck had come for her before she had a chance to sport her unseen beauty.

[@ragael1024]

that last whistle/horn... the roar of a dying giant :(. what a beauty she was...

[@kay9549]

@ragael1024 all were indeed beauties; for that era. Unfortunately this beauty is not well known; unless you research the history.

[@JGV_IX]

I am amazed at both the story told and the story telling. Thanks Mike for making this exquisite documentary!

[@SpoonSputnik]

King guy

[@willbreckinridge8010]

A year or so ago, I couldn’t have pictured someone being able to pump out these kinds of videos on a regular basis, with lifelike animation, tremendous soundtracks, and incredible production quality like this, but you made it happen Mike :)

[@mdit21]

Titanic's sisters had impeccable war records. The Olympic as a troop carrier is worthy of her own account. Despite Brittanic becoming a casualty of the war, she had a noble purpose of serving as a hospital ship. This is a terrific and more detailed presentation of the story of Brittanic yet. It sets itself apart from other versions and is a very fine tribute 107 years after her sinking (21 November).

[@PB-Trinity]

Ironically, she might be the forgotten sister of the Olympic class but when comparing the very well preserved state of her wreck compared to Titanic's, she will outlived her by a long shot without a doubt...

[@PersephoneDaSilva]

Will she? Titanic is very far beneath the surface in a natural deep freeze. Meanwhile, even though Andrea Doria is only 240 feet below, sea life continues to grow, and the Atlantic currents batter her. I don't know how much an additional 160 feet will do, but Britannic might not last longer if the same issues can be applied to her. But maybe she's down far enough?

[@GammaBeta656]

@@PersephoneDaSilva The thing is, while Titanic is sitting in conditions that would *usually* benefit her preservation, the fact that she split in half, the fact that the stern is so violently crushed and disfigured, and the presence of the titanicae bacteria eating the ship means shes likely to disappear before the Britannic who sits in relatively calm and undisturbed waters and is still almost entirely intact (save for the bow which broke on impact with the sea floor) thanks to her slow descent and shallow environment which allowed her to rest on the sea floor faster and more calmly than her sister.

[@nguyenkien2256]

This is nothing short of masterful story-telling coupled with well-researched documentary. Mike is truly doing one of the greatest services to the world's maritime history.

[@itstitanictime2002]

The Propellor bit at the start is terrifing

[@francesguinta8614]

Because of that clip, this is my second attempt to watch this video.

[@JohannesVanDerStuyvebode]

You cannot be serious...

[@roselightinstorms727]

Crazy

[@YourSweatyUncle]

@@francesguinta8614 little youtube hack, if you use the slider under the video you can decide when to start in the video 🤓

[@TheFunEnglishTeacher]

He was probably terrified of what more was to come.

[@chaseman113]

Unlike Titanic, it took a whole world at war to sink Britannic. As a kid, I was delighted to hear an "improved" Titanic had been built to survive even worse damage then her fallen sister, and then devastated that Britannic never had a chance to be brilliant & conquer the Atlantic as she was intended.

[@ShadowDragon8685]

A world at war, and the medical staff _ignoring the captain's orders_ and airing out the wards. That quickly became _watering_ out the wards. Oooops.

[@alexander1485]

It only took one reckless captain to sink Titantic.

[@cruises_arendelle]

​@alexander1485 more like reckless regulations, and reckless minds of not the captain, but a whole industry. It's not about a reckless captain and never has been. Society was just proud of their creations and it seemed like the sky is the limit, lifeboat and other regulations lagged behind a fast transforming industry, and that was paid in the form of losing the largest ship in the world with 1512 souls on it.

[@NathanSimonGottemer]

@@alexander1485titanic was an engineering failure and always has been - I did a whole thing on it in engineering ethics class. It’s hotly debated but it really shouldn’t be. The rivets were the wrong size and driven by hand at the wrong angle, the plates were cast iron instead of wrought iron or steel, the blast doors and bulkheads were cut short to save money - iceberg or not, it was a ticking time bomb.

[@aaronbasham6554]

​@@NathanSimonGottemergot proof? Genuinely curious now

[@christiantedesco1477]

It’s worth noting that Brittanic’s mammoth pipe organ still survives, and currently resides in a museum in sweeden.

[@musiquesetoeuvresoubliees1866]

Not in sweeden, in Seewen (Switzerland). They also produced 12 (if I remember corretly) CDs of music recorded on this very instrument.

[@Burusagi]

As a Swede, this comment confused me greatly lol.

[@KimSenior]

@@Burusagi Me too and I’m English, I thought he or she was referring to a country I’d never heard of?😂

[@Carlito_Brigante93]

⁠@@BurusagiAs as sweeeede, that comment confused you greatly

[@adambelfast1]

​@@KimSeniorRather than just assuming that he may have made a typo and put an extra "e" in there?

[@rudradas3918]

If this was shot alongside a love story, I promise it would be more popular than the Titanic. Such a beautiful vivid description of history can only be imagined. The music, the visuals, the narration.....this work is a masterpiece

[@ZFern9390]

Was the love story , tied to the jewel necklace a true story on the movie Titanic? All this time , I assume it wasn't.

[@justin2308]

@@ZFern9390 Nah, it wasn’t. Cameron essentially just set out to tell a historical fiction romance that merely took place on the Titanic- though you cannot deny that he still did a lot of research in order to get the events and setting somewhat close to accurate.

[@OfficialGravityTester]

If there is ever a movie about this ship, I hope it’s titled “Hull 433.” Thanks for all your hard work, Mike & team.

[@Ultragoji69420]

There is a movie about the britannic, but its pretty bad

[@StephPans]

Beautiful storytelling Mike. It brought tears to my eyes. The care and attention to detail that you and the team bring to these documentaries are really next level.

[@aeroace6901]

Hello Mike! I have been watching your channel for a long time now, but this is my first time leaving a comment. I just want to say that your videos are so well done and are super high quality. I love the details and animations of the ships like how they are moving through the ocean. I love your channel so much and I look forward for more content. You and others are bringing these historic ships back to life. Thanks for all your hard work!!

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Thanks so much!

[@shaynewheeler9249]

😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@shaynewheeler9249]

Hmhs Britannic

[@cyrilthompson1846]

My father worked on all three of the Olympic class. He worked in the woodwork shop.My own association was when I worked in a garage in the Ravenhill Road . I was asked to assemble storage racks in one of the attics of the building. I found numerous wooden panels stored on another attic. They had keel numbers marked on their edge 433. I checked with my father and he confirmed they were panelling removed from Brittanic during her conversion to hospital ship. I told one of the Directors of the company and it took several lorries to take away the wooden sections. There was so much panelling it had been spread all over Belfast, and in some cases, H&W didn't know where half of it went. Some hotels and large houses acquired panelled walls which means there must be some of that woodwork still existing anonymous in buildings throught UK to this day.

[@briannicholas2757]

A beautifully made video of one of the greatest ladies of the era. As you rightly point out, as tragic as her end was, had she been loaded with wounded, the death toll would have been staggering. Sometimes we need to thank God for the small favors he grants.

[@bruhice6058]

Watched this with my father on Father’s Day. Surreal, beautiful, moving. Great work.

[@tapwater74]

Words cannot adequately describe how outstanding this video is. Mike "Our Friend" you have truly outdone yourself with this one! I was glued to my screen and mesmerised by the visuals, the story and the commentry. This is a masterpiece.

[@ChakatSandwalker]

Britannic looked amazingly beautiful all lit up at night. I applaud the quality of the animations and the narrations.

[@trevorphilips1237]

How lonely Britannic during her career. I appreciate so much for you and your team's good work!

[@anderspalm4859]

Thank you so much for featuring Brittanic and her story. As a former wreckdiver, rest asure she will never be forgotten. She is the crown jewel for any scubadiver to pay a visit. And when Titanic is gone, consumed by steeleating bacteria, Britannic will be still around - the last of the three mighty sisters!

[@mikeissweet]

Just how am i choked up by an animation of a sinking ship and the stock audio clip of its dying whistle? This is absolute mastery in storytelling. You guys are brilliant 👏

[@matteusmaximus1895]

I love your videos on these great historic ships. This one on the Britannic is first class with facts, narration and visual clarity. The lifeboats getting sucked into the ship's propellers is so awful. Violet Jessop's story could be a movie in its own right.

[@AegisDivision01]

Mike - I generally don't comment on KZbin videos. As a custodian of some Britannic artifacts, however: this video was incredible. You taught me things to never knew. And, most importantly, you gave her a soul. Amazing work, sir.

[@jeebusk]

I'd be interested in information about what happened to the artifacts, just from a few quick searches I'm aware a piano (maybe from Olympic) and the organ from britannic have been identified.

[@CarolinaCycloneJames]

Beautiful documentary. There has never been a video that described a ship death in such a way to bring tears to my eyes. Britannic never got her chance to shine with what she was built to do. But she shined in another aspect and she did a fantastic job as a hospital ship.

[@PatrickBaptist]

Boo hoo, damn kid kid grow up, it's just a hunk of metal, it's not alive.

[@CarolinaCycloneJames]

@@PatrickBaptist buddy I'm 22 I'm not a kid. Can I not enjoy a documentary and talk about how good it is like damn dude. I know it's a ship. I know it's not alive. But if you are going to talk like that to people describing a documentary then you must not really care about ships at all. Would you tell the people who had tears in their eyes when they described artifacts from the titanic that were brought up to not cry "it's just a vail of perfume" like it's okay to get emotional about something you like. But by your other comments on this channel you just like to suck the joy out of everyone else who enjoy these videos

[@PatrickBaptist]

@@CarolinaCycloneJames "not really care about ships at all. " Yeah I'm within 1-2 years of being double your age, before I was 25 I referred to myself not only as a little boy but a damn f00l, I didn't say all that about you, try and relax, strive to get to your 30s you will calm down a little and make better decisions, well hopefully. " you just like to suck the joy " Kid don't start crying on me... How does my comment that people don't even have to look at ruin anything? Oh did someone burst your delusion bubble? I'd had said the same thing about star trek ships when I was 22 and other movie garbage too. "Would you tell the people who had tears in their eyes" I'd pat em on the bad and tell them to relax it's just garbage from the sea floor. Only way I wouldn't is if it belonged to them and gave by someone they cared for. People get all weird about STUFF, this stuff ain't gonna last, the world and all theirin is going to burn one day. I just bought a home last year, if I lost it I wouldn't boo hoo over it, it's just junk, I can work and get more. Mike's channel is awesome I enjoy his stories but alot of what he talks about has another side of the story, alot of conspiracies have played out on people while they had their head in the sand trying to find a bottle of perfume rather than finding Salvation through Jesus Christ by studying the Scriptures. This life will end my friend, just like it has for others we hear about, I'm not commanded to cry over lost people but just to warn y'all about the judgement to come. I don't care about the junk they leave behind, it couldn't save them nor anyone else. What FUN is there to hear about people dying exactly? If you were killed in a plot you would prefer people know they truth about what happened to you, or atleast I would anyways given I would want it to be a warning for others....

[@FelisLeopard]

I love how this animation looks much better than in that infamous movie :)

[@indridcold8433]

Animation, when done correctly is spectacular. But, when production crews hire video game writers that dropped out of school to do them, they look far worse than any conventional special effects. I have seen movies where the computer graphics looked worse than what I can render.

[@attackoramic8361]

We deserve a better britannic movie, not a haphazardly released one banking off the success of james cameron.

[@VincentVincent_89]

Wait there's a brittanic movie? Name?

[@Bonnie-d1s]

Bro what?

[@jamesloder8652]

No it doesn't-- the ship has a 20 degree list to starboard but the curtains are still perpendicular to the ground somehow?? 🤣🤣

[@Sp00nexe]

It is absolutely amazing that only thirty people died in this sinking, that over 1,036 survivors were successfully rescued. At the start of the video I couldn't help but get anxious - a sinking hospital ship with the war wounded - that sounds like hundreds of incapacitated maimed & wounded soldiers drowing helplessly in a horrific fate! I wonder how many of those 30 souls would have survived if the propeller debacle hadn't happened... I wonder how the captain was affected after figuring out about this tragedy... Regardless, 97.2% of passenger and crew survived! Wow! Nothing but respect for the crew, nurses and doctors, and all the work that prevented this disaster from becoming another horrific and massive loss of life.

[@Soniti1324]

I have no passion for oceangoing craft, or even the ocean itself (which truly terrifies me; looking down into perfect blue, _literally_ _anything_ could come up from below...!) but dude, I have a burning passion for history, and by that token, *your videos.* You do such an amazing job of telling the story, and the interspersed usage of both historical photos and modern CGI recreation really works well. You earned my subscription like twelve videos ago, but I just wanted to drop you a comment saying that your efforts have not been in vain, you are making some of the most compelling historical narratives on KZbin today!

[@SA1NT53]

Whoever is the filmographer/director of this project deserves a raise! This is peak

[@NFS_Challenger54]

Greatly narrated as always, Mike. The overall story is heartwarming and breathtaking while also being heartbreaking. Hard to believe that the ship was SO close to being used as she was designed for until more casualties started racking up again. Though, it is sad the ship was lost. But at least she can see daylight. Plus, the biodiversity that call the ship home is what's preserving her. She maybe the lesser known of the Olympic class, but she'll remain with us for a LONG time.

[@boostedswinger]

Dammit, I got something in my eye during the animated sinking. I had to stop playback for a moment to take care of it. War is such a waste of everything, only benefiting a few. What a brilliant presentation, well done.

[@rogercook6360]

Congratulations to all involved in the making this realistic program. The animation is very realistic to an extremely high standard, this coupled with the historic clips and stills makes it one of the best KZbin productions I have seen, Britannic should be given the same exposure as Titanic in history especially as so few lives were actually lost in her sinking... Well Done a brilliant tribute to a great ship during this enduring period in our history.

[@RobinCapper]

Another great story superbly told. Thanks for your videos over the year, have a great break, look forward to seeing what you come up with in 2024

[@Seldarius]

Thank you for the breakdown. What stood out to me here was the captain, who might have saved every single soul if his orders had been followed. I hope he had a long and prosperous career. I felt sorry for the ship to begin with for never having the glamorous career expected, but in all honesty she probably had a more meaningful life. So there’s that.

[@EpicJoshua314]

Somethings to mention are that there was a shift change going on when Britannic struck the mine in which all of the watertight doors were opened to allow the firemen easy access to one compartment. Although these were to be opened for a short period of time, as fate would happen they struck the mine at the worst possible moment. Onboard the lifeboat Violet Jessop was on were two other Titanic survivors, Arthur Priest and Archie Jewel, both survived. The last people to leave the Britannic were actually the engineers who just made it to the Second class quarters on B and C decks when the water reached the first funnel.

[@TracyA123]

Hello Mike! I've been very ill for the last 10 months but I am starting to recover a bit. I apologize for my lack of Engagement or financial support. Thank you so much for these videos Ive watched them all many times and it's been a comfort to me. Lord willing, I will make it through this. I couldn't be more proud of the quality of your videos it's just amazing my friend. The production quality is just insane and so entertaining. I thought that I knew just about everything about Titanic but you have shown me that I truly know nothing LOL. Thanks again and God bless you☺

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

Ah Tracy so sorry to hear you’ve been unwell! I’ll be thinking of you and wishing you all the best for a strong recuperation! Lovely to hear from you :)

[@TracyA123]

@@OceanlinerDesigns Thank you so much my friend. ☺

[@corneliusabigailbakich1128]

This is one of the best KZbin channels. So well researched and presented.

[@Isaac-muntz]

"Death of a titan" true words to describe the sinking of a great ship of her sheer size

[@MiniMC546]

Britannic is and will remain as my most favorite WSL ship, Titanic in second and Olympic in third. She truly was the improvement of Olympic and Titanic. Even though those improvements were made to keep the ship from sinking, she at least did it so well. Now, her wreck remains the largest shipwreck in the sea floor.

[@0311uli]

Thank you for giving Britannic her due. For me, she's the most beautiful of the three sisters and it's depressing to know she never fulfilled her duties as intended. As you approached the events leading to her end, ya, kinda felt choked up, then at her end as her whistles blew for the last time..oof. Sad stuff.

[@Hecker9974]

Thank you so much for this. Seeing this beautiful ship like this, in such detail and clarity, it is like a dream come true, it's a work of art! And you have here it for everyone to see, it's a gift!

[@blesfemy]

This was beautiful. Well done, Mike!

[@AceUzumazi]

52:40 You know I think this part would make for a great KZbin short, Britannic's last whistle. Or her last words.

[@MrKevinp0]

Your work noble. Your storytelling not only precise but gripping as well. Factor in the amazing photos, most of which are very sharp, the contrast also top notch. Then the icing. The incredible 3d modeling of Britannic. Absolutely impressive beyond reproach. Mike, your love for your work is so evident, and I only want to say that thank you isn't enough for what you are doing here. History will remember Mike Brady for all of his contributions now and in the future! Cheers!!

[@carlmontney7916]

I applaud you friend Mike. This was incredibly done. Unbelievably great production, and the way you narrated this story with respect and dignity to all who were involved is a tribute to the bravery and courage of everyone involved in this tragedy. Thank you again for posting this content. Your channel is among the best I see on KZbin keep it up 👍

[@nanabutner]

Another wonderfully told history lesson. THANK YOU MIKE and TEAM, for for all the amazing work you do to teach us about the ships that sailed the earth’s oceans and their outcome. You also remind us of the absolute power that the oceans and seas have.

[@somebloke4027]

Your abilities as a writer really shine through in this fantastic piece. Elegant, efficient prose lifts this above other well researched work to the level of first-class storytelling. Congratulations and thank you.

[@chipieal]

Mike, I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful treatment of this historical data. The way you stitch the actual photos together with your excellent graphics, the music you choose and your narrative make for an interesting take on the Documentary style. This is a great way for an old duffer to make become himself aware of little known portions of historical data as well as, in depth analysis of items that have already been covered to death. (pardon the pun)

[@ChunkeyMonkey40]

Mike, WOW! Just wow... you did it yet again! This video was fantastic, and by far the greatest Britannic Documentary ever made. You and THG make a great team, this was super cool to see the Britannic in color! It makes you wonder what it would have been like to see it in real time. Anyway, thank you for the fine work you do here on KZbin and for being an inspiration to me in my videos! I look forward to the next video!

[@MasterBritannicJess]

Did you also know the voyage was actually Aquitania Voyage but the Aquitania was damaged by a storm soo Britannic replace her and sadly sank.

[@IdealIdeas100]

since this happened during the day instead of the night like titanic, it must have truly been a sight to behold to watch it sink.

[@MarvelMTs]

I, for one, firmly believe that Britannic’s story deserves more attention then it gets. Spotted by a U-boat a week before her fate but ignored, hitting a mine, people meeting their tragic and gruesome ends due to disobeying orders, sinking over twice as fast as her famous sister the TITANIC, sinking in the Mediterranean’s Aegean Sea rather than any ocean. Shame more people know about TITANIC

[@JoeWalker98]

I don't know how you do it, but nearly every video of a great ship sinking truly brings me close to tears. This one capturing the brave stoicism of a youngest sister bravely doing its best to protect its crew and passengers, yet it is only an inanimate object. You really show the character of the ships you document, as well as the stories and views of the people on board

[@collinwalker8083]

I've watched this video countless times since it was uploaded, and every time I hear her blow her whistles the final time, I tear up. The Olympic Class were amazing liners. This is definitely my favorite video of yours, Mike. Thank you

[@MoistPillows]

Once again, another amazing video. Channels like this amaze me how they can make something 10 times better than any multi million dollar studio could ever dream of.

[@matvor1920]

This is honestly one of the best videos I've seen of HMHS Britannic, as an ardent fan of Britannic since I got to know about her after watching Brain Trenchard Smith's Britannic movie in 2000, I literally would rank this in the top category alongside Richie Kohler's Mystery of the Britannic docudrama. The animation was great, and the narration was fantastic! Thank you for keeping the memory of Britannic alive 🤍❤️💚

[@Deadsea_1993]

Definitely the best one by far. I didn't even know that the ship had completed a tour prior to this incident before this video. What a shame. Brittannic could have made up for the mistakes that Titanic suffered from. There's no doubt that it could have helped Bruce Ismay to become the president of the company again in the 1930's rather than White Star Line merging with Cunard. It is just that the board saw that he was instrumental with 3 ships and 2 of them sank. Even though the 2 that sank did so under extremely unfortunate circumstances and sheer bad luck. They were actually extremely well built and Brittannic took that further than any other grand ship before her. Just think that she coukd float with 6 flooded compartments, amazing

[@amandahugankiss4110]

now that is how you open a video. propeller death. certainly got me in the right mood..

[@haraldputensen7955]

Danke!

[@deaks25]

While Britannic never had the captivating tragedy of Titanic or the long, glorious career of Olympic, it could be argued the Britannic's career is more prestigious and note-worthy than her two sisters, because she spent her entire career as a hospital ship; she existed to save lives. I think Britannic deserves a lot more coverage than she gets, and definitely worthy of the title of "History's Greatest Hospital Ship". When Mike described the blasting of Britannic's whistles it actually conjured a different analogy to what Mike describes (Playing her own funeral song); that the ship was crying out in pain. Obviously the reality is Bartlet was trying to attract attention to the sinking ships location but the incredible presentation standard Mike has always set gave me the very sombre image.

[@Tmtrnr22]

Your videos really are some of the best that I‘ve come across in recent memory, keep making this content as it is a delight to watch it!

[@mattwilliams3456]

You’ve outdone yourself this time Mike. It’s obvious your artistic talents aren’t limited to canvas and paper. I’d like to see you do an ongoing series where you narrate a chapter at a time from a classic liner book, such as A Night to Remember, while providing these wonderful visuals.

[@OceanlinerDesigns]

That's a fun idea!

[@marcleslac2413]

Britannic: **hits a mine** Violet Jessup (who survived titanic and olympic): "Aw shit, here we go again."

[@mbradfield53]

Probably 😂, I would hate to be on a ship if she was 😂😂😂

[@roselightinstorms727]

She was amazing to survive all that happened❤

[@JohannesVanDerStuyvebode]

Obnoxious humour

[@justin2308]

If there was actually a part of her that thought that, I wouldn’t blame her. I don’t think I would’ve even wanted to travel by ship anymore.

[@m.j.mbrooks1859]

Honestly, she should’ve played the lottery after that. She also survived the sinking of the Olympic before the sinking of the Titanic and Britannic.

[@aurelmatthews4164]

This is an unbelievably well made, well written and well produced video. How does this channel only have

[@c-man7740]

One of the biggest “what ifs” in the history of ocean liners, truly beautiful ship and a masterfully well done video!

[@austinreed5805]

The Britannic was a beautiful liner. It’s unfortunate that she never got to see her glory days like her sister Olympic and 4-stacked Cunard rivals Mauretania, Lusitania, and Aquitania. May the victims of the sinking Rest In Peace.

[@jamesscott7862]

As a Britannic fan / Titanic historian and guide I'm very pleased you have made this documentary. Known the ocean liner community but forgotten to the general public. I myself own a full mahogany panel from the louis 15th style cabin that was taken off the ship during the Belfast conservation. However I do have to correct you on a few things, - In the first part of the documentary it mentioned Crew and passengers. Britannic had no passengers but Royal Army Medial Corps and Crew. - While the dinner with J Bruce Ismay and Pirrie could of taken place but it is hotly contested. On a sea of glass which is counted as the best book on the subject debunks the whole dinner meeting. The source which he used is from the Ismay Line, a old but great book but has some flaws by todays standards. The dinner meeting came from the testimony of Ismay's wife which could of been a mistake by her or the authors part or may of never happened. Also at this time the shipbuilding gantries were being built especially for the Olympic and Titanic which implies the plans for a competitor to the Cunard liners must of been in the works for a long time. In the documentary it is implied it happened without mentioned the evidence going against this theory. - The Britannic pipe organ was not cased up. It never left the central Europe before the war broke out and is now in Switzerland museum. I do think your content is outstanding and teaching people through KZbin helps spread the awareness of other ships is truly great however I and do not mean to criticize but to mention some honest mistakes. James

[@rainscratch]

It is important to fill in gaps or rectify inaccurate information. The content on this channel is indeed superb. Just a small correction in the text above - it is 'could have,' not 'could of'. Similarly 'may have'.

[@LuigiGaming839]

Wonderful work as always, the pure emotion that this can put out is incredible. Thank you mike!

[@darbyohara]

It is really amazing that these ships were planned and designed without the use of computer technology. Literally everything by hand blueprints and calculations

[@Into-Reality]

The Britannic is so underrated I find it crazy

[@basscharenborg6441]

Like many videos you make, this-one is very, very well put together! It feels like I'm watching a full-on documentary. Well done Mike👍

[@ShipGuy-xg5dz]

It's a good day when a new ocean liner designs video comes out

[@CDC5.089]

Great video! The Britannic deserves way more attention, you did the ship and it's story real justice. You should consider doing one about the Queen Elizabeth and her maiden voyage after the outbreak of WW2, I think you'd do a great job telling the story!

[@jrz3320]

Very well done! The most comprehensive account of Britannic I've ever seen.

[@AafkeArt]

I am not really into ships. Or didn't used to be, but now I am addicted to this channel and obsessed with ocean liners!!! It's just so good!!! I wish the SS United States would be refurbished in the original style, (or the modern equivalent) and put back in service, I would love to travel back and forth to Europe on that ship rather than the horrors and discomfort of modern airline travel.

[@stevendezwaan5707]

Fantastic work Mike! Such a fantastic documentary about Britannic. I'm always learning something from your videos.

[@brenoleitebrito2471]

"...as she left the SLEEPING SUN behind her..." Yes, we noticed.

[@sirryan5075]

I knew I wasn't the only one. 😂

[@Pprokop87]

"The sun is sleeping quietly Once upon a century Wistful oceans calm and red Ardent caresses laid to rest"

[@kmccoy1912]

Beautifully done, Mike! I did notice a couple of inaccuracies in this otherwise wonderful documentary. First and foremost is that the story of Ismay and Pirrie dreaming up the Olympic-class ships after dinner at Pirrie's Belgravia home in 1907 is a widely circulated myth. Particulars of the design and construction of the Cunard greyhounds were known by 1907, and the provisions of the 1902 Parliament loan to fund their construction were of public record. Construction of the Arroll Gantry was well underway by 1907, and work on the new Thompson Graving Dock had begun in 1904. Thomas Andrews was actually not the chief designer of the Olympic-class liners. This title falls to Alexander Carlisle, Harland and Wolff's chief naval architect. When Carlisle retired in 1910, Andrews filled his position as head of the design team.

[@rainscratch]

Thank you for those important corrections. It is easy for myths, romanticised or not, to be perpetuated by well meaning historians and story tellers.

[@bookdeannow]

The nurse voilet was an absolute legend. Thank you so much for your story telling and visuals

[@frankbaran5698]

I never watch a KZbin video twice. I couldn’t help it this time. Wow! The digital detail was powerful, such as in the horror of the lifeboats bearing toward the dying ship's propeller. But more often the work was subtle. I almost felt that I was walking on Britannic’s wooden deck. I thought the image of the patients’ empty ward, its curtains fluttering in the sea breeze, was apt. It underscored the story's theme: the ship must fly like the wind to fill the wards and bring the wounded home. Mike and Sarah, the narration is crisp and compelling. The choice of words-and the tone delivered in the scenes-was superb. I’m glad I accidentally happened across an episode of Oceanliner Designs this afternoon. One of your videos led me to another, bringing me here, past midnight, ready to watch additional Oceanliner episodes. Thanks, Mike, for producing this marvellous work.

[@leweege]

interesting how titanic was famous for failing and britanic was not famous for being successful in saving most of its survivors

[@MrDaiseymay]

Different causes and circumstances

[@DavidSmith-en8yl]

Freezing water took the lives of passengers on Titanic.

[@katherineberger6329]

@@DavidSmith-en8ylEvery sailor knows there are two true enemies: Pirates and the ocean itself.

[@johnwymer1215]

Britannic was not a savior of titanic passengers but Carpathia was. Get your history straight.

[@AmorFati777X]

titanic saved 100% of its survivors

[@VRBroadcasting]

37:47 I see what you did there 😏 I was hoping there would be a reference to that in this video, especially because it’s one of the reasons many, including myself discovered and fell in love with Britannic. Overall, great video and whatever helps shed light on one of the most criminally underrated passenger vessels to ever sail is deeply appreciated. 👍

[@Hecker9974]

I had to stop everything when I heard that, and a quick google search confirmed I hadn't forgotten the name of that song, he really sneaked that one in

[@imagaybanana2004]

LMAO I actually screamed when i first watched that.

[@DuckyTheFox]

I wish I understood what this was in reference to, lol

[@Hecker9974]

@@DuckyTheFox look up sleeping sun britannic

[@ron3557]

​@@DuckyTheFox sleeping sun is the most popular Song for sinking ships lol

[@Serial__DesginationN]

Truely a heart breaking story.. the biggest hospital ship ever lost in the First World War.

[@folk.]

well made

[@robinauseer499]

What a sad, terrible end to such a proud, dutiful ship. While I agree that fresh air aboard a massive, crowded hospital ship would be much more comfortable, during wartime, it was obviously not a safe choice. Salute to the Britannic and her crew