The Sinking of Britannic - Titanic's Forgotten Sister Ship

In November 1916 the hospital ship Britannic was steaming off the island of Kea, Greece when there was a sudden explosion. The ship had stumbled straight into a mine laid by a German U-Boat and what followed was a frantic fight for survival. This is the full story of the third Olympic Class liner - often overlooked but still a very worthy vessel that, if she had survived the war, would have become the White Star Line's golden child and one of the finest ships in history.
This video was made with stunning graphics provided by our friends at @TitanicHG ! Animator Jack Gibson at @jackganimations brings Titanic Honor and Glory's models to life in glorious, living colour!
To learn more about Titanic Honor and Glory visit www.titanichg.com/
0:00 Introduction
2:08 Designing and Building Britannic
15:24 The War
20:00 Becoming a Hospital Ship
26:43 First Tour
35:07 The Final Voyage
40:18 Britannic Sinks
57:43 Aftermath
Oceanliner Designs explores the design, construction, engineering and operation of history’s greatest vessels- from Titanic to Queen Mary and from the Empress of Ireland to the Lusitania. Join maritime researcher and illustrator Michael Brady as he tells the stories behind some of history's most famous ocean liners and machines!
#Britannic #Titanic #sister #sinking #untold #shipwreck #maritime #historical #ocean #disaster #naval #forgotten #sinking #legacy #lost #underwater #ocean #documentary #history #engineering
#titanic #history #ships #facts

[@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.

[@dr.victorvs]

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.

[@dr.victorvs]

​​​​​​​​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.

[@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

[@itstitanictime2002]

The Propellor bit at the start is terrifing

[@francesguinta8614]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@dozaal]

@@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.

[@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.

[@crakkbone8473]

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.

[@michaelmyers7064]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@Ett.Gammalt.Bergtroll]

As a Swede, this comment confused me greatly lol.

[@KimSenior]

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

[@roselightinstorms727]

RIP Thomas Andrews❤

[@roselightinstorms727]

Andrews didn't want to leave Ireland❤

[@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.

[@thekillcam26]

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

[@Brock_Landers]

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!

[@leoshiphistory]

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.

[@Brock_Landers]

@@leoshiphistory 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

[@Brock_Landers]

@@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.

[@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...

[@brenoleitebrito2471]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@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

[@Jake88377]

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

[@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).

[@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.

[@Mahoneyyay]

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

[@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."

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

That intro is terrifying

[@nameYUnoavailable]

Its going to give me nightmares

[@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

[@amandahugankiss4110]

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

[@FelisLeopard]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@rescueme1060]

that final whistle gave me tears

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@trevorphilips1237]

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

[@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.

[@RMSBTC_2019]

Truly a tragedy... The animation is amazing, the lighting, the texture & everything is perfect!

[@TheSaneHatter]

Just as with Titanic, the sinking of the Britannic was one of those occasions when everything went wrong: recalled to service when she was supposed to be free, her portholes undermining her safety features, her captain making a TERRIBLE mistake in keeping her engines going, and then her communications compromised during the sinking. Any one of these things going differently could have ameliorated or avoided the tragedy. But while Britannic was, mechanically, the ship that Titanic SHOULD have been, and would have sailed through the iceberg incident without a scratch, these small things would doom her just like her sister. You have to say one thing, though: they sure got everyone off in a hurry! If it weren't for the idiotic mistake of leaving the propellers running, then the successful evaucation would probably be remembered as a triumph, and a massive improvement on Titanic's last hours.

[@admiralfrazier306]

It wasn't an idiotic mistake of leaving the propellers running. Bartlett was trying to beach the ship to save it and save everyone. He did not give any orders to lower the lifeboats. The lifeboats that were pulled into (or almost pulled into, as was the case with the third boat) were launched without his permission by confused and scared officers manning the davits. Bartlett had no idea the boats were launching, since he didn't order them to, otherwise he would have absolutely shut the engines off.

[@artistjoh]

It was not a terrible mistake to keep the engines running. The Captain did NOT order the boats lowered because he would have understood that was too dangerous at that time. It is the idiot who decided to go against Captain's orders and lower those first two boats prematurely. That person and his decision to disobey orders - that was the terrible mistake.

[@Ett.Gammalt.Bergtroll]

The captain was not to blame; the officers who disobeyed orders and prematurely launched the lifeboats were.

[@thomasackerman5399]

@@admiralfrazier306 Barlett keeping the engines going was only a mistake in that it hastened the sinking and made things worse. Had he order all stop right away, Britannic might've stayed afloat for up to another hour. If the portholes had all been closed, it would've made a difference and the beaching attempt could well have worked.

[@Deadsea_1993]

The capatain wasn't at fault here. Information should have been gathered before lowering the boats. Had the boats not been lowered, the ship woukd have been beached and saved. They lost time when the ship was stopped and the engines cut off when he hard about the propeller incident. The ship was so close to land because the water was only 400 feet deep at that point. That's why the ship stood straight up in the air when the bow hit the floor cause the ship was 800 feet long.

[@James-fg3ed]

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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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'.

[@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.

[@roguetheotter]

ive always had such a deep love of ocean liners. there's something so beautiful and tragic about them. they were such amazing marvels of creation, that somehow all just fell to ruin. im in awe of these stunning majestic beasts.

[@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. ☺

[@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.

[@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.

[@Into-Reality]

The Britannic is so underrated I find it crazy

[@classiccar0311]

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.

[@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.

[@c-man7740]

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

[@JGV_IX]

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

[@SpoonSputnik]

King guy

[@ShipGuy-xg5dz]

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

[@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 👍

[@zacharykim436]

34:23 I feel like had Titanic not have sunk, Britannic would’ve not have sunk either because Titanic would’ve had the role as a hospital ship at this point and Britannic would’ve not needed to be recalled for military service.

[@Borninthe80s.]

If it wasn’t a hospital ship it would have still been used in the war

[@michaeldesorcie6309]

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.

[@Reimu__Hakurei]

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

[@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👍

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@ChakatSandwalker]

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

[@PD-jk5hd]

There's a famous photo of the Olympic and Mauritania ready to be scrapped, had they known then how fascinated so many people would be in the golden age of ocean liner travel decades later, they would've been very popular museums, such as the Queen Mary

[@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.

[@mikemancini313]

To this day, you can still visit the exact port side propeller on Britannic that caused nearly all the deaths on Britannic. It's become a popular site. Also: Rip to Tim who died in 2019 while driving the Britannic wreck.

[@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

[@SA1NT53]

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

[@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.

[@NorwayT]

Oceanliner Designs - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Your 3D Models are simply MAGNIFICENT, and the History behind your stories definitely has this 🇳🇴 Salty Viking Wooden School Sail Ship 🇳🇴 1st Officer's SEAL OF APPROVAL! 👍

[@ripple_on_the_ocean]

You know, I was hesitating about choosing this video, as I thought it might be a little dry. And here it is, totally riveting! Thanks 👍🏼

[@jshoopes8305]

The audio portion of your video is worth mentioning I feel. From the occasional gull screech to the steel ships creeks and groans. Rush of water into the hull and the emotional 5 long wails of the steam whistle to abandon ship.

[@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!

[@NotUrVoice]

Imagine a brittanic Lego set

[@I_am_a_cat_]

???? Why

[@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 👏

[@stevendezwaan5707]

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

[@LuigiGaming839]

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

[@sinnedsinister]

Thank so much for doing this video on the Britannic. Many years ago, before the Titanic wreck was discovered by Dr. Robert Ballard, I knew about the Olympic and the Britannic. This ship and her fate is way to often overlooked because of the Titanic tragedy. As always, very thorough. An amendation, I believe the anchor to the mine she struck was found also. I have seen several documentaries that did look for this. For me, as a fan of ships, shipwrecks, and the lot, I really feel pained by the tragedies both the White Star, and the Collins line endured. Cunard have some but not, in my humble opinion on the scale the cost them their company and with both White Star and he Collins lines. I am sure their are more.. Your diligent research I am sure will produce more lines who's losses they were unable to overcome.

[@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

[@meranaphi]

Seeing her under the water travelling down was amazing. But I do wish it had been shown the moment she hit the floor and split, creating the damage we now see today and then watch the stern slowly laying down on the ocean floor.

[@MatthewHowell44]

Ready to see this🎉

[@Riseax]

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!

[@RevolvedPastor]

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

[@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.

[@sabrinastratton1991]

This was amazing! Brittanic doesnt get enough attention. Kids loved this one. You are a very good story teller cause they normally dont stay glued to the TV to watch a 1 hour video on ships 😂 (only other person they did that to was Historic Travels)

[@IsaacTui]

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

[@JONNIE8OY]

This is, without a doubt, your best ever presentation. Be proud Mike.

[@SimonandJojo]

What a beautifully made video of such a beautiful liner, beautiful commentary, you have a very clear, well spoken voice, very important when telling a story, Britannic has always been my favourite of the three sisters.

[@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!!

[@BreadMasterduck]

Absolutely amazing! The team did a phenomenal job with this project, thank you so much for sharing this. ♥

[@QuitProcrastinating]

The visuals from honor and glory are astounding and you Mike do them great justice with your story telling.

[@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!

[@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!

[@Qigate]

Mike, how can I say how wonderful is the video you and your team has put together. They are award-winning and so powerfully moving. The imagery is so realistic that I feel as though I am on-board the ship. The catastrophic propeller image during the sinking was terrifying. Nicely done, sir !

[@user-lv7ph7hs7l]

She's my favourite. Dunno why everyone hates the gantry cranes, I love them. It's a ship. It has cranes. Olympic looks like 1911. Britannic looks like 1930. To me in her intended livery the prettiest and mightiest Olympic class. Has the beauty of Titanic (enclosed promenade deck complements her lines) but actually enough boats, and more bathrooms. Yet you're almost seen as a lesser liner fan if you say Britannic is your favourite...

[@sanyfalkenberg4986]

This is beyond amazing. The details in this video is beyond and makes me speechless. It's wonderful and beautiful. And it gives the brittanic the attention that she deserves

[@KanalFrump]

Beautiful visualizations! Thanks for telling Britannic's history so vividly.

[@daniellawson1587]

I've been really looking forward to this never got to be a passenger liner it would have been a really interesting to see what Britannic career would have been like in my opinion another forgotten sinking that gets almost no credit thanks to Mike and other KZbinrs is the awareness is being spread thanks a million

[@spokaneslim9476]

Thank you to the Oceanliner Designs team for another wonderfully well-crafted video. Bravo!

[@yoptastic8463]

Utterly stunning video Captain Mike and Oceanliner Designs Team, really enjoyed the research and history that you put into this and every video, the way you tell the story is spellbinding together with the rustic addition of original photographs and plans and the music is always a nice touch as well as the amazing graphics of course! I felt truly moved by this one though, something really made me sad and a little tearful as she disappeared under the waves - looks so real I felt a real twinge in my heart. Thank you all for the work put in to every video, I'm proud to be an audience member every week.😄🥲🚢⚓🌊❤