Britannic Quiz: Learn About the Titanic's Sister Ship

Study Notes

The White Star Line started building the Britannic in 1911, but its design was changed after the Titanic disaster in 1912.
The ship's original name was Gigantic, but it was later changed to Britannic, possibly due to the over-confidence associated with the original name.

The Britannic's hull design was altered to make it less vulnerable to icebergs.
The ship was designed to have enough lifeboats for all passengers, a lesson learned from the Titanic tragedy.

The Britannic was launched in 1914 and was the largest ship in the world at the time.
It was requisitioned by the British government and used as a hospital ship (HMHS Britannic) during World War I.

Captain Charlie Bartlett successfully completed five journeys, bringing wounded soldiers back to England from around the world.

On November 21st, 1916, the Britannic was on its way to pick up more wounded soldiers when an explosion ripped through its hull, likely caused by a German U-boat mine.
The damage was extensive, but the ship's watertight design and engineers' efforts helped it stay afloat for a longer time than the Titanic.
Water eventually poured in through open porthole windows, which were opened to give the wounded fresh air.
Captain Bartlett ordered the ship to run at full speed to try to ground it closer to shore, but this hastened the ship's demise.
Panicked crew members launched lifeboats without orders, resulting in them being sucked into the propellers and killing those on board.
The captain eventually realised the ship was doomed, stopped the engines, and ordered a proper evacuation, saving nearly 1,100 people.
The Britannic sank at 9:07am, less than an hour after the explosion.