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HMHS Britannic: The largest vessel loss during World War 1.

HMHS Britannic: The largest vessel loss during World War 1.
The remains of the HMHS Britannic lying 390 feet below sea level.

The Britannic, which was the sister ship of the Titanic, is noted as the largest vessel that was lost during World War 1. Presently, the wreckage site is located at a depth of 390 feet.

The Britannic was the most recently constructed vessel among the three steamships of the Olympic class belonging to the White Star Line, succeeding the Titanic and Olympic.

Initially intended as an Atlantic liner, the vessel underwent prompt conversion into a hospital ship to serve in the Mediterranean during the First World War.

In accordance with its new designation, the vessel known as Britannic underwent a transformation in which it was coated in a white hue and adorned with conspicuous red crosses and a horizontal green stripe. Additionally, the ship was bestowed with a new name, HMHS (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) Britannic.

On November 21, 1916, at 8:12 am, the HMHS Britannic collided with a German mine while navigating the Aegean Sea. The vessel subsequently sank in a remarkably brief period of 55 minutes.

Despite the loss of 30 lives, it is noteworthy that a significant majority of the passengers and crew (1,035 individuals) managed to survive the sinking, distinguishing this incident from the tragic fate of the Titanic.

The event of HMHS Britannic's sinking is considered as the most significant loss of a ship during the First World War.

The ship's considerable dimensions and the comparatively limited depth of the water in which it submerged (400 feet/122 m) have resulted in the wreckage being one of the most extensive and well-preserved passenger ship wrecks globally.

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Source: HR Forum News

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