Inside the Britannic: Uncovering the wreck of the Titanic's sister ship

by Simon Mills

Overview

Documenting one of the most comprehensive surveys of a shipwreck ever conducted, Simon Mills' new book takes you inside the SS Britannic for a unique dive into the past.

The Olympic Class ships were intended to be the greatest liners to ever sail the oceans, but the Britannic sank only four years after her sister ship the Titanic. While the wreck of the Titanic is 2 miles below the surface and rapidly deteriorating, the Britannic is much more accessible (only 400ft down) and remains largely intact. One of the largest passenger ships ever to have sunk, her wreck presents a unique opportunity to explore the interior of the Olympic Class liners, and examine areas which on the Titanic simply no longer exist.

Simon Mills bought the wreck of the Britannic in 1996 and has spent more time exploring it than anyone else. Inside the Britannic is the sum of decades of work covering every inch of the shipwreck as he searches for answers to century-old questions, and discovers new mysteries to solve. Simon takes a forensic approach but this book is more than just the autopsy report of a ship; it is a fascinating survey supported by stunning, never-before-seen photos from inside the wreck, archival blueprints and original technical schematics of specific areas, and specially recreated digital images of how the ship would have looked.

The Britannic may have been lost over a century ago, but Simon Mills' fascinating new book gives everyone unparalleled access to rediscover her.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399414500
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	03/11/2025
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	311,186
Product dimensions:	7.44(w) x 9.69(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Simon Mills has worked in film and TV for 40 years, shooting footage both above and below water. He has contributed to over a dozen programmes about the Olympic class ships for the BBC, National Geographic, the History Channel, Discovery and others, and is the author of many articles and books on the ships, including Exploring the Britannic and Olympic Titanic Britannic, both published by Bloomsbury. He has owned the wreck of the Britannic since 1996, and has led numerous surveys of the site.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. The myths – how survivors' inaccurate evidence impacted the discovery and exploration of the Britannic

2. Underwater technology and methodology

3. Kea Channel hydrographic data

4. The exterior:

The foc'sle

Forward well deck

Main body of hull and superstructure

Stern

5. The interior:

Interior foc'sle

Boat deck

Promenade deck (A)

Bridge deck (B)

Shelter deck (C)

Saloon deck (D)

Upper deck (E)

Tank top

6. Comparison of the wrecks of the Britannic and Titanic

7. The future – legal issues and conservation