Britannic

Britannic was already under construction at the time White Star Line cancelled their 80,000 ton liner, Oceanic. This made Britannic and her sister, Georgic, the last of the White Star Liners.

At 27,000 tons, they were relatively small ships; however their diesel engines made them Britain’s largest motor vessels, a the time of their introduction into service.

Britannic was launched in 1929 and made her maiden voyage on 28 June 1930. Less than five years later the ship made her maiden voyage for Cunard-White Star Line; the newly formed line that resulted from Cunard and White Star merging.

Britannic was a popular ship and enjoyed a loyal following on the Liverpool to New York, and she sailed on this route until the outbreak of World War II.

Britannic was quickly requisitioned for wartime service, and converted into a troop ship for the British Admiralty. Her conversion allowed for over 3,000 troops to be carried on each voyage, and during her career as a troop ship, she transported over 180,000 troops; sailing more than 370,000 miles!

Britannic survived the war, and returned to Cunard-White Star in 1947 after a refurbishment in Liverpool. That same year, Cunard bought the remaining White Star stock in the company and dropped the White Star name. However, the line retained Britannic’s name and White Star livery, as a mark of respect to the heritage of White Star Line.

Refurbished and restored to her former glory, Britannic returned to the Liverpool to New York service in May 1948. She sailed on her last Cunard voyage on 25 November 1960. At the completion of her transatlantic crossing she sailed for Inverkeithing and was scrapped.

Image source: Wikimdia Commons