A second Britannic

[Joshua McCracken]

I ran across something pretty interesting last year in Eaton & Haas' "Falling Star". In that book they talk about another British ship called 'Britannic' that the Russian military attempted to purchase for use as a troop transport. In the end the deal went belly-up but German documents from that time period (late 1915 or early 1916) show that they were aware of the attempt. The ship wound up serving for the Admiralty and was torpedoed a few months before White Star's Britannic sank. I couldn't help but wonder if a torpedo-happy U-Boat commander happened to hear about the attempted purchase, but wasn't aware that the ship had been sunk already. What do you think?

 

[Matt Smith]

Great thinking!
But probably not right. Just check your facts. Great Strategy! Does anyone out there know better?

Matt

 

[Joshua McCracken]

Like I said, I couldn't help but wonder, but that really isn't my final theory. I'm guessing that all potential targets and their status (still floating or sunk) would have been made known to U-Boat commanders and other people in high ranking in the German military. The only people I can think of who can give a better analysis is Eaton and Haas, and their paragraph leaves an open conclusion for the reader. Still, it's an intriguing theory isn't it?

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I don't know that a U-Boat commander would have heard about any intended purchase at all. Governments tend to be funny about the sort of intelligence data that they offer to the grunts in the field. Especially if it would put the source of that information at risk. (Remember, spies were shot in that day and age!)

I doubt a sub driver would much care in any event. If it didn't have the markings of a hospital ship and flew the flag of the enemy, in his eyes, it would be fair game.

 

[Tim Gillis]

Interesting story, thoguh.

 

[Joshua McCracken]

I think the point that Eaton and Haas were trying to make was that there really isn't a definitive way to determine whether the Britannic hit a mine or was torpedoed because of so much circumstancial and documented evidence in favor of both theories. I would be very interested, however, to see another dive team figure out Cousteau's trail in 1976, because this may be the best way to lay the debate to rest.