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

by Simon Mills

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.

288 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2025

Reviews

[Zach Whitlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. Full stop.

Simon Mills does a great job of covering the history of the Britannic—from her construction and short career to her afterlife as a Mediterranean shipwreck. He details the changes Harland & Wolff made to the ship following the Titanic disaster to make her safer, and early explorations of the wreck following its discovery by Jacques Cousteau. Inside the Britannic is an incredible resource for all those interested in the ship.

I found Mills’ descriptions of the various diving expeditions to the Britannic fascinating. It reads like a sort of adventure travelogue, which in some ways I suppose this is. I found myself sharing his successes and disappointments as he and his various teams penetrate into the wreck over the decades. The result is a thorough documentation of many of Britannic’s interior spaces. The divers were the first people to see these since November 21, 1916.

As with pretty much every Osprey publication, this book is beautifully illustrated. There are enough historic photographs, diagrams, and schematics throughout to make any ship nerd happy. But the Britannic wreck photos are undeniably the highlight of this book. There are many high quality, full color photographs throughout that show the ship’s interior in stunning detail. My jaw actually dropped several times when coming across a particularly awesome photo.

Many thanks to Osprey Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Simon Mills, Osprey Publishing, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book provides a detailed and comprehensive view of the wreck of the Britannic, the cause of her sinking, and the details of why a second “unsinkable” ship sank – even after applying the lessons learned from her sister ship Titanic.

I found the description fascinating and certainly very detailed. As always with books about shipwrecks I would have liked even more pictures, but there are plenty of pictures and diagrams to augment the description. The author provides frequent comparisons to the Titanic to help us understand similarities and differences to that ship and her sinking.

Overall, an interesting account of the shipwreck. Great for shipwreck enthusiasts, Titanic / Britannic enthusiasts, World War I enthusiasts, and those just interested in a good non-fiction book.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Inside the Britannic" is a fascinating record of efforts to explore the inside of the Britannic wreck. In doing so, the book attempts to highlight what has been lesser noted in Titanic literature--Titanic's sister went into hospital service looking very different from her ornate sister. Britannic was significantly stripped back in decor (the look being nearly unfinished at points) and the arrangement of her rooms was quite distinct, too, as fitting the ship's intended use as a hospital ship. What's good: The careful use of maps to point out where specific rooms were, the room-by-room flow of the analysis, the completely exceptional photography showing the state of different rooms. What's iffier: I can't say anything is. This is a truly fascinating book for anyone who loves ships, history, and "Titanic."

[Terri Wangard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Britannic was drafted for military service as a hospital ship before it had a chance to be a civilian ship; before it was even finished. A mine field in Greece sent it to a shallow bottom. The author holds the UK government’s former legal title and wants to formulate a conservation plan as the ship continues to deteriorate. Lots of comparisons to its sister ship Titanic. Lots of clear photos, although much is unrecognizable with wood and fabrics mostly gone, a thick covering of saddle oysters, and damage from the force of water sweeping through the Britannic as it sank and from striking the bottom. Over one hundred years after it sank, this is an interesting look at a once proud ship.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing and good story about the Britannic, her short history and the exploration of the ship many decades later. The author does a great job of telling her story and the aftermath. This is definitely a good read for the nautical person.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[E.A. Mantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this would be a tour “before” the ship was wrecked but instead it is a marvelously detailed and meticulous tour of the wreck itself. There are some pictures and excerpts from publicity at the time Britannic was built that contrast starkly with what remains. Not quite what I expected but beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched. Well done!