White Star Line "Olympic" class were to be the biggest and most luxurious ships in the world. The "Olympic" was the only ship of this class that was profitable for White Star. "Titanic" sank on her maiden voyage, while "Britannic" was requisitioned by the British government before she was fully fitted, and used as a hospital ship during World War I. "Britannic" hit an underwater mine, in the Kea Channel off the Greek island of Kea, and sank on the morning of 21 November 1916. Like many other shipping lines, the White Star Line suffered heavy losses during the First World War which
Hospital ship serving in this capacity. By the end of the First World War, The British Royal Navy had 77 such ships in service. During the Gallipoli Campaign, hospital ships were used to evacuate over 100,000 wounded personnel to Egypt. Canada operated hospital ships in both world wars. In World War I these included SS "Letitia" (I) and which was deliberately sunk by a German U-boat with great loss of life, despite the hospital ship's clearly marked status. In World War II, Canada operated the hospital ship and SS "Letitia (II). The first purposely built hospital ship in the U.S. Navy was