White Star Line naval mine, while in service as a hospital ship. "Britannic" was the largest loss for the company, and also the largest ship sunk during the conflict. 1916 also saw the loss of the liner "Cymric" which was torpedoed off the Irish coast in May, and also of the cargo ship "Georgic", which was scuttled in December with its cargo of 1,200 horses still on board, after being intercepted in the Atlantic by the German merchant raider . 1917 saw the loss of the liner "Laurentic" in January which struck a mine off the Irish coast and sank with the loss
German hospital ship Ophelia HMS "Undaunted", while laying mines off Haak lightship. German command sent out a hospital ship to supposedly search for survivors. Suspicions were aroused when British intelligence learned that "Ophelia" was using a wireless radio set, at that time unusual for a hospital ship, to communicate with the German wireless base at Norddeich station. In addition to using wireless radio she was using coded wireless transmissions; secret codes or their use are forbidden on hospital ships. While in the area, British submarine, HMS "D8", shadowed the German ship. When the "Ophelia" noticed the sub she began to flee the area, further