The unlucky cat who survived the dramatic sinking of three battleships in World War II

The Bismarck was a formidable vessel and the pride of the German navy; it was one of the largest battleships Germany had ever built.

Commissioned in August 1940, the Bismarck boasted impressive firepower and was designed for long-range operations.

Its fame, however, would be short-lived. On May 24, 1941, during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the Bismarck clashed with British naval forces and sank the battlecruiser HMS Hood.

In response to the loss of the Hood, the British Royal Navy mounted an intense pursuit of the Bismarck.

A combination of air and naval attacks ultimately led to the Bismarck's sinking on May 27, 1941.

As the ship went down, Unsinkable Sam faced his first brush with disaster.

Miraculously, Sam was found floating on a wooden plank by the crew of the British destroyer HMS Cossack.

Impressed by his survival, the sailors adopted the resilient cat and brought him aboard their ship.

Thus, Sam began a new chapter of his life, this time serving as a mascot for the British Royal Navy.

Sam's time aboard the HMS Cossack was relatively short; on October 24, 1941, the ship was struck by a German torpedo.

Although severely damaged, the vessel did not immediately sink.

The crew, including Sam, was transferred to another ship before the Cossack finally succumbed to its injuries and sank on October 27, 1941.

After the sinking of the Cossack, Unsinkable Sam found himself transferred to the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.

Sam's presence on the ship brought a sense of hope and comfort to the crew, who took it as a sign of good fortune.

Unfortunately, Sam's arrival on the Ark Royal did not bring lasting luck. On November 14, 1941, the aircraft carrier was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-81.

As the ship began to sink, the crew scrambled to abandon ship, and once again, Sam found himself in peril.

Incredibly, he was rescued by the crew of the British destroyer HMS Legion and brought to safety.

Following his final rescue, Sam was transported to Gibraltar, where he remained for the rest of the war.

His remarkable story of survival earned him a special place in the hearts of the sailors stationed there.

After the war, Sam was retired to the United Kingdom, where he lived out his days in a seaman's home in Belfast.

He passed away in 1955, after living a truly remarkable, and lucky, life.