The HMS Birkenhead Tragedy
On the fateful night time of February 26, 1852, the HMS Birkenhead met its tragic finish off the coast of South Africa. The Birkenhead, a British troopship, was transporting troops, together with their households, to Algoa Bay (modern-day Port Elizabeth) to strengthen British forces within the Japanese Cape Colony through the Xhosa Wars. The ship carried roughly 643 individuals, together with troopers, sailors, and civilians.
Because the ship sailed by the darkish waters, it struck an uncharted rock close to Hazard Level at round 2 a.m. The impression was catastrophic, tearing a large gap within the iron hull and inflicting the ship to start out sinking quickly. The scene on the ship turned chaotic as water flooded the decrease decks the place many of the troopers had been sleeping.
The Start of the “Birkenhead Drill”
Within the face of impending catastrophe, Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Seton, commanding officer of the troops on board, and Captain Robert Salmond, the ship’s captain, displayed outstanding management. Reconising that the lifeboats may solely accommodate a fraction of these on board, they ordered the troopers to face agency and permit the ladies and youngsters to evacuate first.
Seton’s command to the troops was easy but profound: “Stand quick! Girls and youngsters first!” The troopers, lots of whom had been younger recruits, obeyed with out hesitation. The disciplined ranks stood on deck because the lifeboats had been lowered, making certain that each one the ladies and youngsters had been safely evacuated. This act of braveness and self-sacrifice got here to be often called the “Birkenhead Drill.”
Tragically, solely 193 of the 643 individuals on board survived. Nearly all of the survivors had been ladies and youngsters, together with just a few males who managed to cling to clutter or make it to the lifeboats. The troopers’ steadfastness and self-discipline within the face of sure dying grew to become an emblem of bravery and set a precedent for maritime conduct.
The Story Behind “Tommy Sharks”
Within the aftermath of the catastrophe, survivors confronted one other perilous ordeal. The waters round Hazard Level had been infested with sharks, including to the horror of the scenario. As survivors clung to wreckage or swam to shore, many had been attacked by the predators. The time period “Tommy Sharks” was coined in reference to the troopers, typically known as “Tommies,” who perished not simply from the sinking but in addition from the shark assaults.
One of many notable accounts comes from Captain Edward Wright, who survived the ordeal. He later recounted how he noticed “the heads of the unlucky males struck off by the voracious monsters as they had been swimming in the direction of the shore.”
Legacy of the Birkenhead Drill
The Birkenhead Drill set a precedent for maritime emergencies, emphasizing the significance of prioritizing the security of ladies and youngsters. This precept has been invoked in quite a few maritime disasters since then, together with the notorious sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.
RMS Titanic (1912)
When the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, the Birkenhead Drill was once more introduced into motion. The ship’s officers and crew adhered to the precept of ladies and youngsters first whereas loading the lifeboats. Though the implementation was not excellent and lots of lives had been misplaced because of the inadequate variety of lifeboats, the adherence to this code saved many ladies and youngsters.
SS Central America (1857)
The SS Central America, often called the “Ship of Gold,” sank off the coast of the Carolinas throughout a hurricane in September 1857. The captain and crew adopted the Birkenhead Drill, making certain that girls and youngsters had been among the many first to be rescued, regardless of the chaotic and determined situations.
RMS Lusitania (1915)
Throughout World Warfare I, the RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat on Might 7, 1915. Regardless of the speedy sinking of the ship, the crew tried to comply with the Birkenhead Drill. Nevertheless, the suddenness of the assault and the chaos that ensued made it tough to totally implement the protocol, leading to important lack of life.
Conclusion
The Birkenhead Drill stays a poignant reminder of the braveness and self-sacrifice exhibited by the troopers aboard the HMS Birkenhead. Their actions have left an indelible mark on maritime historical past, establishing a code of conduct that prioritizes the security of essentially the most weak in instances of disaster. The legacy of their bravery continues to resonate, serving as a permanent instance of humanity and honor within the face of catastrophe.
As maritime historical past continues to unfold, the ideas embodied by the Birkenhead Drill function a testomony to the enduring spirit of those that prioritise the lives of others above their very own, even in essentially the most dire circumstances.
