The Birkenhead Disaster

In the early hours of 26^th February 1852 Her Majesty’s steamer the Birkenhead hit a rock off Danger Point, near Cape Town.  It had been carrying 638 troops to South Africa to fight in the Frontier Wars and the 73^rd Regiment comprised the largest contingent onboard.  The rock penetrated the hull and many soldiers on the lower decks drowned.  Order was kept and the women and children were evacuated to the lifeboats.  It is thought that the tradition of “women and children first”, known as The Birkenhead Drill, comes from this event.  The wife of a corporal reportedly removed two claret jugs from the sinking ship and hid them beneath her skirts before boarding a lifeboat. They were bought back by the 73^rd Regiment after being found in a London sale room a few years later and can now be seen at the Museum of the Black Watch. 

When the ship broke in half soldiers on board were ordered not to swim to the lifeboats for fear of swamping them.  As a result many were left on board when the Birkenhead sank.  Some survived by clinging to driftwood and others by clinging to the mast and rigging, which remained above the surface.  A few made it to the shore and other vessels rescued those who survive at sea.  In total 438 drowned, including 56 from the 73^rd Regiment.  All the women and children were saved.

Captain Edward Wright of the 91^st Regiment, who was onboard the ship, noted that during the ordeal “everyone did as he was directed” and was impressed that all was conducted “with so little noise and confusion.” The Duke of Wellington later praised those onboard for their conduct. 

Images: Top: The Wreck of the Birkenhead by Lance Calkin (1859-1936), Oil on Canvas
Below: The claret jugs taken from the Birkenhead during the disaster.