WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST - the origin of this famous expression stems from the loss of HMS Birkenhead in 1852.
The ship split in two, and the captain ordered 'Everyman for himself'. But the commanding officer of my regiment 74 Highlanders (Highland Light Infantry) ordered his men to stand fast on parade while the ship went down so that the women and children were not put at risk. All the women and children were saved, all the soldiers were lost in the shark infested waters.
Women and children first.
The Birkenhead was a British iron, paddle-wheel frigate of 1400 tons. She was built in 1845 by Laird and converted into a troopship in 1848. She changed her name from Vulcan to the Birkenhead .
In December of 1851, the Birkenhead sailed from Cork in Ireland, under the command of Captain Robert Salmond. She left Simon's Town on the morning of the 25th February, after loading 350 tons of coal and provisions. She had 638 people on board, including 20 women and children, 138 ship's officers and crew as well as 480 army officers and drafted men to aid Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith in the Eighth Frontier War being waged at the Cape (East London).
At about 02h00 on the 26th February, she struck a submerged rock off Danger Point and in an instant the lower deck flooded, drowning many men in their bunks. All the surviving men, officers, women and children went up on deck. Lieutenant -Colonel Seton of the 74th Foot Regiment took charge of all the military personnel. The men were commanded to stand drawn up in line and to await orders and 60 men were sent to man the pumps.
The Captain made a grave mistake when he ordered the Birkenhead to be put astern; an action which caused the hull to rip open, further. The sudden inrush of water swamped the boiler fires and the vessel began to break up: in its collapse the funnel crushed the paddle-wheel lifeboat, killing the men who were trying to free it for launching.
Lack of maintenance and thick layers of paint frustrated the men who were trying to launch the boats. Eventually two cutters and a gig were launched and the women and children were rowed away from the wreck to safety. The horses were cut loose and Captain Salmond shouted to his men that everyone who could swim, must save himself by jumping overboard and to make for the boats.
At this order, Lieutenant-Colonel Seton commanded his men to stand fast, for should they make for the boats, they would endanger the lives of the women and children.
The Birkenhead has secured a place in history due to the gallantry of her men, who, in the face of great danger, allowed the women and children to escape in the boats before trying to save themselves. "The Birkenhead Drill" - Women and children first!
The Birkenhead broke up rapidly. Twenty-five minutes after she struck the rock, only the topmast and topsail yard were visible above the water, with 50 men clinging to them. The bow broke after 12 minutes, and then the vessel broke in two abaft the engine-room, the stern sank immediately.
In the tragedy 445 People lost their lives. 193 People, including all the women and children, survived.
The wreck of the Birkenhead lies in 30 metres of water.
The ship split in two, and the captain ordered 'Everyman for himself'. But the commanding officer of my regiment 74 Highlanders (Highland Light Infantry) ordered his men to stand fast on parade while the ship went down so that the women and children were not put at risk. All the women and children were saved, all the soldiers were lost in the shark infested waters.
Women and children first.
“H.M.S. BIRKENHEAD 1852”
In December of 1851, the Birkenhead sailed from Cork in Ireland, under the command of Captain Robert Salmond. She left Simon's Town on the morning of the 25th February, after loading 350 tons of coal and provisions. She had 638 people on board, including 20 women and children, 138 ship's officers and crew as well as 480 army officers and drafted men to aid Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith in the Eighth Frontier War being waged at the Cape (East London).
At about 02h00 on the 26th February, she struck a submerged rock off Danger Point and in an instant the lower deck flooded, drowning many men in their bunks. All the surviving men, officers, women and children went up on deck. Lieutenant -Colonel Seton of the 74th Foot Regiment took charge of all the military personnel. The men were commanded to stand drawn up in line and to await orders and 60 men were sent to man the pumps.
The Captain made a grave mistake when he ordered the Birkenhead to be put astern; an action which caused the hull to rip open, further. The sudden inrush of water swamped the boiler fires and the vessel began to break up: in its collapse the funnel crushed the paddle-wheel lifeboat, killing the men who were trying to free it for launching.
Lack of maintenance and thick layers of paint frustrated the men who were trying to launch the boats. Eventually two cutters and a gig were launched and the women and children were rowed away from the wreck to safety. The horses were cut loose and Captain Salmond shouted to his men that everyone who could swim, must save himself by jumping overboard and to make for the boats.
At this order, Lieutenant-Colonel Seton commanded his men to stand fast, for should they make for the boats, they would endanger the lives of the women and children.
The Birkenhead has secured a place in history due to the gallantry of her men, who, in the face of great danger, allowed the women and children to escape in the boats before trying to save themselves. "The Birkenhead Drill" - Women and children first!
The Birkenhead broke up rapidly. Twenty-five minutes after she struck the rock, only the topmast and topsail yard were visible above the water, with 50 men clinging to them. The bow broke after 12 minutes, and then the vessel broke in two abaft the engine-room, the stern sank immediately.
In the tragedy 445 People lost their lives. 193 People, including all the women and children, survived.
The wreck of the Birkenhead lies in 30 metres of water.
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