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HMS ''Birkenhead'', also referred to as '''HM Troopship ''Birkenhead''''', was one of the first iron-hulled ships built for the Royal Navy . She was built in 1845 at John Laird's shipyard at Birkenhead as a Frigate and named ''Vulcan'', but the Admiralty renamed her ''Birkenhead'' and had her converted into a troopship in 1848 . DIMENSIONS
THE FINAL VOYAGE In January 1852 , under the command of Captain Robert Salmond, the ''Birkenhead'' left Portsmouth conveying troops to the Cape Frontier War , or Kaffir War, in South Africa . She picked up more soldiers at Queenstown (now Cobh , Ireland ), and was also conveying some officers' wives and families. In the late afternoon of 25 February 1852 the ''Birkenhead'' left Simon's Bay near Cape Town with approximately 643 men, women, and children aboard, under instructions to reach its destination at Algoa Bay as quickly as possible. In order to make the best speed possible, Captain Salmond decided to hug the South African coast, setting a course which was usually no more than three miles from the shore; using her paddle wheels she maintained a steady speed of 8.5 knots. At 2 a.m. the following morning, the ''Birkenhead'' struck an uncharted rock near Danger Point (now near Gansbaai , Western Cape ). The impact was so violent that the forward compartment of the lower troopdeck flooded instantly and over 100 soldiers were drowned in their hammocks. The surviving officers and men assembled on deck — Lt Col Seton of the 74th Foot took charge of all military personnel and stressed the necessity of maintaining order and discipline to his officers. Distress rockets were fired, but there was no assistance available. Sixty men were detailed to man the pumps, while the rest were drawn up ito await orders. Thanks to poor maintenance and paint on the winches few of the ships' boats could be launched; eventually two cutters and a gig were launched, and all the women and children were placed in these boats which were rowed away from the wreck for safety. Only then did Captain Salmond order that those men who could swim should save themselves by swimming to the boats; Lt Col Seton, however, recognising that rushing the lifeboats would risk swamping them and endangering the women and children, ordered the men to stand fast. The soldiers did not move, even as the ship broke up barely twenty minutes after striking the rock. Some of the soldiers managed to swim the 1.5 - 2 miles to shore over the next twelve hours, often hanging on to pieces of the wreck to stay afloat, but most either drowned or were taken by the frenzied Shark s that quickly arrived on the scene. Next morning the schooner ''Lioness'' discovered one of the cutters, and after saving the occupants of the second boat made her way to the scene of the disaster arriving in the afternoon, where she rescued as many people as possible. It was reported that of the 643 people aboard the ''Birkenhead'' only 193 were saved. The actual number of personnel aboard is in some doubt but, according to the Times newspaper of the day `as accurately as can be ascertained`, is put at 638. It is generally thought that the survivors comprised 113 Army personnel (all ranks), 6 Royal Marines, 54 seamen (all ranks), 7 women and 13 children but these numbers cannot be substantiated as muster rolls and books were lost with the ship. This disaster was the origin of the phrase "Women and Children First!" which became the standard procedure in maritime disasters, while the "''Birkenhead'' Drill" carried out by the soldiers became the epitome of courageous behaviour in hopeless circumstances. BIBLIOGRAPHY... The Story of the Birkenhead by Albert Christopher Addison published 1902 by Gresham Press Unwin Brothers Ltd 27 Pilgrim Street London E C. A Deathless Story of The Birkenhead and its heroes. - a full account of the Birkenhead disaster co-authors Albert Christopher Addison and W H Matthews 1906 published by Hutchinson & Co Paternoster Row London. THE TREASURE OF THE ''BIRKENHEAD'' There is a persistent rumour that the ''Birkenhead'' was carrying a military payroll of £240,000 in gold coins (about 3 tons) which had been secretly stored in the ships' powder-room before the final voyage. Despite many salvage attempts, from as early as 1854, no more than a few hundred gold coins which appear to have been personal possessions have been recovered. EXTERNAL LINKS
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