THE WRECK OF THE TROOPSHIP HMS BIRKENHEAD -wrecked 26TH February 1852, while transporting troops to Algoa Bay at Danger Point 87 miles (140 kilometres) from Cape Town in the Cape Colony. The Captain is credited with setting the precedence of 'Women and Children First' on sinking vessels. The soldiers dutifully stood to attention allowing women and children to board the boats before the vessel shows David Faro a local fisherman (100 years old) who buried many of the bodies from the wreck.


Size: 4425px × 5187px
Photo credit: © Colin Waters / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: &, 1852, 1st, 74th, 91st, aboard, africa, argyllshire, bay, birkenhead, brandao, cape, captain, children, danger, david, de, disaster, drill, farrow, foot, frigate, gansbaai, hms, infanta, john, laird, lairds, lieutenant-colonel, lighthouse, navy, point, ponte, portsmouth, protocol, queens, regiment, robert, rock, royal, salmond, sao, seton, shipwrecks, shipyard, south, steam, town, troops, troopship, walker, warship, warships, women