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TIMESTAMPS
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20081228052948/http://www.btinternet.com:80/~palmiped/Birkenhead.htm
Survivors
of the wreck of HM Troopship Birkenhead 50 years later
A large troopship, HM Troopship Birkenhead, with about 638 men
women and children on board, was sailing off the coast of Africa on a clear
night on 26th February 1852 carrying reinforcements for the troops engaged in
the Kaffir War. Off
Cape Danger the vessel suddenly struck a sunken rock with such force that within
20 minutes she was a wreck. 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.
THE “BIRKENHEAD”
from the picture by Captain Bond-Shelton 12th Royal Lancers a surviving officer
Early
in February 1902 a movement was commenced in Boston Lincolnshire to organize a
public testimonial to a survivor from the wreck of the Birkenhead – John
O`Neil a resident of Boston - to coincide with the 50th anniversary
of the tragedy which occurred on 26th February 1852.
It
was thought at the time that O`Neil was the sole living survivor as a year
previously it had been announced that the last survivor had died at Floore in
Northamptonshire.
Both
Field Marshals Lord Roberts and Lord Wolseley had been approached and commended
this initiative.As a result of
their interestthe news of this
testimonial received national press coverage following which details of other
survivorsemerged eventually
totalling eleven.It was then
decided to prepare the following roll call and ask each survivor to sign
with a brief comment about his role on the ship.
THE ROLL CALL
OF SURVIVORS LIVING ON THE
50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE “BIRKENHEAD” Troopship Disaster FEBRUARY 26th 1902
click on name for more information
G A LUCAS
late Capt HM 73rd Regiment 10 yrs chief Magistrate of Durban Natal
J F GIRARDOT
Lt Col late 43 Light Infantry and 20 yrs Adjutant Sherwood Foresters Notts
Militia
The note under each name
has been transcribed verbatim from the copy of the signed roll call.
This
roll call was prepared on parchmentwith
a heading artistically printed in gold and colours by Messrs Wing & Son of
Boston. It was despatched to King
Edward V11 together with a letter of explanation and the following
acknowledgment was received.
PRIVY PURSE
OFFICE,
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, S.W.
May 16th.
"The
Private Secretary is commanded to thank Mr A. C. Addison for his letter
of the 7th inst. with the accompanying 'Roll Call' signed by the
survivors of the Birkenhead, which he has forwarded for THE KING`s acceptance".
THE
TESTIMONIAL FOR COLOUR SERGEANT O`NEIL
John
O`Neil aged 75 was living in retirement at Boston Lincolnshire at the fiftieth
anniversary of the wreck.The son
of a farrier major of the 7th Dragoons,O`Neil was born on shipboard at Malta. In 1863 he was appointed
drill instructor to the Rifle Volunteers in Boston and also became drill
master at the Grammar School.Shortly
before the Birkenhead jubilee he retired from his post at the Grammar School
after 38 years service. He had ceased to be the drill instructor of the
Volunteers a few years previously when he received a presentation watch and
other gifts from the Rifle Corps.
As
a boy he sailed to South Africa with the 91st Regiment in 1842 and
was shipwrecked in Table Bay.He
fought in two Kaffir Wars under Sir Harry Smith and also in operations
conducted against the Boers. In 1852 as a Corporal he was sent on escort duty
to Robben Island with prisoners.Afterwards
he embarked on the troupship Birkenhead in Simon`s Bay to return to the
headquarters of his regiment.
He
survived the sinking and was wounded during the Kaffir Wars later his
Regiment went on from South Africa to serve in India for where he spent
about two years.He
possessed the Kaffir and long service medals.
The
public testimonial in his honour was presented to O`Neil on May 22nd
1902 together with the following address.
“SIR
– We have pleasure in the name of subscribers to your Testimonial, in handing
to your credit at the Stamford, Spalding and Boston Bank, the sum of £83, the
amount received by us.
"The
kindly interest of Field Marshals Lord Roberts and Lord Wolseley in yourself
and in the fund will have been very gratifying to you and the notices in the
press have expressed the admiration, which we, in common with all Englishmen,
feel for that historic and stirring example
of the performance of duty heroically displayed at the loss of the Birkenhead,
in which you, sir, took part, half a century ago.
"We
who have known you personally for years, as one of the survivors, wish to mark
our sense of the privilege by offering you on your retirement, after long
years of service, from the post of Drill Instructor of our Grammar School, a
small earnest of our heartiest good wishes that you may enjoy many remaining
years of health and happiness.
"We
have the honour to be, very faithfully yours,
"W. WHITE, M.A., Headmaster of Boston School.
"R.W. STANILAND, Lieut.-Colonel, 2nd V.B. Lincs. Regiment.
"W.H. GANE, Major Commanding 1st Position Battery, 1st Lincs. Vol.
Artillery.
"A.C. ADDISON, Hon.Sec.
Sergt.
O`Neil said in his reply, in allusion to the cheerful obedience of orders at
all times by the boys of the school :-
"Now
small matters like this are the seeds of discipline, which is a plant of slow
growth but bears fruit in due season; and as I am on the subject of discipline
I might be allowed to say a word or two about the memorable disaster, the
wreck of the Birkenhead. My share in that is soon told: simple
obedience of orders, standing on deck slowly but surely sinking, whilst the
women and children got safely away in the boats, then by God`s providence and
a long and perilous swim `midst sharks, breakers and seaweeds, I managed to
scramble ashore."
As
a result of the further extensive publicity surrounding this event and the
presentation of the roll call another another eight survivors came
forward - too late for inclusion on this roll. These
were ...
