Sinking Of The Birkenhead Comments

The Birkenhead, an iron hulled paddle steamer, was a British troopship carrying reinforcements to regiments serving in South Africa. On 26th February 1852, the ship struck a reef off Simon's Bay on the South African shark infested coast. There followed one of the most heroic displays of courage and bravery to save women and children that astonished the world. Of the 634 people on board 193 survived. Not a woman or child perished. The soldiers stood fast and silent on deck as the ship went down.

With churning paddle wheels
Pushing through crested waves
...
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