British and Irish History

The Oxford Companion to British History A Dictionary of British History Further reading

Birkenhead, HMS

The Oxford Companion to British History | 2002 | | Copyright

Birkenhead, HMS, 1852. On 25 February 1852 at night the paddle-steamer Birkenhead taking 480 soldiers and 13 women and children for the Kaffir War struck a rock and sank off Cape Town. The troops were ordered to stand fast on deck to avoid swamping the women's boat and almost all perished in shark-infested waters. Hailed by the Victorians as a matchless example of courage, it has also been condemned as a needless sacrifice.

J. A. Cannon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-BirkenheadHMS.html

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-BirkenheadHMS.html

Learn more about citation styles

Birkenhead, HMS

A Dictionary of British History | 2004 | | Copyright

Birkenhead, HMS, 1852. On 25 February 1852 at night the paddle‐steamer Birkenhead taking 480 soldiers and 13 women and children for the Kaffir War sank off Cape Town. The troops were ordered to stand fast on deck to avoid swamping the women's boat and almost all perished in shark‐infested waters. Hailed by the Victorians as a matchless example of courage, it has also been condemned as a needless sacrifice.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-BirkenheadHMS.html

JOHN CANNON. "Birkenhead, HMS." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-BirkenheadHMS.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Story of bravery lives on; FELICITY NEWSON tells the story of the HMS... Newspaper article from: Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England); 3/2/2002
	New tribute to crew of tragic Birkenhead; South African website dedicated to... Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 1/29/2002
	WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST! 150 years ago today that command was first given... Newspaper article from: Daily Mail (London); 2/26/2002