First Year English Notes Sindh Board BIRKENHEAD DRILL

BIRKENHEAD DRILL

Q 1)    When and where did the Birkenhead sink?

On 25th February1851 the Birkenhead, which was a troopship, was carrying soldiers and their families to South Africa. On nearing Cape Town it struck against the rock that was sixty-four kilometer away from Cape Town and hidden under the surface of the sea and disappeared soon the whole ship in the sea.

Q 2)    What kinds of people were being carried as passengers on the Birkenhead?

The Birkenhead was carrying soldiers and their families to South Africa in February 1851. The soldiers were mostly young and most of them joined the army recently. They were all young and inexperienced. There were only a few officers and those are also young and inexperienced. They had no experience to handle the critical situations that could be occurred in any voyage.

Q 3)    How did the Birkenhead come to be wrecked? Was any member of her crew blame?

The Birkenhead came to be wrecked when she was almost at the end of her uneventful voyage by striking the rock which was hidden under the surface of the sea of sixty-four kilometer away from Cape Town and was totally unknown and undiscovered. No one in the crew member was blamed for the incident because no one was aware of that wild creature and there was not any sign of that rock on the map of the sea.

Q 4)    Why was there lifeboats accommodation for only 180 people after the collision with the rock?

There was only space for one hundred and eight passengers on the lifeboats because after that horrible collision almost all of the lifeboats were damaged and only three lifeboats were saved and in a useful condition. Each boat could carry only sixty passengers so one hundred and eighty people could be accommodated.

Q 5)    Was there enough room in the lifeboats for all the women and the children on the board?

The quantity of all the women and the children, who were traveling on Birkenhead, was one hundred and seventy. After the horrible collision on the Birkenhead, only three lifeboats were in a used condition and could accommodate one hundred and eighty passengers so there was enough room to accommodate all the women and the children in those lifeboats.

Q 6)    What would probably have happened if there had been a panic?

There were six hundred and thirty passengers on that wrecked ship, Birkenhead. On the

contrary, there were only three lifeboats which can accommodate only one hundred eighty passengers. One could have expected a panic in that vital situation. All the passengers either they were men or woman tried their wild efforts to make their way to lifeboats and might push each other into the water. Women, children, old and weaker ones could be crushed under the foot and left to their fate. Lifeboats could be overloaded due to that panic and might be sunk under the weight.

Q 7)    Describe the behavior of the soldiers while the women and children escaped in the boats?

The behavior of the soldiers on the Birkenhead was incredible. They all did as they ordered to do. Everyone was much loyal to his duty and to himself and there was not any murmur and confusion. They all were ordered to stand on the deck in the proper drill order in their ranks. Even the company of the ship with their captain stood on the deck with the soldier and went down with them. Meanwhile, the lifeboats are lowered and filled with the women and the children and sailed away. As the boat sailed away they all watched them and were awaiting their fate.

Q 8)    Describe one heroic action that took place after the Birkenhead went down?

One heroic action that took place after the Birkenhead went down that the commander of the troop was hanging on to some wreckage when he saw two young sailors struggling in the water so he pushed that wreckage towards them for support and all three hold on to it. After some time the commander realized that the wreckage was not enough strong to support the weight of three persons so he selflessly left the wreckage and gave those young sailors chance to live.

Q 9)    What lesson do we learn from Birkenhead Drill?

The incident that took place on HMS Birkenhead teaches us the lesson of great heroism and discipline because these two things make any person stronger and enable him to make an inspiring history. At that troop at the time of disaster, the commander ordered all of his crew and soldiers to stand still to face certain death fearlessly so that the weaker like woman and children, had a chance to live. The best thing that was seen on that troopship all of the soldiers, in spite of their less experience, behaved much gallantly and minimized the magnitude of destruction and loss.

“Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary”.

Gerard Way

Q 10) How is "Birkenhead Drill" means today?

“Birkenhead Drill" means today “to stand and be still" because of that heroism and discipline that had been shown at HMS Birkenhead. The incident which had been taken place in which the order was given in case of the disaster at that troopship to save women and children first but at the other side the meaning of that order was that we should stand steadily in case of any hardships so that the wearer can have a chance to live and that is the order which is always followed in all of the ships that would be in danger.

“With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.” 
Margaret Mitchell