Sea Adventure: The wreck of the "Birkenhead" (colour litho)

The wreck of the "Birkenhead." HM Frigate Birkenhead was being used as a trooper in the Kaffir war of 1852 when, cutting corners at night in order to land sorely needed reinforcements, she ripped herself open on an uncharted rock. As was usual at that time, there were many women and children aboard as well as the troops, and the lifeboats were ridiculously inadequate. Those men who were not drowned below decks paraded on deck, and went down in review order while the women and children were saved; not a man broke the ranks. Illustration for one of a set of 50 cigarette cards on the subject of Sea Adventure, issued by Hignett Brothers in 1939.