Troopship Mendi

[MelPack]

Hello

I was just trawling the CWGC index and I noticed that there were a very large number of casualties by the single name of 'John' for the South African Native Labour Corps on 21 February 1917.

It transpires that over 600 of the Corps were drowned following a maritime collision.

Does anybody have any further information or contemporary newspaper reports?

Regards

Mel

[Terry_Reeves]

Mel

From Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam:

"During the First World War the steamship Mendi, Capt Henry A Yardley, was used as a transport. On January 16th , 1917, the ship was one of a convoy of 6 vessels carrying South African and Australian troops to France , escorted by the armoured cruiser Cornwall. The German raider, Wolf shadowed the ships for a time, but left on seeing the Cornwall. The convoy proceeeded without further incident, the Mendi putting into Plymouth about a month later.

At 4.30 pm on February 20th in thick weather the ship left Plymouth for Havre. She carried 806 officers and men of an African native labour battalion and 88 crew. At 5 am on the 21st, when off St Catherine's Point, steaming dead slow and sounding her siren at the proper intervals, but without navigation lights, she collided with the liner Darro, 11,000 tons, Capt Henry W Stamp, also steaming without lights. The Mendi was struck on the starboard side in the vicinity of the fore troop deck, and many of the native contingent sleeping there were killed. The troopship took a heavy list which prevented the lifeboats on the port side from getting away. She sank in 20 minutes with a loss of 607 officers and men of the native battalion and 29 members of the crew. Owing to the danger from enemy submarines the Darrow did not remain to render assistance, but proceeded on her course.

Captain Yardley was struck on the head by a mast as the ship turned over but he came to the suface and was rescued."

Terry Reeves

[MelPack]

Terry

Many thanks for that information and your time and effort.

It was an incredible loss of life but, given the circumstances, it is surprising that there were still a significant number of survivors.

I wonder if any disciplinary action was taken against the captain of the Darro or if the disaster was just attributed to happenstance.

Regards

Mel

[Terry Denham]

See this link

http://www.navy.mil.za/newnavy/mendi_history/mendi_hist.htm

There are several of the casualties buried in Sussex and Kent. Here are three in the same grave at Littlehampton.

[MelPack]

Thanks Terry for the photograph and link.

I assume that the retrieved bodies were of those unfortunates that survived the sinking but then died of hypothermia afterwards.

The conflict of the reasons offered for the inaction of Captain Stump of the Darro are interesting - fear of submarine attack, racial prejudice, loss of nerve - add an interesting dimension to the tragic story. A one year suspension of his licence for culpability does seem extraordinary.

The 'death dance' is reminiscent of the orchestra and the Titanic.

Regards

Mel

[Terry Denham]

The burials are probably those bodies washed ashore as they are all buried in coastal cemeteries over a considerable length of coastline.

[Guest KevinEndon]

Here is another thread to look at

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...6lr%3D%26sa%3DG

[Sue Light]

This is a detail from one of the bronze panels at Delville Wood Museum that represents, and remembers, the sinking of the Mendi.

Sue

[montbrehain]

If you get chance a visit to the hollybrook memorial in Southampton cemetery near the hospital would be of interest. the Mendi is on the memorial and as you say ther are many johns. Also men called "whisky" "Parrafin" etc all nick names I suppose ? can anybody post a picture ?