This day tradition was born

[Ivan Cloherty]

Today 26th February 1852 is the day HMS 'Birkenhead' struck an uncharted rock and sank with the loss of over 400 lives and a tradition of our profession was born 'Women and children first'

[vic mcclymont]

Wonder how that would go with the woke brigade of today. By the time they went through the lists of gender the ship would have sunk with all onboard.
Vic

[Ivan Cloherty]

Wonder how that would go with the woke brigade of today. By the time they went through the lists of gender the ship would have sunk with all onboard.
Vic

The day is probably not far off when we see each vessel carrying a pink or rainbow lifeboat just to be politically correct and all the greens onboard will demand to get in the starboard boats

[Rob Pilgrim]

Today 26th February 1852 is the day HMS 'Birkenhead' struck an uncharted rock and sank with the loss of over 400 lives and a tradition of our profession was born 'Women and children first'

Actually not true, Wikiipeida has this

The first documented application of "women and children first" was in May 1840 when, after a lightning strike, fire broke out aboard the American packet Poland en route from New York to Le Havre. According to a passenger, J.H. Buckingham of Boston:

... the captain said that he had little doubt that the ship was on fire, and that we must endeavor to get at it. On a suggestion that we might be obliged to take to the boats, it was immediately remarked by one of our French passengers, and responded to by others – "Let us take care of the women and children first."

But points out that it was also a concept that was applied in earlier centuries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_children_first

[Ivan Cloherty]

#4 Well we can all believe what we want, but I wouldn't put too much reliance on everything that Wikipedia states, as according to them my ship my was never in the Suez invasion in 1956, but I know it was there because I was on it, and I was invited to the House of Commons (2008)and Buckingham Palace(2016) for my service at that time, guess they must have also checked, just as well they never consulted Wikipedia.

When commenting on a fellow correspondents postings I would never use the words 'actually not true' but would politely suggest there is an alternative version circulating which may or may not be factual. Just an observation.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I can imagine the total confusion if a cruise ship sank, the long list of who would be first on it may even end up with women and children last, if they weren't carrying a rainbow flag considering that our PM was in the Rainbow march in Sydney; he may even legislate it.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Des, I saw some of that with him at the front.
Crossed my mind that maybe it was a trial run for him before he decides which he wants to be.
Such a choice now, LGBTQIA+ and what ever letters of the alphabet fit in.

It is getting so bad now I am considering starting a company for straight guys, though looking at Sydney I do not expect many takers.
But with a country that has a state called Queensland what hope do we have??

[Colin Wood]

Thanks Des, it would be better than some of the other crap legislation he is introducing.

[Hugh]

#4 Well we can all believe what we want, but I wouldn't put too much reliance on everything that Wikipedia states, as according to them my ship my was never in the Suez invasion in 1956, but I know it was there because I was on it, and I was invited to the House of Commons (2008) and Buckingham Palace(2016) for my service at that time, guess they must have also checked, just as well they never consulted Wikipedia.

Absolutely! Sadly, most people go for their research via that site which is riddled with inaccuracies which I have encountered personally. Anything I see on there, I take as a starting point, at best, and do my own research as should everyone else.

Regards
Hugh

[Brenda Shackleton]

Indeed, Hugh
I would add to that, the 'Research' that involves cobbling other Writers' works without checking for accuracies.
Not bothering to look at Survivors' records.
Accounts were written after the War; re-written perhaps a decade later; re-written again . This time slightly different and so on.
The list goes on.......
Brenda. Moany ole woman.