XPost: alt.fan.heinlein, alt.war.vietnam

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FB Heinlein Forum
3h ·
Robert Heinlein has mentioned "The Birkenhead Drill" at least once in
his writings. Something like, "Every one must be able to face the
Birkenhead Drill at some time."
This is what that is.

Under Every Leaf
1tSpondn0nscorehd ·
On this day...
Men of the 74th Regiment line up on the deck of the steam transport 'Birkenhead' which sank off the coast of South Africa on 26 February
1852. She was carrying 480 officers and men as reinforcements for
British troops engaged in the 8th Cape Frontier War (1850-1853). Besides
the soldiers and crew, there were about 26 women and children on board.
As she rounded the Cape, the ship struck the rocks off Danger Point.
Water rushed in through the damaged hull and drowned many soldiers in
their hammocks. The remainder assembled on deck, manned the pumps and
helped the few lifeboats with the women and children safely away.
As the ship broke up, Colonel Seton of the 74th Foot called on the
soldiers to 'Stand fast!'. If they jumped overboard they might endanger
the boats, which were close by. They kept ranks and went down with the
ship in shark-infested waters. There were only 193 survivors out of 638 passengers and crew; but all the women and children were saved. The
incident captured the world's imagination and the story was allegedly
read aloud to every regiment in the Prussian Army as an example of
supreme discipline, courage and self-sacrifice. The disaster gave rise
to the 'Birkenhead Drill' meaning 'women and children first'.
Painting by Lance Calkin, 1899

TB
One of my favorite quotes from Pournelle -
To stand on the firing parapet and expose yourself to danger; to stand
and fight a thousand miles from home when you’re all alone and
outnumbered and probably beaten; to spit on your hands and lower the
pike; to stand fast over the body of Leonidas the King; to be rear guard
at Kunu-Ri; to stand and be still to the Birkenhead Drill; these are not rational acts. They are often merely necessary.

MW
Tom Bates Thanks for reminding me of this quote. I used it when I shared
this.

CC
I looked it up when I first read it.

TL
thank you for sharing this should have looked it up myself.

JH
I remember looking it up many years ago, but it should be repeated
often, for the benefit of all.

SB
To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about,
Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout;
But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet
to chew,… See More

SB
And btw, the entire poem could be compared to the notion of the
Heinleinian Competent Man.
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall… See More
Poems - Soldier an' Sailor too
KIPLINGSOCIETY.CO.UK
Poems - Soldier an' Sailor too
Poems - Soldier an' Sailor too
· Reply · 2h

It sounds brave and gallant, and worthwhile,,,,,, . But I wonder. There
was a serious lot of empty seats on the Titanic's lifeboats. I'm not
really sure that an orderly departure overboard from the 'Birkenhead'
would really have endangered the lifeboats.

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