Birkenhead survivors
John Thomas Archbold
JOHN THOMAS ARCHBOLD was the master gunner of the Birkenhead and was washed ashore after the wreck on driftwood to which Lieut Girardot and others clung. He was one of the surviving Naval officers whose statements were sent home to the Board of Admiralty. This is from his account to Commodore Wyvill Simon’s Bay.
On the morning of the 26th of February I was aroused from my bed by a severe shock. I instantly ran on deck and found the ship had struck on a rock and was rapidly sinking. I was ordered by the Captain to fire the rockets and burn the blue lights which I did. After so doing I went on the port sponson to clear away the port paddle box. We had canted the boat when the fore part of the ship went down. At the same time I and Mr. Brodie (master) were washed overboard.
When
rising to the surface of the water I held on to part of the wreck. Leaving the
piece of wreck I swam towards a truss of hay where I found Mr Brodie. Finding it
impossible to hold on to the hay any longer I made for part of the wreck where I
found Captain Wright 91st Regiment
and nine or ten men. They assisted me on the raft floating towards the shore. We
picked up Mr Barber assistant engineer and a boatswain’s mate (James Lacey).
We arrived on shore about one or two o’clock. Previous to landing on shore I
observed a sail in the offing distant about eight miles. After landing I saw the
schooner making for the wreck. We then proceeded on to Sandford’s Bay at which
place Captain Wright left us and procured some refreshment. Next morning
proceeded to Captain Smales where we were clothed and fed until sent on board
Her Majesty’s steamer Rhadamanthus.
MEMORANDUM
- In respect to the boats I saw none but the port paddle box boat, bottom up,
with some seven or eight hands on her drifting towards the shore. I heard
several voices calling loudly and in that strain of voice that I fancied some
boat or boats very near at hand. If
there had been any boat or boats present to have taken the men from the floating
pieces of wreck they might with good management have been safely landed in the
same cove where Captain Wright and myself were landed.
They could have made several trips to and from the shore and saved a
large number of men as they were some time kept upon the surface of the water by
floating pieces of wreck. My opinion is that the boat that had the women and
children in saved time and lives by getting the assistance of the schooner there
being a great number on and about the wreck.
JOHN
ARCHBOLD Gunner
Late
Birkenhead