Birkenhead survivors
John Francis Girardot
COLONEL JOHN FRANCIS GIRARDOT
“When the vessel was just
about going down the Commander called out, ‘All those that can swim jump
overboard and make for the boats!’ Lieutenant Girardot and myself were standing on the stern
part of the poop. We begged the men not to do as the Commander said as the boat
with the women must be swamped. Not more than three made the attempt”.
(from Captain Wright’s report)
The gallant officer referred to by
Captain Wright was Lieut GIRARDOT then in command of the detachment of the 43rd
Light Infantry on board the troopship. After the sinking of the vessel with
which he went down he managed to get ashore with others on some driftwood..
Lieut Colonel Girardot - as he
afterwards became - was one of the great heroes of the Birkenhead. A son of Rev John Chaucourt Girardot and Sophia his wife (née
Chaplin) he was born at Averham Newark
Notts in 1829.
From a letter written home to his
father from Simon's Bay 1st March 1852
……
“I
wrote one letter to say I was safe, but for fear that it should not reach you I
will send this to say I am quite well. I remained on the wreck until she went
down; the suction took me down some way, and a man got hold of my leg, but I
managed to kick him off and came up and struck out for some pieces of wood that
were on the water and started for land, about two miles off. I was in the water
about five hours, as the shore was so rocky and the surf ran so high that a
great many were lost trying to land. Nearly all those that took to the water
without their clothes on were taken by sharks; hundreds of them were all round
us, and I saw men taken by them close to me, but as I was dressed (having on a
flannel shirt and trousers) they preferred the others. I was not in the least
hurt, and, am happy to say, kept my head clear; most of the officers lost their
lives from losing their presence of mind and trying to take money with them, and
from not throwing off their coats. There was no time to get the paddle box boats
down, and a great many more might have been saved but the boats that were got
down deserted us and went off. From the time she struck to when she went down
was 20 minutes. When I landed I found an officer of the 12th Lancers who
had swum off with a life preserver, and 14 men who had got on with bits of wood
like myself. We walked up the country 11 miles to a farm belonging to Captain
Smales, formerly of the 7th Dragoon Guards, who was very kind to us, and all the
men that were got on shore came up to him. I hope the Government will make up
our loss to us, as I have saved nothing. Metford of the 6th, the Ensign I spoke
of as having his wife on board with him, went down.2 She, poor thing, was left
here when the ship sailed for Buffalo mouth; I have just been to see her, and
she looks more dead than alive, left all alone at this distance from her home,
but we shall do all we can to be of service to her.
God grant that we may all be spared to meet again”.
He entered the Army in 1847 and
went through the Kaffir War of 1852-53 including the expedition over the Orange
River under General Cathcart and the battle of Berea. At the close of the Kaffir
War he proceeded with the 43rd to Madras and Bangalore. He became Adjutant of
the Sherwood Foresters Militia in 1856, retaining that position until 1875
retiring in 1880 with the honorary rank of Lieut Colonel.
In 1894 he married Mary daughter of the late Mr James Evans of Trevanghan County Carmarthen. He died on September 11th 1902 and is buried in Rownhams churchyard Southampton. The Oxfordshire Light Infantry (formerly the 43rd) placed a memorial in Chelsea Hospital reading ...
LT-COL
JOHN FRANCIS GIRARDOT
Late 43rd Light Infantry and Adjutant Sherwood Foresters Militia
who died 11th September 1902
Aged 73 years
Erected by brother officers of the 43rd Light Infantry
He was one of the last surviving officers of the Birkenhead, on board which vessel, as a Lieutenant, he commanded a detachment of the 43rd Light Infantry, and by his personal valour, saved many lives. He subsequently served in the Kaffir War 1852-3 and received the medal and clasp. This tablet is erected by his brother officers of the 43rd Light Infantry as a token of their appreciation of his gallant service.