johnscouragehewassoproudofthispage

"To Stand and be Still to the Brikenhead Drill
is a Damn tough Bullet to chew "

An Appointment with Destiny Feb.26,1852 For the first Time The cry was heard, "Women and Children First"

The drums play the drilll

Panic

Order Ensues

H.M.S.Paddle Steamer Birkenhead

         "To Stand and Be Still to the Birkenhead Drill is a
       damn tough bullet to chew. Women and Children first!
      Steady Lads! Hold fast,Steady! On Feb.26,1852, for the
     first time,the cry was heard,"Women and children first"
          A contingent of Royal Marines stood to, as the deck
      of the Birkenhead headed for a watery grave,The young drummer played the drill and it became known as the Birkenhead Drill.
        At 2:00 AM in the morning, The ship struck a reef,
     there were 621 men of rank and 3 officers, 25 women and 31 children. Major Alexander Seaton of the 74th
Highlanders was in charge of the troops. The
      ship went down in 25 minutes. But during that time the men or the 2nd, 6th, 43rd, 45th,60th,73rd,74th
          and 91st regiments stood in formation as the ship
       foundered and they knew it was the only way the wo and children would survive.

       (Excerpt from Capt' Wright 91st Regt )

        The sinking ship was breaking up about them, yet the
      soldiers stood firmly ranked on board - "Stand fast!"
            "Stand Fast!", the order was barked, harshly
       and clearly, their commanding voices rising above the
      sound of crashing waves, the frantic neighing of horse
     and the desperate screams of women reaching out to thei beloved husbands left behind on the doomed ship. The
     proud ship Birkenhead was anguishing in her final death
     throes. The soldiers never moved for fear of endangering
          the lives of the 23 women and 6 children in the
      lifeboats. "The order and regularity that prevailed on
      board....far exceeded anything that I thought could be
     effected..." (Captain Wright, 91st regiment-- one of the
    surviving officers)

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John Phillip Edward Murphy was a friend to so many of us. We were all made richer by knowing him. He was our teacher and our mentor He was our shoulder to cry on. He laughed along with all of us and he made us laugh. John was a joy to know. He made each of us feel very special. He was a font of knowledge and he shared all of his knowledge gladly. Many many people that he knew would still be in the dark ages as regards the computer if not for him. Everything he knew, everything he had was for sharing with others. Our friend is no longer with us and he is sorely missed. There will never be another quite like him. I have copied this page just as he had done it so that you could all share in his talent. He called his page courage because he thought that this story was one of the most courageous things he had ever encountered. This is my tribute to my dear friend who left us on August 6 2000. His Birkenhead will live on!
Here's to you Mcpheeeeerson!!!!!!!!!!!

"COURAGE"