On January 16, 1917 the SS Mendi troopship sailed from Cape
Town en route to La Havre in France carrying the last contingent of
the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC) comprising 805 black
privates, 5 white officers and 17 non-commissioned officers as well as
33 crewmembers.
On the morning of 21 February 1917, another ship, the SS Darro
(10 0000 tons) travelling at full speed and emitting no warning
signals, rammed the SS Mendi (4230 tons), which sank in 20
minutes. There are many stories of bravery told about these men as the
ship went down. One of the most famous is that of the Reverend Isaac
Wauchope Dyobha, who cried words of encouragement to the dying men.
Oral history narrates that he exhorted his countrymen with the
following inspiring words shortly before the ship sank:
"Be quiet and calm, my countrymen, for what is taking place
is exactly what you came to do. You are going to die, but that is what
you came to do. Brothers, we are drilling the death drill. I, a Xhosa,
say you are my brothers. Zulus, Swazis, Pondos, Basothos and all
others, let us die like warriors. We are the sons of Africa. Raise
your war cries my brothers, for though they made us leave our assegais
back in the kraals, our voices are left with our bodies..."
Of the 805 black troops 607 were lost along with 9 of their fellow
white countrymen and all 33 members of the ship's crew. The event is
remembered by a number of memorials in South Africa, Britain and
France. The names of those who died in this tragic incident are
engraved on the Hollybrook Memorial, in Southhampton, for those lost
at sea and also at the SS Mendi Memorial in Attridgeville near
Pretoria. The South African Navy has honoured the Reverend Dyobha by
naming a strike craft (fast attack craft), the SAS Isaac Dyobha
(P1565), after him.
The last of four MEKO A-200 patrol corvettes purchased by South
Africa from Germany is named after the SS Mendi to honour the
valour showed by the members of the SANLC in their last moments. The
first three, already in South Africa, are the SAS Amatola, SAS
Isandlwana and SAS Spioenkop. Whilst some of the names
commemorate famous battles in South African history, the symbolism of
the ship's names is not in the battles themselves, but in the valour
shown by both the victors and the defeated in the battles. The
corvettes are thus collectively known as the Valour Class.
The wreck of the SS Mendi lies 11,3 nautical miles from St
Catherine’s Light, the most southerly point of the Isle of Wight, on
a bearing of 217 degrees magnetic. (Click
here to view a map...) Today, 23 August 2004, HMS
Nottingham, a Type 42 destroyer from the United Kingdom's Royal
Navy and the SAS Mendi rendezvoused at the position to lay
wreaths in remembrance to those who passed away for their country and
the allied forces.
At 13:30 the off-watch personnel of the SAS Mendi mustered
on the flight deck. The commanding officer, Captain Kevin Packer,
opened the ceremony. Lieutenant Theo Hokoma (the personnel officer) read a
brief history of the SS Mendi. The scripture reading from
Revelations 21, verses 1 to 5 was led by Chaplain Patrick Diniso. The
prayer was followed by a poem recited by its composer, Petty Officer
Mpho Rakoma:
OUR FALLEN HEROES
SS Mendi, our fallen heroes
We come here today
To commemorate February 21, 1917
Celebrate your bravery
Hails for your courage
SS Mendi, our fallen heroes
Our courtesy visit
Is also to acknowledge
The mighty Mendi name
To understand its origin
SS Mendi, our fallen heroes
We're visiting your resting place
To connect and accept the event
For blessing and guidance
Through the deep blue seas
SS Mendi, our fallen heroes
We bid you farewell
In accepting our call
To guide the Mendi name
Aluta continua
Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala and
Captain Packer then laid a wreath, which was followed by a wreath from
the HMS Nottingham.
It is 87 years after the SS Mendi tragedy, but today the
souls of the South Africans that passed away have been remembered and
honoured by the SAS Mendi and its crew on behalf of the South
African people.
