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These photographs from the Museum archives show the wreck
of the Royal Indian Marine Ship (RIMS) Warren
Hastings
which ran aground on the coastline of Réunion (Pacific)
on 14 January 1897. Further photographs below show some of
the survivors and the camp established for salvage from
the wreck.
The wreck of RIMS Warren Hastings, 14 January 1897
The wreck of RIMS Warren Hastings, 14 January
1897
Background
On 6 January 1897 the troopship RIMS Warren Hastings
left Cape Town (South Africa) bound for Mauritius with
993 passengers including the headquarters and four
companies of the 1st Battalion, The King’s Royal Rifle
Corps.
At 2.20 a.m. on 14 January, the Warren Hastings, eight
miles off course, steaming at full speed, in pitch
darkness and pouring rain, ran straight into the rocks
on the coastline of Réunion. The ship stuck fast,
allowing time for the troops to fall in below decks
without noise and in perfect order. At 4 a.m. the ship’s
captain ordered disembarkation to begin by rope ladders
from the bows, intending not to disembark the women and
children until daybreak. However, at 4.20 a.m. the ship
began to list badly so he ordered the men to stand-fast
while the women, children and sick were helped off the
ship. Subsequently, as the position of the ship became
even more critical, men clambered ashore as best they
could, with many being saved from the sea by their
comrades. By 5.30 a.m. all the troops were ashore.
Later, some of the baggage was recovered. Miraculously,
in an incident reflecting great credit on the discipline
and behaviour of the troops, only two Indian members of
the crew were lost. After being cared for very well by
the French at Réunion, the passengers boarded another
ship, maybe a trifle nervously, to complete their
passage to Mauritius.
Footnote: A model of the RIMS Warren Hastings and a
number of items recovered from the wreck are on display
in the Museum.
The camp established for salvage from the wreck
Some of the survivors from 1 KRRC
The Warren Hastings before the wreck
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