Court verdict made on the sinking of the SS Mendi

Following the sinking of the SS Mendi troopship, from which 616 South Africans lost their lives, there was an official and legal investigation done into the events that had occurred. The hearings took place in London before the magistrate, J.G. Hay Halkett with the assistance of three assessors. This was not a prosecution, but an investigation to get to the truth of what had caused the huge death toll and the collision initiated by the SS Darro that ultimately caused the sinking of the Mendi. The main witnesses in the investigation were the masters of the two ships, Henry Yardley and Henry Stump, as well as some of their chief officers and members of their crew. On 8 August 1917, the following judgement was made based on the investigation’s thorough sifting of the evidence and accounts given: “The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned casualty and consequent loss of life, loss of the SS Mendi and material damage to the SS Darro, [found that they] were caused by the wrongful act and default of Mr Henry Winchester Stump, the master of the SS Darro, in not complying with articles 15 and 16 of the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, as to sound signals and speed in a fog, and by his more serious default in failing, without any reasonable cause, to send away a boat or boats to ascertain in the extent of the damage to the Mendi, and to render her, her master, crew and passengers such assistance as was practicable and necessary, as required by section 422 (1) (a) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. The Court suspends his certificate, No. 017169, for 12 months from the date hereof. [8 August 1917]”