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In 1917, one of Britain鈥檚 worst-ever shipping disasters occurred when the SS Mendi was accidentally rammed by another vessel south of the Isle of Wight.

Although the sinking claimed more than 600 lives it was ignored for years by historians. Nearly all of those who died were black South Africans on their way to help European soldiers on the Western Front.

On the morning of 21 February 1917, the Mendi was steaming towards France in thick fog when she was hit by a much larger vessel, the SS Darro. For reasons which remain unclear, the Darro took no action to rescue survivors.

Famously a pastor with the South African Native Labour Contingent on the Mendi, Rev Isaac Dyobha, is said to have made a stirring speech on the deck of the ship as she sank.

Around twenty thousand members of the SANLC served in France in 1917 and 1918 as general labourers. But Black South Africans were not rewarded with political rights after the war as they had hoped. The Mendi story became a rallying point for groups like the ANC and is now commemorated annually.

Location: St Catherine鈥檚 Point, Isle of Wight PO38 2NF
Image: More than 800 members of the South African Native Labour Corps were on board the Mendi at the time of the disaster, courtesy of IWM

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