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Explosion sank steamer, killiWeathering on a hillside in St Mary's cemetery are a series of graves that recall a maritime disaster off Dover that saw the death of 155 men, women and children. It was Sunday, February 24, 1916, during the First World War, and the P&O steamer Maloja had just passed the Admiralty Pier at 19 knots sailing in the direction of Folkestone, when there was a massive blast. On board were 411 people including the crew. Some were military officers on their way for duties in India. Others were families. One was an African nurse, dressed in a red robe, returning home because of illness. Among the crew were 223 Lascars and other "natives". Many of the passengers were on deck taking a last look at the white cliffs of Dover when the explosion ripped through the liner. There was chaos on board but the master, Captain Charles Irving, realising the ship was only a couple of miles off Shakespeare Beach, decided to beach his ship. He turned the ship head on to do so but at the same time the order was given to put the engines full astern in order to stop the liner so that the lifeboats could Cartier Replica Watches be lowered into the cold sea. But the engine room had, by now, become flooded and the engines continued to send the Maloja full astern as fast as eight knots. This made the lowering of the boats almost impossible, and while the decks were still packed with passengers and crew, Maloja listed over and quickly sank. There were a number of other ships and boats in the area and they dashed to the rescue. One was the SS Empress of Fort William but she ran into a mine and also sank, although all those on board were saved. The cause of the explosion, at the time, was a mystery. Some (including the captain) believed Maloja had been Omega Replica Watches torpedoed by a German U-Boat, but the generally accepted cause was the ship had struck a mine. And ironically a British-laid mine put down to protect Royal Navy ships in Dover harbour. For days bodies were washed up on beaches between Folkestone and Deal. Several of those taken from the shore line - including women and children - were naked, a Dover inquest was told. One family on board were the Edwards of 132 Buckland Avenue, Dover. The husband was serving in the army abroad and the wife was sailing to join him. She lost two children, James, aged 5, and Effie, aged 3 as well as a sister. The reports on the inquests were covered in full in the Dover Express which noticed that Mrs Asquith, the wife of the prime minister, sat in to listen to part of the hearings. Bodies recovered were taken to Dover Market Hall - now Dover Museum - to be identified for the coroner, Mr S Payn. Some bodies were claimed by relatives to be buried in their home towns but the majority were buried at St Mary's cemetery. catalog printingThey were given a military funeral with three volleys of shots fired over the graves, the first civilians to receive such an honour in Dover. Large crowds watched the funeral processions to the cemetery but spectators were kept away from the burial ground. Most of the bodies went into mass graves. Three sets of religious services were held. One for members of the Church of England, another for the Roman Catholic victims and a third according to the Islamic faith for the majority of the Lascars. The to 10:30 - 2010-Mar-15 - post comment
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