The sinking of the SS Mendi (21 February 1917) became one of South Africa's worst tragedies of the First World War (1914-1919). A total of 616 South Africans, including 607 black troops serving in the South African Native Labour Contingent, died when the steamship sank in the English Channel on the way to France. The incident happened in the early hours of 21 February 1917, when another ship, the SS Darro rammed the SS Mendi. Selwyn Milborrow wrote this poem after a poetry writing workshop held at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Gallery in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.