The other day, during, an interview , a youngster, on completion of his interview, picked me out of the panel and asked me, 'Why does a Captain sink with his ship'? There was much amusement while I tried to search for an adequate reply.
Good question. I told him that it was a Naval tradition and sent him on his way.
Captains who have gone down with their ships range from Captain. EJ.Smith of the Titanic to Captain Mulla of the Indian destroyer Khukri. Both were known to be wonderful Captains but were unlucky to lose their crafts on the high seas.
A more complete explanation would be as follows.......
1.Customs and Traditions:
There are unwritten customs and traditions in the Navy which are followed by mariners since centuries. Some of them are hoisting Church Pennant, Dress ing the Ship, measurements by Fathom, giving Gun Salutes, Manning the Rails to give three cheers to honour the distinguished guests, Wardrobe Room. Captain preferring to sink with the ship is also one form of customs and traditions followed in the Navy. You may recollect on such occasions, that a pilot of the aircraft most of the times ejects, as there is no such custom and tradition to be followed.
2.Perform or Perish attitude:
The captain being the hard task master, when fails to perform ie when he is not able to protect the ship and ships crew prefers to perish, i.e. he prefers to sink with the ship.
3.Moral responsibility:
Whatsoever may be the reason for the ship to sink, the captain doesn’t blame anyone till his last breath, but ensures that the ships crew is saved or rescued. He owes the moral responsibility for the mishap and prefers to sink with the ship. Such an act of owing moral responsibility is rarely seen in corporate bosses or head of an organisation.
4.Setting an example:
The captain being the No1 in the ship, has to be an example to others. He is the captain as long as the ship floats, but when the ship sinks he is no more a captain. Hence when the ship sinks he prefers to sink with the ship.
5.Mark of respect:
When the ship sinks, the captain sinks with the ship as an act of mark of respect to the ship he commanded.
6.Can’t live without his Lady Love:
The captain can not live without his Ladylove i.e. when his ship sinks. Ship is generally feminine. You may see my earlier post on this subject.
7.My ship and My command attitude:
The captain of a ship, functionally acts as a dictator. Because of this attitude, he feels he is right to sink with the ship when his command collapses.
8.An act of Sacrifice:
The captain feels guilty when the ship sinks and prefers to sink with the ship.
9.To be seen as a Hero or Martyr:
By sinking with the ship, the captain will always be seen as a hero or martyr. If he prefers to survive, he loses his name and fame and will have a miserable life.
10.Fear of prosecution:
If the captain prefers to survive, instead of sinking with the ship, definitely there will be Court-martial/prosecutions leading to disciplinary actions. In most of the cases the judgements will not be in his favour.
However, in spite of all the reasons listed above, Human Touch justify this act of captain sinking with the ship.
What would you say mate?
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