Fort Denison PrankSydney Harbor was a familiar port of call for many of the worlds most famous merchant mariners for centuries, including men who would achieve immortality on the ill fated Titanic. The Australia run was a lucrative route for the White Star Line, owners of the RMS Titanic, as its ships steamed through the picturesque harbor and approached the docks of Sydney Cove they slowly passed Fort Denison. A small fortified island built in the middle 1800's from 8.000 tons of sandstone to defend the harborside colony from a feared Russian invasion. Built of honey colored stone with medieval looking Martello Tower doubling as a lighthouse the fortress never fired a shot in anger, although one shot fired as part of a prank almost ended the career of future Titanic hero Charles Lightoller.
In 1900 the Boer War was raging in full fury in distant South Africa where Australian troops fought alongside British, the first war the newly independent country had taken part in. As a result passions were high when White Star Lines 'Medic' sailed into Sydney Harbor and dropped anchor in Neutral Bay. Its Fourth Officer was Charles Lightoller, who enjoyed a joke as much as the next man. Spending time ashore with shipmates the young sailor was amazed by the depth of concern expressed by locals concerning the South African conflict, so he decided to have some fun at their expense. In the early hours of the morning Lightoller, accompanied by four midshipmen, quietly rowed in pre-dawn darkness to the fortress and climbed its tower. They hoisted a makeshift Boer flag from its lightening conductor before loading a cannon with 14lbs of blasting powder, white cotton waste, poured in fine grain powder before lighting a 50ft fuse and quickly making their escape back to the 'Medic' to watch the spectacle from its decks.
The White Star Line was forced to pay damages and apologize to the city as the local press bayed for the blood of those responsible, officers and crew of the 'Medic' thought Lightoller's career was over, that he would be dismissed, the fact he took the blame and wouldn't divulge the names of those who had taken part in the prank went in his favor. His superiors also saw the humor in his adolescent escapade, he was reprimanded and passed over for promotion before the 'Medic' quietly left Sydney Harbor and the controversy behind it. |
Lightoller's plan was to fool locals into believing a Boer raiding party was attacking Sydney and had captured Fort Denison, when the heavy gun went off the resounding bang blew out windows and woke people living around the harbor who leapt from beds to windows to see what was happening, finding a Boer flag fluttering in the dawn breeze and panicking. Unfortunately for Lightoller passengers on the 'Medic' had seen him and his party sneak off the ship and back onboard prior to the incident, as had sailors on night watch on other vessels anchored in the vicinity, police and port authorities were soon on deck questioning its crew. Sydney at the turn of the century was a conservative city and its citizenry didn't appreciate common sailors making fools of them.