 The sinking of the Birkenhead is the earliest maritime disaster evacuation during which the concept of " women and children first " is known to have been applied . " Women and children first " subsequently became standard procedure in relation to the evacuation of sinking ships , both in fiction and in real life . The synonymous " Birkenhead drill " became an exemplar of courageous behaviour in hopeless circumstances , and appeared in Rudyard Kipling 's 1893 tribute to the Royal Marines , " Soldier an ' Sailor Too " : 
