A row has broken out between Britain and South Africa over a campaign by leaders in Brighton to recognise tribesman who died in a marine disaster.

Eighty-five MPs around the country have signed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on the Government to recognise the sacrifice of more than 600 black South Africans who perished when their ship, the SS Mendi, was rammed by a British liner in the Channel in 1917.

The tribesmen had volunteered to help with the British war effort and were en route to northern France when their ship was hit in thick fog.

Defence minister Lewis Moonie has written to The Argus after a Brighton church, City Gate Centre, visited South Africa and discovered many relatives of the tribesmen felt angry because they never received official notification, compensation or recognition.

Dr Moonie denied the tragedy had been covered up and said it was the responsibility of the Union of South Africa to inform relatives. But his comments have been labelled "inappropriate" by Brighton MPs.

Dr Moonie included an extract from the Times, dated March 10, 1917, which showed the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa was aware of the incident, which happened on February 21, 1917. Mr Moonie said: "This shows that not only the sinking of the SS Mendi was not a matter for the British Service authorities; it did not involve the Royal Navy, and responsibility for informing the next of kin of the South African personnel was a matter for the South African authorities."

South African church leader Joseph Kobo is related through his first wife to the tribe of Chief Bokleni, who gathered many of his tribesmen to join the South African Native Labour Corps section which perished on the Mendi.

He said: "The British Government says it is not their responsibility but we had no reason to go on the Mendi apart from to help the British."

Descendants of those who died and Nelson Mandela are expected to attend a memorial service in June in Brighton. Mr Kobo said he hoped a British Government representative would attend.

Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper said although technically it was up to the South African authorities to inform the next of kin, the men on board the Mendi were fighting for a British cause.

He said: "It was the UK Government that was leading the recruitment campaign in the First World War as the head of the empire and it would be good for the Government to grant some form of recognition to the sacrifice these people made."

Brighton Kemp Town MP Des Turner said: "I find the reply disappointing and negative and I will be talking to the MoD about it."