ONE of the UK’s worst naval disasters, which saw more than 420 people killed when a warship was blown up by its own ammunition, is remembered today.
HMS Natal capsized in the Cromarty Firth off the Scottish Highlands 100 years ago after an explosion which occurred during a film show for officers and their visiting families.
During the afternoon of the 30th December 1915, HMS Natal, under the command of Captain Eric Back, blew up at anchor with a great loss of life.
421 crew and civilian visitors died in the explosion, including women and children. 400 of the crew survived.
HMS Natal was a ‘Warrior Class’ cruiser of 13550 tons. She was launched in 1905 and had an interesting history before the First World War. In 1914 she joined the Second Cruiser Squadron, which by 1915 was based in the Cromarty Firth, in the north of Scotland.
