Illustrated Chronicle 1915

H.M.S. Natal

Heslop’s Local Advertiser 21/01/1916

Upturned Hull of HMS Natal

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Albert Rodger's father, Thomas, was twice married, his first wife Alice Ford of Hartlepool died aged only 24 years after only 7 years of marriage. Alice appears to have given birth to a daughter Jane Ford Ridley who died in infancy. Prior to her death, Thomas and Alice had moved to Devonshire Bridge J at Barrow in Furness along with her widowed father and a sister. Thomas worked as an iron caulker, Alice’s father was a sailmaker. When Alice died in 1885 they had already returned to the northeast.

Albert was born 1891 at Hebburn on Tyneside, one of 6 surviving children, 2 sons, 4 daughters and 1 son James deceased, born to Thomas Rodger native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne born 1853 and his second wife Hannah Elizabeth Broadbent born 1867 at Jarrow, Northumberland whom he married at South Shields, Northumberland in 1888. They lived at 88 Dunston Street, Hebburn later moving to 172, William Street. Thomas still worked as a shipyard caulker until 1901 when he was employed as a boiler maker smith. Albert’s father died in 1907 when he was only 16 years old. In 1911 his mother was living at 27, Lavery Street, Bill Quay, with all of her children including her daughter Marion, her husband and their daughter of 7 months. Albert now 19 was working at the shipyards as an apprentice plater, his brother James was an apprentice riveter at only 14 years old, his younger sisters were scholars.

On date unknown Albert enlisted in the Royal Navy and became Engine Room Artificer 4th Class M/ 11432 aboard the HMS Natal. The Natal was a Warrior-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She escorted the royal yacht in 1911-12 for the newly crowned King George’s trip to india to attend the Delhi Durbar. During WW1 the ship was assigned to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron Fleet of the Grand Fleet but did not participate in any battles. On December 30th 1915, Natal was lying in the Cromarty Firth, Scotland with her squadron, under the command of Captain Eric Back. The captain was hosting a film party aboard and had invited the wives and children of his officers, one civilian friend and his family, and nurses from the nearby hospital ship Drina to attend. A total of seven women, one civilian male, and three children were aboard that afternoon. Shortly after 15.25 and without warning a violent explosion tore through the ship.

HMS Natal capsized five minutes later. Some thought that she had been torpedoed by a German U-boat or detonated a submarine-laid mine, but examination of the wreckage revealed that the explosions were internal. The divers sent to investigate the ship reported that the explosions began in either the rear shell room or the small arm magazine. The Admiralty court-martial into the causes of her loss concluded that it was caused by an internal ammunition explosion. The Admiralty issued a revised list of the dead and missing of 390 names in January 1916, but did not list the women and children on board that day otherwise the total would have been 421.

With her hull still visible at low water, it was Royal Navy practice on entering and leaving Cromarty right up to WW2 for every warship to sound "Still", and for officers and men to come to attention as they passed the wreck. Most of her wreck was slowly salvaged over the decades until the remnants were demolished in the 1970s so they were no longer a hazard to shipping. The remains of her wreck are designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 as a war grave.

Albert Rodger M/11432 Engine Room Artificer 4th Class died December 30th 1915, he was 24 years old and single, His sacrifice is recorded as one of the names on Panel 8 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire, situated on Southsea Common.

His mother Mrs Hannah Elizabeth Rodger of 22, Cromwell Road, Bill Quay received all monies due to him and a pension. Awards unknown.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Heslop’s Local Advertiser 21/1/1916 carries a notice which reads:

Albert Rodger, lost his life on H.M.S. Natal, on 30th December, aged 24 years. Son of Annie and the late Thomas Rodger, of 22 Cromwell Road, Bill Quay.”

He is remembered at Bill Quay on B119.02 at Heworth on H92.03and on our List of Ships’ crews

The Invergordon archive
H.M.S. Natal
The CWGC entry for Engine Room Artificer Rodger