On the Chatham Memorial is the name of Tyneside Z/55 Able Seaman John Diamond, serving on H.M.S. Natal with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who died 30/12/1915.
He was the son of James and Mary Ann Diamond, of 6, Catherine Street, Felling on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Diamond was born at Felling, Gateshead, historically in County Durham, November 25th 1890, one of 10 children of whom only 9 survived, he was the 4th born son of 5 and had 4 sisters. His father James Diamond born 1853 in the village of Bellaghy, Londonderry, Ireland had migrated to the north east of England having first moved with his family to Scotland. By 1877 he was living at Felling and married at Gateshead Mary Ann Casey born at Felling in 1856. They set up home at 6, Peartree Terrace, Heworth, James was employed as a labourer.
Ten years later he was working as a furnace-man, he and Mary Jane had 6 children and had moved to 38, Quarry Row. He changed his employment by 1901, finding work as a coal pit labourer as did Arthur (17), Patrick (19) worked as a chemical labourer. the remaining children including John were scholars. At the age of 20 John was employed by the North Eastern Railway as a railway engine cleaner, his brother Arthur was a porter, William (14) had joined his father at the colliery as a trapper.
On the outbreak of war on August 4th 1914 John Diamond enlisted and was assigned as Able Seaman Tyneside Z/5537 to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve formed by members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and volunteers who were not needed for service in the Army, an idea of the then Prime Minister Winston Churchill. First Lord of the Admiralty. He was allocated to HMS Natal a Warrior-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy which prior to the onset of hostilities had escorted the royal yacht in 1911-1912 during the King’s trip to India. Upon the declaration of war she was transferred to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet but did not participate in any battles.
HMS Natal sank near Cromarty Firth with the loss of at least 421 souls including crewmen and civilians. On the day of the tragedy on board the Natal as well as the crew were seven wives of officers, three children, a civilian and some nurses from the Hospital Ship Drina, attending a Christmas film show. At 3:25 pm on December 30th 1915 the armoured cruiser HMS Natal, then moored in the Cromarty Firth signalled that she was on fire. Other ships were ordered to give assistance, but at 3:30 pm she turned over and had sunk by 3:45 pm. At first it was thought she had been sunk by a U-boat but later it was confirmed that her loss was due to an accidental explosion of her ammunition.
Able Seaman Tyneside Z/5537 John Diamond R.N.V.R. went down with the ship, his aunt who was listed as his next of kin although his parents were still alive and living at 6, Catherine Street, Felling was informed of his death January 2nd 1917, His sacrifice is recorded as one of the names inscribed on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, which overlooks the town of Chatham commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who have no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be raised. He was 25 years old and single.
Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Mary Ann Diamond nee Casey died in 1930 aged 74 years, her death preceded that of her husband James Diamond who died aged 79 years in 1932, both registered at Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop’s Local Advertiser 21/01/1916:
John Diamond, lost his life on H.M.S. Natal on 30th Dec., aged 25 years. Son of James and Mary Ann Diamond, of 6 Catherine St., Felling.
John Diamond is remembered at Felling on F32.06 and on our List of Ships’ crews.
