58555: Items related to Arthur Wright, HMS Natal

I am submitting photos of some items passed down to me by my Grandmother many years ago. There is a photo of her brother, Arthur Wright, a sailor on HMS Natal; a postcard sent to my Grandmother from HMS Natal, dated 20/6/1915; an HMS Natal brooch and a Christmas greeting sent from HMS Natal, dated Christmas 1915.

On 30th December 1915 HMS Natal was lying in the Cromarty Firth. Just after 3.20pm violent explosions ripped through the ship. Within 5 minutes she capsized. No one ever established the exact number of fatalities, the figure ranges from 390 to 420. Mystery surrounds the loss of the HMS Natal. A mine laying U-boat was suspected but it was soon established that the damage came from an internal explosion. Officially the cause of the explosion was given as faulty cordite igniting a magazine, sabotage by German agents was suspected but never proved.

My Great Uncle Arthur was one of the unfortunate crewmen who lost his life. The Christmas greeting is very touching because this was the last contact between Arthur and my Grandmother - days later he was killed.