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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 663

Family collection of two

It was the rule that 25 per cent. of the men were allowed liberty ashore, and those who landed at Cromarty were making their way to the pier so as to rejoin their ship.
Never shall I forget the scene when I informed them that the Natal was down. Strong men, who knew no fear, wept as only those who are suddenly bereft of their nearest and dearest do weep.

The testimony of Thomas L. Kay on the sudden destruction of the armoured cruiser Natal, Dundee Evening Telegraph, 23 December 1930, refers

A moving group of four awarded to Stoker Petty Officer F. G. R. Clark, Royal Navy, who served with the Natal when she was disappeared in a sudden holocaust of fire taking with her 390 of the crew and 31 family members visiting the ship

Clark was lucky to survive the disaster and went on to have a family of his own who followed him into service

1914-15 Star (K.10870 F. G. R. Clark. A. L. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (K.10870 F. G. R. Clark. S.P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (K.10870 F. G. R. Clark. S.P.O. H.M.S. Calypso.), mounted as worn, contact marks, pitting and heavy contact wear overall, nearly very fine (4)

General Service Medal 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (14026698 Sigmn. R. F. E. Clark. R. Sigs.), with its named box of issue, good very fine

Frank George Ranger Clark was born at Canterbury, Kent on 13 March 1893 and worked as a milkman prior to enlisting on 27 March 1911 as a Stoker Class II. Seeing service with Falmouth and Cressy he was transferred to Natal as Stoker Class I on 21 December 1912.

Promoted Leading Stoker just prior to the outbreak of war Clark was still with this ship on 30 December 1915 as she lay at anchor in the Cromarty Froth. Her commander Captain Eric Black was holding a film party aboard and the wives and children of his officer's had joined them along with a number of civilians. As was standard for the time while the ship was in the harbour around one quarter of her crew were allowed ashore to entertain themselves as they saw fit.

Suddenly a series of loud discharges were heard from the shore and rear section of Natal disappeared in a pillar of smoke and flame. Through the smoke and fire she was seen to capsize within five minutes and when the scene was revealed the horrified onlookers could make out only her hull floating atop the water.

The stricken ship lost a little over half of her crew along with the majority of the visitors who had come aboard. Many of the survivors were lucky to have been ashore that night and returned to the pier to be met by Thomas Kay, the local sanitation officer who informed them of the disaster. Clark was one of the lucky survivors, though whether he escaped by swimming from the blazing wreck or had the good fortune to be ashore it is impossible to say. Despite the horror of the affair one newspaper made sure to report on one of the survivors, picked up by a swimming crewman, the ship's cat escaped the sinking alive and well.

It was ruled that Natal had sunk as a result of an accidental explosion in her magazine. One of three to occur throughout the war as a result of the poor storage methods of cordite, a propellant used in British shells. Oddly despite the destruction of the warship Clark was listed as serving with her until 20 January 1916, possibly in order to provide evidence in the Court-Martial launched to investigate her loss.

Returning to sea not long after the loss of Natal Clark was to join Blonde, being promoted Stoker Petty Officer with her before being transferred to Lowestoft. He saw further service with Swallow, Torch and Wanderer with his final service being aboard the latter from 16 October 1928; sold together with a copied service record; sold together with Riband bars, a Queen Mary commemorative tin and a pocket watch with an Light Cruiser Cup 1924 winner medal attached named to 'F. G. R. Clark, C.P.O.', hallmarked for Birmingham 1923.

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Sold for
£210

Starting price
£110