Name
Charles James Adams
6 Dec 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/12/1915
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Chief Writer
343679
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Natal
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 12
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial,
Memorial, St Pauls Church, Bedford
Pre War
Charles James Adams was born Bedford on 6 Dec 1880 to Henry Adams, master carpenter, and Maria (nee Farr).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Sidney W (born 1873), Harry J (born 1875), Bertha A (born 1878), Charles and Susannah Adams (widow born 1814) were living at 17, Priory Street, Bedford.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Sidney (a pupil teacher), Harry J (apprentice carpenter), Bertha, Charles, Eleanor Mary (born 1884), Alfred John (born 1886), Arthur Wilfred (born 1890) and Susannah Adams were living at 111 Tavistock Street, Bedford.
Charles enlisted in the Royal Navy on 14 Sep 1900 as a Writer 3rd Class 343679.
On the 1901 Census Charles parents, Sidney (a teacher), Alfred and Arthur were living at 34 Western Street, Bedford.
Charles was promoted to Writer 2nd Class on 14 Sep 1904 and to Writer 1st Class on 12 Sep 1910. He was made Chief Writer on 11 Sep 1912 and posted to HMS Natal.
On the 1911 Census his parents and Arthur were living at 92, Pixmore Way, Letchworth.
He married Ada Helen Walker on 15 Feb 1913.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the Great War Charles was serving on HMS Natal, a Warrior Class Armoured Cruiser, was part of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow and after a refit spent 1915 patrolling the North Sea. On 17 Dec 1915, having joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, moved to the Cromarty Forth. On 30 December 1915, the Captain Eric Back 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 in attendance that afternoon. Shortly after 15:25, and without warning, a series of violent explosions tore through the rear part of the ship. She capsized five minutes later. Some thought that she'd 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 9.2-inch shell-room or the 3-pounder and small arms magazine. The Admiralty court-martial in the causes of her loss concluded that it was caused by an internal ammunition explosion, possibly due to faulty cordite. The Admiralty issued a revised list of the dead and missing that totalled 390 in January 1916, but did not list the women and children on board that day. Losses are listed from 390 to 421 (including crew and civilians).
Charles was listed in the Losses, his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
Additional Information
Ada Helen Adams, of 96, Pixmore Way, Letchworth.
HMS Natal had been constructed in 1904 with the aid of funds from the people of Natal. There is a memorial to the loss in Durban, South Africa.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
