#Navy Day India

[manasastuff-blog]

"Indian Navy Day" #trending#viral#indiannavyday

Indian Navy Day Importance is a key occasion for recognizing the invaluable contributions of the Indian Navy to our national security. Celebrated every year, Indian Navy Day not only honors the Navy's achievements but also raises awareness about its crucial role in safeguarding our maritime boundaries. This day reminds us of the sacrifices made by naval personnel and their commitment to keeping our country safe from external threats. Whether you’re passionate about the armed forces or curious about military history, understanding Indian Navy Day importance will deepen your respect for this esteemed branch of the Indian military. Dive deeper into this significant day and its lasting impact on India's defense strategy.

Call:7799799221

Website:www.manasadefenceacademy.com

#IndianNavyDay#NavyDayImportance#IndianNavy#IndianNavyCelebration#NavyHistory#IndianMilitary#NationalSecurity#MaritimeDefence#IndianArmedForces#NavyHeroesShow less

[sandeepjamuda]

[instavyapar]

Indian Navy Day

🌊 Saluting the guardians of our seas! On this Indian Navy Day, we honor the courage, dedication, and valor of our naval heroes who ensure our nation's security and sovereignty. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳⚓

[trehan-iris]

On Indian Navy Day, we salute the heroes who protect our shores and uphold our nation's honour with unparalleled courage. From the depths of the ocean to the height of bravery, their dedication knows no bounds. They stand as sentinels of our seas, ensuring the safety and pride of the nation. Here's to the unwavering spirit of our Indian Navy. The true guardians of our legacy and future.

Indian Navy Day - Legacy And Future

[mukathospital]

On this Indian Navy Day, we salute the courage, dedication, and strength of the Indian Navy, safeguarding our seas and ensuring the safety of our nation. 🌊⚓

Let’s honor their unwavering commitment and celebrate their indomitable spirit. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳✨ Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDJJRLLCqyR/

[defencecapital]

Armchair military enthusiasts can only cause a nuclear cacophony

By N. C. Bipindra As a rookie in journalism three decades ago, the first lesson given to us by our seniors and editors was that ‘Dog bites man is not news, but man bites dog is, and that is a goldmine.’ Many of us, who have transitioned from print to electronic media and now social media journalism, have learned that such sensationalism may not always accrue benefits. While in the short term,…

[greyowl-archives]

Coffee Breath ~ A.H

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x f!reader

wc: 1.15k

cw: pure fluff, Hotch being soft around you, tb to 1996, kind of a “what are we” platonic relationship vibe

a/n: first fanfic since TikTok officially got banned and this is my way of coping with the loss of all my CM edits. Please be nice 🥹 and please leave your thoughts I’d love to hear them !! :)

Summary: You don’t like coffee, but you don’t tell Aaron that, not when he had first come up to you so sweetly with two cups of coffee in his hands and placed one on your desk. It’s been 14 years and you still drink the coffee he brings you every morning on the job.

Seattle, WA 1996

You brought your hand up to pinch the bridge of your nose as the words on the file seemed to scramble again. The team was called into Seattle late last afternoon and after a nearly seven hour flight have touched down just shy of midnight.

You’ve given up on trying to get some sleep on the plane about halfway through the flight and then barely got any once you’ve collapsed onto the bed in the hotel.

Now it’s half eight in the morning and you’re dreading the fact that you still have the whole rest of the day ahead of you.

You needed something.

Tea preferably, that aromatic herbal one your friend brought back from India. Or maybe you’ll seriously consider getting one of those energy drinks standing neatly in the fridge of the station cafe, each with a ridiculous amount of neon colors and designs on their packaging.

Or maybe…Coffee?

Your face scrunches slightly when you catch the warm, nutty smell that appeared to have wafted in out of nowhere. It pierced through the smell of paper and wood and if you thought it was just someone passing by, it only seemed to get stronger. Your eyes flutter open when there was a soft sound of something being placed on your desk and you’re met with one of the disposable white cups from the office filled just shy of the brim with the steaming brown liquid.

“I uh…didn’t know how you take it so…I brought some milk and sugar as well”

Another series of soft sounds, this time as two small containers of milk and two packets of sugar were dropped alongside the cup, thudding quietly against the napkin.

You finally lifted your head towards the owner of the voice. Young, he couldn’t have been more than thirty years old, his face was soft with brown features, including his eyes which were gentle under his strong brow.

You must’ve been quiet for a moment longer than you thought because then he was speaking again.

“I’m Aaron…Aaron Hotchner? we met yesterday at the hotel when you flew in”

Your brows furrow a bit, your mind finally forcing its gears to whir back to life. You remember him yes, he was wearing that navy FBI jacket and faintly smelled of the same cologne he was wearing now.

Coffee. He had coffee in his hand when he had stepped forward to shake your hand, your half conscious mind barely registering his warm greeting over the smell of the beverage.

You open your mouth to speak.

I don’t like coffee

But at the sight of how his eyes lit up, even just so slightly at the fact that you’re speaking to him, you find the words quickly dying out on your tongue. The poor guy was just like you, the youngest and newest member of a team, in a position so serious that people your age take you too seriously and people older don’t take you seriously enough. The sight of you, as young an ambitious as he was, was probably the biggest breath of fresh air he’d had in a while.

So instead you just sighed, allowed your features to soften and a grateful smile to creep onto your lips.

“Thank you Aaron, I really needed this” you said, reaching for the steaming cup. You nimbly took the milks and the sugars, dumping the components in and stirring it until it was decently combined. The steam tickled your nose as you brought the cup up to your lips, taking a small sip and humming softly as the taste flooded your mouth.

It was bitter and you held back a small grimace as the aftertaste of it lingered heavily on your tongue, not much helped by the milk and sugar you’ve added.

You smiled softly again as you set the cup back down, seeing he was still idly standing just shy of your table, his own files clutched to his side and the same bright look on his face.

“So” You started, shifting a bit in your seat, freeing up a bit space between your chair and the one next to it. “Have you happened to look into the case? I was going to run it through with Gideon but, I figured a like mind might be more fun”

His smile widened at your subtle invitation and he let out a short breath as he stepped up to the chair beside you and sat down. “I was really hoping you’d ask that”

Your eyes followed him as he situated himself into his seat, opening his files alongside yours. And as the two of you lean over the files, surrounded by paper and ink, you don’t seem to mind the coffee breath anymore.

»»» ─── ⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆ ── ・❥・

Quantico, VA 2010

Perhaps a late night at the Shamrock House wasn’t the best idea. You should’ve anticipated a three day weekend was too good to be true on this job.

You lean back from your laptop, your hands sliding under your glasses to rub at your tired eyes, the lingering alcohol weighing down on them. you keep them there for a moment, finding that the darkness and slight warmth of them over your eyes helped with the surfacing tension slowly growing in the back of your head.

And then

Coffee

“Long night (Y/N)?”

You sigh softly and lower your hands from your face, allowing your glasses to fall back in place on your nose. You lean back in your chair, a small smile lightening your face as you greeted Aaron.

“Always a long night these days, handsome”

It earned you a low chuckle from him as he dropped the milk and the sugar packets down next to your cup. Two of each just like always.

“Well I hope you wouldn’t mind if I made tonight just a bit longer. If I’m not mistaken you owe Jack your lasagna and a bedtime story”

You smiled again, fondly as you tilted your head back to look up at where he was standing behind your chair.

“Sometimes I wonder if I owe Jack or you my lasagna and a bedtime story” you teased.

At this he smiled one of his smiles again, the tender ones where you would catch yourself focusing in on his dimples and the soft blush that would adorn his cheeks.

“So I’ll meet you out front at 7?” He asked.

You hummed. “I suppose you will”

He gave your shoulder as squeeze, his hand lingering on your back as he walked away, his fingers briefly sweeping along the back of your neck as he passed.

You let out a breath, waking your laptop back up when its screen started to go dim, and went back to reading, the coffee warm in your hand.

“Thought you didn’t like coffee” You heard Derek’s voice as he came into the office for the morning, his bag slung over his shoulder.

You shrugged.

“There’s some things to like about coffee”

Photo from Pinterest

Galaxy border: @cafekitsune

[ltwilliammowett]

I'm writing a novel set in the 18th century and one of my characters is a merchant sailor. What was life like aboard a merchantman? Did they all work for the East India Company, or were there individuals who might've owned their own ships?

Hi, Their life was quite similar to that of the Navy. Except that the number of crew members was greatly reduced and they did not have weapons training every day, due to the danger of being attacked by pirates and the extra work they had few members, they earned more than a Navy sailor. I can tell you more about the daily routine when I have more information that finally satisfies me. My sources are a bit vague about that.

But there were more than just the East India Companies and therefore also independent small merchants. If you want to know more about the ships, here's something for you. I've attached everything I know on the subject. Hope it helps you anyway and have a nice day.

[manasastuff-blog]

INDIAN NAVY 57th SUBMARINE DAY #trending#virla#indian navy

Indian Navy 57th Submarine Day is a remarkable milestone in India's maritime history, showcasing the power, pride, and legacy of the nation’s naval defence. This day commemorates the incredible journey of India’s submarine force and honours the brave personnel who serve beneath the waves. From the first submarine to cutting-edge advancements, the Indian Navy continues to dominate the seas with unmatched courage and innovation.

Call:7799799221

Website:www.manasadefenceacademy.com

#IndianNavy #SubmarineDay #IndianNavyHistory #MaritimeDefence #57thSubmarineDay #IndianDefence #PrideOfIndia #NavyCelebration #DefenceUpdates #SubmarineForce

[averagewriter-inthedark]

You Got It Bad 🏸 | Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd Headcanon

Edit posted on 2 Sep 24: omg when I posted this a few days ago America had yet to win a medal in badminton (Olympic & Paralympic) and today Team USA’s mixed doubles in badminton won the silver medal!! Congrats to Jayci Simon & Miles Krajewski for their win and making history!! The first ever medal in badminton for USA!!

Being married to Bob & becoming Olympians for the sport of Badminton would look like:

You and Bob met in flight school following your respected commissions into the Navy in 2011, became friends and colleagues, which them bloomed into lovers about a year later. You were the pilot, and he was your back seater---so it is no surprise your relationship worked so well considering you two were partners in the sky. After about two years of dating, Bob popped the famous question and you guys were wed within the year--the Navy sending you guys to bases as a package deal.

As most military instillations, there's a community gym and recreation center where active, reserve, and their families go to participate in intermural sports and activities. Many go for the typical bowling league and softball team or try a hand at flag football and ultimate. For you and Bob, badminton called yall's name.

Originating in British India and popular among countries in Europe and Asia, badminton made its Olympic debut in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain. Now while at first glance badminton may look easy in comparison to other court sports with a net like tennis and volleyball, but badminton requires just as much speed, agility, and precision. Especially when the shuttlecock is flying at record speed from one opponent to the other. The better the motor skills, the better you are.

Of course in the beginning you guys were a little rusty. Figuring out the rules and the best way for you and Bob to coordinate moves. You were the better server, but Bob was better handling the back while you stayed close to the net.

What started as a fun, leisure activity became more serious as you continued to play. Like we're talking you put up a net in your backyard. Whenever you hosted gatherings, you can expect that at some point in the night people migrated to the backyard to play a game or two. And boy would it get intense whenever you and Bob were on opposite sides of the court. "I hope you enjoy losing, pretty boy." "Darling, I know you're always right....but tonight you are wrong."

Not only did you build a sweat when a game got intense, but you looked forward to spending time with your husband outside of work. Not having to deal with the stress of flying or anxiety of running missions. Badminton was a great way to relive the tension and stay active. After every game you shared a sweet kiss with your husband, exchanging praises of 'Great job,' and 'We'll get 'em next time."

You both were competitive and roughly a year after playing you drew attention when you decided to join a local circuit outside of intermural on base. Winning match after match, you guys came in second in your first tournament. A great introduction to the start of your athletic career in mixed doubles badminton---which by the way, shoutout to RedBull and Dunkin Doughnuts for the caffeine supply when balancing a military and sports career.

Now the Olympic Games....the greatest sporting stage the world has ever scene...was never something you envisioned when you and Bob picked up your rackets for the first time. You'd only been playing badminton for a few years, having started in 2014. By the time the Rio Games came around, you guys were no way in Olympic level standings. Sure you'd been in a handful of local tournaments, making the podium in all, but you'd only recently won your regional title for mixed doubles, set to compete in nationals. You had yet to play an international tournament.

That time would come in 2017, and while you came home with third place at you guys were motivated to do better. You wanted to win a World title. Especially to prove to people who thought badminton was not a sport of high popularity like tennis or volleyball--and something you only play as a unit in high school P.E. You and Bob were motivated to bring more eyes to badminton in America. And what better way than to dominate a world tour.

So, when you guys weren't in the sky you were on the court. In the gym. Coaching each other, studying competition, working on technique, rewatching matches from previous Olympics. The Tokyo Games became a goal. And you were determined to make them. The pressure was on considering the United States has never won a medal in any event in badminton. "So, the Olympics...pretty darn big if you ask me." "Baby, you should know that when we put our mind to something, we make it happen."

It got to the point where your family members and friends were asking y'all about progress and even buying you equipment as birthday presents. And with the amount of shuttlecocks you go through monthly it was a blessing to a whole bucket of them in your garage. Your rackets had y'alls callsign's on them and of course you had matching outfits. And soon you guys had to invest in a nice cabinet to display your medals, plaques, and trophies from your competitions. Having the 2018 BWF World Championship right in the center.

You and Bob became a household name in the sport in the American circuit. Not only because you two were dominated the competition, but also the fact you guys were married and Naval officers brought a lot of attention. People who followed the sport became fans and viewed you guys as a love story out of romance books. Friends/coworkers-to-lovers who become teammates and an unstoppable duo in their sport. Yeah, it wrote itself.

When the 2019 detachment came though that became the priority. As much as it pained you to put training for the Sudirman Cup on hold, you had an obligation to the Navy. Nonetheless, you packed up your equipment and made the drive down from Lemoore to San Diego. Once settled, you both were spending any free time at the base rec center, practicing even for 30 minutes if you had it.

Soon the rest of the team picked up your love for the sport and became intrigued. Natasha especially, who became invested in watching you two play against each other. Shocked to see how heated it got and the fact you were able to move so fast to save a rally. "You guys are really into this, huh?" "Yeah. We just started for fun years ago and well..it took off."

After the whole shit between Jake and Bradley where Mav did damage control by taking y'all to the beach for dogfight football, you and Bob whipped out the equipment and soon all 12 of ya paired up to play games. It pretty much turned into a bracket situation where duos were eliminated until two remained for the final round.

And who's suprised....you and Bob won. And because you guys were so good, the team practically interrogated you two to which the reveal of your side career surfaced.

"You mean to tell me," Jake squinted against the sun, "You two are pretty much famous badminton players and are on the road to making the Olympics next year?" "Yep, that's about right. We want to be the first Americans to win a medal in the sport."

Fast forward to the success of the Uranium mission and unexpected world pandemic that followed, you and Bob are homebound due to the Navy restricting all work to remote settings, leaving you all the time in the world to perfect your craft. You won the Sudirman Cup, putting your names once more as contenders for the Tokyo Games and had one more year to train due to the postponement. In that time you and the rest of the Top Gun detachment transferred to Fightertown permanently, further bonding the friendships formed and the team became y'alls biggest supporters.

Qualifying for the Olympics had to have ranked in your top three moments in life. Right in the middle between marrying Bob and the Uranium mission. You jumped in his arms, screaming in joy while he spun you around and let the tears flow, bringing his lips for a passionate kiss not caring who watched. Never had you thought picking up a random badminton racket to pass time and relieve stress after a long work day would lead you to competing in the greatest sporting event alongside the love of your life. Experiencing it with Bob made it all the better. "We're going to the Olympics, baby!!'

Stepping onto the court in Tokyo officially titled you and Bob as Olympians, and while you competed for the gold across the pacific, back home your friends and family gathered to watch it unfold decked in red, white, and blue. The Hard Deck, your hometown, Bob's hometown, the rec center back in Lemoore where you first began playing badminton, the entire damn Navy was cheering you on.

Goal #1: Become Olympians - Achieved. Goal #2: Become the 1st Americans to win a medal in badminton - Achieved. Goal #3: Become the 1st Americans to win a gold medal in badminton - Achieved.

Yeah, you read that right. Not only did you and Bob accomplish everything you set your eyes on, but you cemented yourself in history as the first Americans to win a medal in any event in the sport of badminton and it was the gold. You guys became Olympic champions. And you can best believe the whole world was shocked to their core during the intense, heart pounding, sweat inducing, on the edge of your seat gold medal match against the #1 team in the world. You had already proven yourself to be the team to watch out for after knocking out the other leading pairs in the quarter and semi-finals, but to walk away with the gold after losing the first match, winning the second and tying the score each time until it ended with you scoring the golden point of 30.

Put it in the history books.

And three years later in a sold out crowd with your friend and family in the city of love, you and Bob continued your romantic journey of love, dedication and partnership when you defended your gold medal, adding a second to your cabinet with the promise of a third when the Games return to the Los Angeles 😉

[possibly-a-table-or-just-gay]

Clothing symbolism in Bridgerton

This is all my surface-level observations from watching the first two seasons of Bridgerton, in no particular order. I'm no expert and am also writing all of this on memory so take it with a pinch of salt <3

Eloise wears dresses buttoned up to the neck despite them being unpopular because of her tendency to be apart from the crowd and also her unwillingness to be the woman that is expected of her by society (EXCEPT when dragged to balls)

Colin wears the Bridgerton Blue (like his younger siblings) when he is being foolish or naive (like when making a deal with Jack Featherington in S2) as it is a much more childish colour than the navy that Anthony and Benedict wear

However, he does wear the more mature navy when he's acting grown-up (like when he stands up against Jack)

Kate sports deep purples and teals most of the time, unlike the pinks and peachs of her mother and sister. This is because the mature colours show she is taking on the responsibility of the Sharma household

Simon starts S1 wearing many layers and mostly black, however as he warms up to Daphne he starts showing more red.

Daphne tends to stick to the Bridgerton Blue for most of S1, but in S2 she wears lavender, a mix of the Bridgerton Blue and Simon's red

Lady Featherington always wears something shiny and in gaudy clashing patterns, displaying her love for all that glitters

Kate wears paisley whenever she speaks of leaving for India

Kate's teal represents her rebellious nature (she wears a teal cloak when she does her morning rides)

She wears a teal-ish blue when hunting, a mix of Anthony's navy and her rebellious teal

Lady Danbury always wears red in present day Bridgerton(excluding flashbacks), symbolising her stability and how she draws first blood

Violet also never wavers from the Bridgerton Blue, for stability and devotion to her husband

There are still things I have no idea about, like why Kate wears orange in the last episode of S2 or why Simon wears tan in his unhappy engagement phase but this is what I got for now!

[pinturas-sgm-aviacion]

1942 05 04 Alone Above Baoshan - Roy Grinnell

the moment on May 4, 1942, that AVG Flight Leader Charlie Bond races off from the small airfield at Baoshan, at the controls of a Curtiss Tomahawk fighter to single handedly intercept a force of 50 Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" twin engine bombers of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Forces, that were attacking the city of Baoshan. The Burma Road ran through the center of the small city, and at that moment the city was packed with thousands upon thousands of refugees who were desperately fleeing the fall of Burma and the advancing Japanese Army. Apparently the target of the Japanese bombers that day was the Burma Road itself, and denying its use to the Chinese Army, with the tragic result that many thousands of these refugees died under the rain of Japanese bombs and crumbling buildings.As the western flank of General Chennault's carefully built, and usually very effective early warning network had been put out of action by the fall of Burma, the small AVG detachment that Chennault had placed at Baoshan, was caught on the ground by the attack, and with Japanese bombs already falling towards their targets, only Charlie was able to get to his aircraft and get off the ground, and as Roy has captured in his painting, Charlie took to the air without properly securing his parachute harness, seat belts and flying helmet.After a long, climbing pursuit to the southwest, Charlie caught up with the tail-end element of the Japanese bombers and quickly shot down one of the Ki-21's and possibly damaged a second. Unfortunately, Charlie was unaware that the Japanese bombers were being escorted by a chutai (squadron) of Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" fighters, three of which broke off, and followed him back to Baoshan. As Charlie flew over the Baoshan airstrip, he executed a perfect "victory roll," but at the top of his rolling maneuver, the three unseen "Oscars" dropped in behind him, and proceeded to blast his Tomahawk out of the sky. Somehow, despite the tremendous damage to his aircraft, Charlie managed to bailout and land safely with only minor burns to his shoulders and the back of his neck. AVG Flight Leader Peter Wright, who along with AVG Flight Leader Ben Foshee were part of a truck convoy that was driving the last of the AVG's equipment and supplies out of Burma, and were driving through Paoshan at the time of the Japanese attack, shared with me during a Second World War Symposium co-sponsored by the Yunnan Municipal Government and the SAAHF in Kunming in 2004, that both he and Foshee saw that the Japanese bombers were being lead by a large, four engine aircraft, that they could not identify. Peter also mentioned that the four engine aircraft appeared to be painted silver With the Japanese occupation of Burma, the Imperial Navy moved a number of their huge, four engine Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats to Burma to support its operations in the India Ocean, and photos from this time suggest that at least some of these H8K's were painted silver. So apparently the large aircraft that Peter and Ben Foshee observed leading the Ki-21's was an Imperial Navy H8K, that was being utilized as a navigation ship.*Peter was very fortunate to have survived the attack on Baoshan that day, as his friend and fellow "Flying Tiger," Ben Foshee was fatally wounded when Japanese bomb fragments slammed into the cap of the truck they were driving.

[elxgantcaptain]

SOOOOO, potentially a new hc backstory to Hook based on chats with a friend and more research cause HISTORY~

Posting under the cut first just to make sure it makes sense and to get peoples thoughts (those who know the OG story I went for)

83

Raised in a noble, rich household, James Francis Bartholomew Jackson was set to inherit his father’s business as a London Merchant, who owned three merchant vessels and a grand wealth and home. In reality, James senior, his father, was not really his father. James was bore from his mother’s love to a lowly footman in their home and despite keeping it secret, the truth was known after James’s mother passed away at age 4 and to keep the scandal secret, his father sent James’s real father to his death.

No one else knew. Any confession his wife had written was thrown in the fire, his anger towards his wife and her lover extended to young James and yet without this boy, his wealth would dwindle to nothing and his legacy for nought and by now he could not rid himself of the bastard child. Especially he had built himself up to be the boy’s father. 

James would never remember his mother well and he would never know the truth about his real father until much later in his life. He never saw his real father. 

In 1664 a young 12 year old James went to sea, working as an apprentice to the quartermaster on board an East India Trading Company vessel. He sailed with the promise and a contract to the ship, to return home in no more than a years time to take on more of his duties as a heir to his father’s fortune and business (as well as to confirm his betrothal to a gentry girl.) 

However, he never returned to England. 

After sailing on the merchant ship for a year, James was called to enlist into the navy as part of the second anglo-dutch war, he took part in a battle against Dutch ships and saw many deaths and sinking from the mere age of 14 as an apprentice officer. 

As the Plague of London erupted, followed by the Great Fire of London, he was taken out of the navy along with many others as a means for the government to save money and soon rejoined another merchant ship. 

Hook sailed on a total of 5 different merchant ships for a grand total of 13 years after leaving the navy. The truth of his birthright came about through a letter. The letter stated that Hook was not set to inherit his father’s title, business or money, he was bankrupt and cast aside after the death of his father who confessed before death that James was not his son and he kept it secret to avoid the scandal.

The blow of the news was only overshadowed by the Officers and Captain on the ship he served who took it as a ‘kindness’ to not throw him overboard and stripped him of all rank, titles and honours. Treating him with evil distain for the rest of his voyage.

Until the year 1703, where at the age of 27, James took part in the mutiny of the ship and became a pirate Captain.

For 10 years, James was known as both ‘Mutiny Red’ and ‘Scarlet Jim’ (Jas to his friends) and sailed across the world plundering, stealing and ransacking other ships, getting away with it at times for being hired as Privateers, escaping or disguising themselves. 

Then, one day, himself and his crew were struck by an horrendous and strange storm. When Hook awoke, he was amongst the wreckage of his ship in a new world, where the sky, the sea and the people were so different and magical…. The Never Realm.

Rescued and taken in by a man named Mr Smee, James and the members of his surviving crew rebuilt the ship and discovered the island ‘Neverland’ where he came across an orphan boy who didn’t seem to age…

The rest is history.

[scotianostra]

December 30th 1915 saw the Cruiser Natal explode in Cromarty harbour, killing over 400 people.

HMS Natal on that fateful day was at anchor in the Cromarty Firth. Her Captain, Eric Percy Coventry Back, had allowed a number of the ship’s crew to take shore leave – many of them to watch, and play, in an inter-ship football match. For some of his officers however, Captain Back had invited them and their wives to a film show on board. He had also invited a family friend, John Henry Dods – a former Scottish International rugby player – his wife Annie and their children Dorothy, Marcus and John. Captain Back’s wife (their own children were ill) and three nurses from the nearby hospital ship HMS Drina.

At around 3.20 pm the Natal was rocked by an explosion, followed by a further three blasts in short succession. Flames shot throughout the ship but the true seriousness of the situation wasn’t fully appreciated, with injured seaman were being sent to sickbay to have their burns dressed. Orders to flood the magazines couldn’t be carried out and although hoses were rigged no water was obtainable through the fire main system. Within three minutes of the first explosion the ship started to list heavily to port and after another two minutes, she had completely settled down with the forward end of the starboard bilge keel clear of the water. 421 men, women and children lost their lives in this disaster.

The loss of the ship was soon announced to the press. Various photographs of the Natal, her crew and the ship’s cat (with the caption “Rudolph, it is feared, was on board at the time”) appeared on the front page of the Daily Sketch two days running. And although they attempted to notify next of kin as quickly as possible, the Admiralty was inundated with letters from family members of the crew.

Although not immediately ruled out, the idea of a submarine attack was soon dismissed. In order to carry out a torpedo attack, a U-boat would have needed to have passed two other ships: another cruiser and an even more tempting target – the battleship Emperor of India. Having talked to survivors personally, and from divers reports, Vice-Admiral Jellicoe was of the opinion that the foundering of the Natal was due to an internal explosion.

As was traditional in the loss of a Royal Navy ship, a Court Martial into the loss of the Natal was held at Chatham between 18th and 20th January 1916. As the highest surviving officer, Lieutenant Commander John Spencer Tyndall was the first to give evidence. He was in the Mail Office and in the immediate aftermath directed the crew to rig fire hoses. His testimony, along with that of others, in particular the divers William Russell and Charles Lambert, confirmed the opinion that the loss of Natal was due to an internal explosion caused by faulty ammunition. (The divers reported that the explosion had blown both sides of the ship bodily outwards)

Today, a buoy marks the spot where Natal sank – the remains of the wreck designated under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Many of those who died are remembered on the naval memorials at Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth. Of the bodies recovered only 17 were identified and were buried in the local cemeteries of Cromarty and Rosskeen.

More than 100 years later their memory lives on in the local community, with a garden created in her honour at Invergordon, and museums in Cromarty and Invergordon remembering the sinking, a memorial in Durban was erected in 1927