Reginald John Harvey

A Stoker 1st Class with H.M.S. Natal, Reginald died on 30th of December 1915 at the age of 28. 

Reginald was born at Horsford, Norfolk, on 15 April 1887, a son of John Cogman and Susannah Harvey. He was baptised at Horsford on 15 May 1887. In 1891 his family lived at 103 Norwich Road, Horsford. 

Reginald was working as a bricklayer’s labourer when he joined the Royal Navy on 15 November 1905 to serve as a Stoker for five years, with seven years in the Reserve. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on 18 November 1910, number RFR/CH/B/7043.

In 1911 Reginald lived at Wades Yard, Horsford, with his sister and widowed mother. Reginald worked as a labourer at a market garden.   

On 14 June 1913 Reginald married Mercia Britannia Todd at Saint Peter’s Church, Carlton Colville. Reginald was working as a labourer and they both lived at Carlton Colville. Later Mercia lived at Foresters Cottage, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft. In 1918 Mercia married Frederick Bridge.   

Reginald was recalled to full-time service on 2 August 1914. Initially he served with H.M.S. Sutlej. In the first sic months of the war the Sutlej was employed in convoy duties off France and Spain. On 2 December 1915 Reginald was drafted to H.M.S. Natal. 

On 30 December the Natal was moored in the Cromarty Firth. December 30 was a rest day and several civilians, including women and children, were on board, hosted by the ship’s officers. Around 3.35 p.m. the ship exploded. Initially it was assumed that the ship had been torpedoed but a subsequent investigation found that it was a series of internal explosions that sank the ship, possibly caused by cordite. In total 421 people were killed: both navy personnel and civilians.