Daniel Bigley was born on 5th April 1892 the son of John Henry and Maria Bigley. In 1915, his normal abode was still 81 Buddle Street, Jarrow, County Durham, and he was described at this time as a cart-man.

There are two physical descriptions of Daniel. One in is provided on Daniel’s Army Service Record and the other on his Navy Service Record. According to his Army Record, Daniel was 5 foot 7 at the age of 22. However, in his Naval Record he had grown to 5 foot 7¾ inches tall. His Army record states that his Chest Expansion was 36 inches inflated, and 32 inches deflated. According to his Naval Record, his chest deflated to 34 inches, a two-inch difference, possibly indicating that he had built up some muscles in that time. Other characteristics were that he had a fair complexion with light brown hair and brown eyes. On his left arm, he had a tattoo of clasped hands and heart. His left eye refracted. Meaning it turned in.

Daniel joined the Tynemouth Royal Garrison Artillery Company 1 on 22nd May 1914 at North Shields and he was there until 4th August 1914. His service number was given as No. 669.and he was ranked as a Gunner

Daniel’s’ Pension Record states “Embodied Service, Tynemouth R.G.A. Coy 1, at Tynemouth as a Gunner on 5th August 1914. On the 26th June 1915, Daniel officially left the army after attending 1 year and 34 days.

According to his Naval Record, Daniel had done 14 months service in the army, and on 12th June 1915 he had transferred from the 4th Battalion of the Royal Garrison Artillery and joined the Royal Naval Voluntary reserve as an Ordinary Seaman. In September 1915, he received pay for his service in the Army, and was quickly promoted to Able Seaman. By the 5th October 1915, he was drafted to Portsmouth where presumably he boarded the HMS Natal. His Service number for the purposes of this was Tyneside Z/5314.

Why Daniel decided to move from the army and join the Navy is unknown. One reason suggested is it may have had something to do with his older brother Robert Nichol Bigley being posted for a time as “Missing in Action presumed Killed.” Robert was in the same Regiment as Daniel, and perhaps Daniel did not want the same to happen to him. Sadly, the decision to move from army to Navy was to cost Daniel his life.

Daniel could not swim, apparently the Royal Navy at that time preferred men not to be able to swim, as it meant that they could not swim away if they were to mutiny.

HMS Natal at the time was considered as on of the best ships in the fleet. On 31st December 1915, while the crew were enjoying a New Years Eve Party .an explosion took place in the magazine room. The ship was moored at Cromarty Firth near Invergorden in Scotland. The ship sank within minutes with the loss of over 400 lives, Daniel being among them. These two photos show what HMS Natal looked like.

A book called They Called it Accident by Cecil A. Hampshire, talks about the incident. It was agreed at an enquiry that they explosion was caused by faulty cordite, however Hampshire discusses the possibility of a German sub sneaking into the Harbour. Since his book was published, divers have found evidence to suggest that the enquiry was correct. The truth was that the Cordite should have been removed from the ship months earlier and for some reason it was not.

Some accounts and witness statements on the incident.