Captain Eric Percy Coventry BACK, RN

HMS Natal, Royal Navy

Died in Nigg Bay, Cromarty Firth following an internal explosion that cause the ship to sink, with a loss of between 390 and 421 lives. His wife died with him as she was onboard at the time. 30th December 1915.

Commemorated Chatham Naval Memorial 8

Buried in Cromarty Firth at sea

Awarded British War and Victory Medals

Son of Rev Samuel and Mrs Eugenie Back, Vicar of Maxstoke

The disaster was reported in many newspapers

Other Information

Married to Violet Back (nee Hammill)

Married on 18th February 1911 in Havant, Southampton

Born in 1870 in Torquay, Devon

There is a record of 3 children living with their maternal grandmother, Ann Hammill in 1921 at Selsfield, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent

Eric Fred Sidney Back born 1912

Helen Eugeine Back born 1913

Diana Coventry Back born 1914

Links

• CWGC Page for Captain Back
• NNWFHS Maxstoke War Memorial Page
• Jellicoe Memorial HMS Excellent, Whale Island, Portsmouth
• Memorial Plaque at St Thomas a Beckett Church, Warblington, Hampshire
• CWGC Chatham Naval Memorial
• HMS Natal Wikipedia

Naval Service Record

Confirmed in the rank of Sub Lieutenant dated 14th February 1890

Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 30th June 1892

Promoted to the rank of Commander 26th June 1902

Appointed to be executive officer of HMS Prince George 1st November 1905

Promoted to the rank of Captain 30 June 1908

Appointed in command of the cruiser HMS King Alfred 7th June 1910

Appointed Captain of HMS Leviathian 8th February 1911

Appointed to HMS Impregnable to be Flag Captain to Admiral Egerton on the Plymouth Station 20th March 1913

Appointed to HMS Natal on 5th June 1915