THE
HONGKONG
TELEGRAPH.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18,
1936.
To-day in the Past The Story Of The BOMBARDMENT
of
the
HARTLEPOOLS
By
Mrs. Ellen Whitecross
0
NLY a week Christmas.
meet a fate mare terrible even than along the pavement; the next, with
swift' death.
Scarcely had
a hideous scream, they would roll
they disappeared over into the gutter. from sight than there was the deep boom of distant heavy aring. At
In a few minutes usually quiet
first I attached little importance to and peaceful thoroughfares had been this, as firing practice off that part made to resemble a Flanders battle- to of the coast was frequent, and the field.
residents of the Hartlepools had be
Helpers already filled the streets, oblivious of their own danger, it The come accustomed to and unalarmed
by it. shops of the Hartle-
But, as the minutes passed and the seemed. The dead were placed re- noise grew closer, a fearful suspicion verently by the roadside, the helpers then hurrying on to aid the injured pools were taking on a fes- gripped me. There had been many where there was still hope. Shrap- rumours of possible bombardment tive appearance.
and invasion of the east coast by the nel rained everywhere.
It was at a spot where four streels enemy,, but no one had taken them
Peter, rously. Yet now it seemed that converge that I found my perhaps after all something of the flung arms outspread into the gutter,
The children of the towns, uncomprehending the gra- vity of the four-month-old European war, were looking. eagerly twenty-fifth.
sort was imminent.
A Soldier's forward to the Warning
+
face upwards. I could see that he was dend. But what of the others? At that moment two soldiers came up to me.
"This is no place for you, Mrs. Whitecross," they said,'.
Almost at the same moment there burst on my cars a louder and nearer
And, because I felt as though all of me, I let the life had gone out In the houses there was much detonation which shook the house to
its very foundations.
were An Instant later followed a terrific them lend me away to a cellar into preparation. There were pud-
women and children ding-stirring and cake-making, shattering that seemed to beat into which
being herded by the military and and parcel-packing, for large by brain.
I rushed to my door. At that mo- the injured were being carried by consignments of Christmas fare
with were being sent to husbands and ment there raced down the street n St. John Ambulance workers.
face streaming soldier, his
We seemed to be imprisoned down sons at the front.
blood, his tunic torn, yelling warn- The Hartlepools were flourishing, ings to the Inhabitants of the houses there hours. It was like being in was a period of unprecedented who by now had hurried to their some medieval dungeon. The in- there was none excepting in an old prosperity-how different from these doors and windows to see what the jured were moaning for water, but claya of industrial stagnation and nolac was about,
distress-for
**The the
Germans are here on top rainwater butt in the corner. They
drank from this. Unemployment shipbuilding yards had in hand or of us," he gasped. "Get pul with Children of yours, for God's ders that would, working day, and those night, take two years and more to sake, Mrs. Whitecross." exucute.
It
A Son's Dying
"If you don't believe me, all I can Message The Itartlepools dinned with the say is my mate down there at the cinng of the riveters' hammers, the battery hasn't a head," he burst out dockyards were hives of industry, grimly, "They're firing on, us es the brilliant glare of blasting fur- hard as they can." naces never dulled.
I
Again, and agaln
came
Then the noise ceased as suddenly as it had started.
TWENTY-TWO years ago Britain began the four
tremendous years of her history.
Strange and perilous things happened in those four years things of which the full facts were never really known.
This is the second of a series of articles in which actual survivors will tell their stories of the dramas in which they were suddenly called to play a part, and of the events that will remain the outstanding memories of their lives.
To-day a Hartlepool mother describes what hap- pened on that morning in 1914 when, a few moments after her children had left home to go to school, three German warships rained shells upon the town.
..
FATHERLESS
All that was left of the home in which these two children lived with their parents.
All this time we could hear fring going on above. At every moment house to come that we expected the roar of close-by crashing down on us. was then living in Hartlepool, dreadful bursting which is separated from West Hor- gunfire, to the accompanying rattle
and ship of chattering masonry. tlepool by the docks
Now the noise of splitting, houses Shortly afterwards a policeman building yards, near the sea shore.
away, the arrived and took us to the police Here is a maze of densely popu- seemed a good distance lated streets with amull seml-de- next a deafening crash would indi- station, which was being used as a tached houses, chiefly inhabited by cate that it was only a few yarda temporary hospital. working people, fronted by the two off, and within a few seconds a cloud
known batterles
BB Heugh and of dust and particles of debris
would descend on the roadway. pool's main war-time defence.
It is hard to give a clear account lying on the floor waiting to be con→ of one's thoughts and actions during veyed to Hartlepool Hospital. There a crisis of this kind. But I do re- were pitiful scenes-wamen calling badly injured, gave a won smile of The Scandinavian Church, too, was
With diiculty he raised himself the soldier's for their children, others begging to recognition when he saw me. member that after warning I ran through the streets in be taken away.
One small boy-named Christo- from the floor on his elbow.
"You know me, Mrs. Whitecross, Shortly before 8 a.m. on Deceni- the direction taken by my children
pher Measor-who seemed to
don't you?" he said weakly. ber 10, 1014, I stood at the door of a few minutes before,
"Of course I do, Christopher," I sold..
A Merry
Laughing Trio
my house to see my three children,
Peter, aged nine, Matthew, who was Sheltered
six and a half, and little-Elizabeth,-
a. merg toddler of three and a half, In The Sea
on their way to school.
My husband had joined the Army
Everywhere Was
Never shall I forget the sight there. Rows and rows of wounded were
be
The P.&O. Banking
chaos People Corporation, Ltd.
a week before, and was stationed at rushed hither and thither, not know- Jarrow. We expected him home on ing
(Incorporated in England, 1920).
£3,000,000 2.524.100 180,000
HEAD OFFICE. 117-122, Leadenhail Street, London, E.C.3. WEST END BRANCH.
hit.
West Hartlepool suffered no less damage, although there the deaths not so heavy. and casualties were Two of the German battle cruisers had momentarily relaxed their, bom- bardment of Hartlepool and turned
I want you to tell my mother their attention to the docks and ship..
when you see her that I love her,
he said.
He managed to kneel, and, put
ting his hands together, began the Lord's Prayer Onished it.
But he never
By noon the work of attending to the wounded was well in hand, Hartlepool Hospital was soon filled to overflowing. Two, and, even three, of the less serious cases were put into one bed. Some lay on tresses in the corridora.
building yards separating the two towns.
But although' a tturmber of hits shells were made many of the "cleared" the docks and exploded in the alreets of West Hartlepool.
The enemy seemed to direct their haphazard, without definite alm. Many fell into the water of the docks.
shots
The Raiders' €18 8000 from land
town were no less painful. People who first conveyed to me the news stood despairingly in groups before of the Impending attack on the town. their ruined homes. Many of thein. Despite the shock which these swift had lost a parent, son, or a daughter. casualties must have
In several cases a whole family had' garrison gunners, had on the
Immediately
been wiped out.
opened fire: So began the first battle on British The second shell fired by one of between a British battery.on the three German ships the first soll and an enemy feet at sea.
To every enciny shell sent over was aimed at the Heugh Battery,
an answer. The officer and killed the frat soldier to meet there was his death on British soil at the hand commanding the gunners, Colonel them to alm of the enemy in the great war L. Robson, ordered struck the upper floor of a near-by higher-at the decks of the enemy
craft.
Onlookers wird watched the battle
house.
there. Onc
Two spinsters lived of them was in the passage on her from points on the coast have sald way to her sister's bedroom, disturb that the bridge of one of the German ed from her slumbers, no doubt, by vessels--the Blucher, later sunk by us was carried away by one of our the sudden noise outside.
A piece of the shell struck one shells. aleter, inflicting terrible wounds and killing her instantly
Many
of the crews on board the When, after Gormon vessels were seen to fall.
The Germans, in fact, later ad-
the bombardment, neighbours went
to search for the second sister, they mitted in official reports that their could not at first find her. She had casualties in this battle amounted to been blown to ploces,
ninety killed and 210 wounded. The German warships-two battle But, despite the gallant fight put our batteries, the German cruisers and one armoured cruiser up by took part in the attack--were met as ships
for fifty minutes, during British destroyers, which opened which time 1,500 shells were fired
Into the town, causing 113 deaths fire on them.
This accounted for the distant many died later from their injuries-- firing which the Hartlepools had and wounding 427.
The German ships returned humo heard before the ships emerged from
in
direction, northerly
scattering mines ns they went, in consequence of which three ships were destroyed off the coast a few hours later.
they came into the bay by four of Holsted in their bombardment
the mist that hung over the sea.
Our Gunners'
Reply
It was a sad Christmas for Hartie-
There was
vas little of the festive
poolt
But the four-inch guna of the spirit of the season behind the shat- British ships were entirely inade- tered windows and cracking walls of qunto against those of the Germans, those dwellings.
and they were forced to retire after
three of their
Brickwork was pitted with shell
crew had been killed splinters, doors hung limply on thes and sveral injured. All excepting hinges, alates and tiles lay in heaps one of the ships were badly damaged. by the roadalde.
Suddenly the
+
the leading German ship To a street which in less than an had turned round and opened fire on hour had become as desolated as any Heugh Battery, A shell exploded of those of the cities of Belgium 1 against the corner of the low wall returned the day after the bombard- Heugh ment forming the boundary bet
between
It My children had gone, my home Battery and the pathway dividing from the other battery, killing the was badly damaged, and in a few sentry and three men of the Durham hours another life was coming into Light Infantry Regiment, which had the world behind a roughly boarded in a room where the provided the ballery guard, and window wounding several others.
crumbled debris of dislodged ceilings
It was one of the wounded men still lay thickly on the furniture.
OUR
BRITISH CROSSWORDS
wero
10
whether to stay Indoors or to leave for Christmas. for a fourth leave their homes for safely. Mothers were grabbing their children and little one was expected shortly.
The children were looking for running with them towards the back Authorised Capital ward to Christmas with thel of the town, Instinctively drawn to Subscribed and Paid-up
At one shipyard two men "soldier daddy. Their little gifts the open country, Many raced Into Reserve Fund
killed and the electrical and riggers for him lind already been bought the sea and stood waist deep in the
shelter of the pier. and carefully stored away.
shops were set alight. A partly built Sumo fell as they ran, hit by
was hit by a shell which They were a merry, laughing trlo.
14-LG, Cockspur Street, London, S.W.1. at pieces of flying shell and falling de- and as they turned the corner
FRANCUES:-Bombay,
Ordinary patients were transter- steamer the bottom of Willlam-street they bris ns shot after shot was hurled
Coimbatore, Colombo,
Ilongkong, Madras, red to the outpatients department, pierced her hold and killed a work- among the houses.
Shanghai, Bingapore, waved their hands to me.
Agencies-in all principal. towns of the A number of buildings besides the man.
police station were turned into tem Fled Into world.
General Exchange and Banking business porary hospitals. The transacted. Loans and overdraft granted on took fifty cases. approved security. Current and Flied Depot socants opened.
some evil power Little did I think then that it was It was though. to be the last farewell of two of was striking them down. At one them and that the youngest would moment they would be running
HONGKONG 'AND SHANGHAI
BANKING CORPORATION.
Authorleed Capital
Issued and Faily Paid-up*******
Reserva Funda
SterflogDIR
[29,000,030 ********** £ *,500,000
THE CHARTERED BANK OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA.
Calcutta, Callout
Poison
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IN LOCAL CUL BENCT--interest allowed at 2% per annum.In Shells
ACCOUNTS:
which may be
OP
workhouse
The Country
All day the rallway stations were besleged by panic-stricken people: determined at all costs to get away from the district, even. though it Every doctor and nurse in Hurtle meant leaving their homes as they set out to walk to CREDIT pool and the surrounding towns and stood. Some and TRAVELLERS CHEQUES med also villages gave willing aid to the in- Stockton and Darlington. PRAsengers' Letter of Credit for use only on board 1, 0, and B.I, Steamers and at jured, many of whose wounds were part of Call.
Urillah ineense Tax Escovered.
.............. $50,000,000!
Incorporated by Royal Charter 1855. | Pakloup Capital:
43.000,038 Reserve Jability of Proprietors... £5.009,90
$8.000,030 Reserve Fund
STERLING SAVINGS
Interest allowed a Fatos
obtained us application.
TRAVELLERS' LETTERS
$20,000,000
RHAD OFFICE-KONGKONG. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ALOR STAN
Hongkong Currency Reserve $10,000,000
Reserve Liahliity of Proprietors
Hon, Hr. J. 3. Paterson,
Chatraan.
a. Miskin, Esq., Deputy Chairman.
A. II. Compion, Esq.. K. B. Morrion, Es Hon. Mr. H, Dodwell, T. EL. Pearce, Es.. Hon. Mr. M. T. Johnson, A. Im Shields, Ha
J. R. Mason, Ed.
BANGKOK
V.M GRAYBURN EL.
DATAVIA DOMDAY CALCUTTA CANTON
COLA DAUREN FOOCHOW HAIPHONG HAMBURG JANKOW ZIARDIN HONGKET ILOILO
IPOTI
JOHOND
KOBE
KOWLOON
CHEF MANAGER.
BRANCHES pare
KUALA LUMPUR
LANDON
LYONS MALACCA MANILA MUAR (JOHORE) MUKDEN NEW YORK
PELPING PENANO RANGOON SAIGON SAN FRANCISCO SILANGILAT BINGAPORE SOURADAYA SUNDEI PATANI TIENTSIN TOKYO
TSINGTAD
YOKOHAMA
AGENCIES AND DRANCIES:-
AMRITSAR
BANGKOK DATAVIA ROMBAY CALCUTTA. CANTON
CAWNPORE CEBU
XLANO HOBE KUALA
Iloilo
POH
BAIGON BEMARANG
KARACHI
SEREMDAN
SHANGHAL
BITIAWAN
·
SINGAPORE
LUMPUR
KUCHING MADRAS
BOURABAYA TAIPING
Executorships and Trusteeships, undertaken,
W. J. WADDINGTON,
Hongkong, 17th April, 1936.
Maningar,
MANILA
. TIENTSIN
TONGKAIL
MEDAN
TSINGTAO
PEIDING
(Toking)
УОКОПАНА. ZAMBOANGA
PENANG
BAITHONG NEW YORK
COLOMBO
DELJI
HAMBURG
ILANKOW
HARDIN
HONGKONG BANGGON
(Phuket)
Foreign Exchange and General Banking: business transacted.
Durront Accounts opened and Fixod". De posta recolved for one year or shorter perioda at raton which will be quoted on application. The Bank's Head One in Loudou under- takes Executor & Trustose businoes and cizima recovery of British Insorse Tax overpaid, on Larms which may be sacertained at any of: Its Agencies & Branches.
THE YOKOHAMA SPECIE
BANK LIMITED..
THE BANK OF EAST ASIA. LIMITED.
Authorised Ospital
Pide Capital
Reserve and Undivided
Profits
$10,000,000.00 0,293,600,00 2,686,195.52
HEAD OFFICE-HONGKONG, 10, De Vorut Road Central
It was a pathetic procession that its way into the country on Arudged indescribably terrible.
More than twenty people died that dreary December morning,
wheeled Some before they could be operated on.
perambulators.
The medical staff at the hospitol Some carried dogs under their arms, in cages. There were found themselves faced with a grave or canaries dimeulty for the chemical consti- others with bundles containing a few
treasures snatched tuents of the German shells carried cherished
the
up
They were given food and drink
20
17
行
31
ACROSS
1 There must be a tank in this green-house, though it need not take up much room.
9 Ahl there's money about for an
Irishman, I see.
10 London suburb,
11 The heart of 2.
a polson which discoloured the flesh before leaving. Many were clad only many in their night clothes and were even and prevented healing. In instances this made it impossible to barefooted. save wounded Umbs.
While the work of looking after on the way by sympathetic farmers 12 Takes money for swindles. the injured was going on inside the and others. Christmas fare ready 13 indicates a rise in leather down
under just now. for the following week was distribut- hospitals the task of clearing
14 It is pleasant made from Ilmes. ed among the refugees, wreckage was being carried on.
were bewildered children 10 No dole for this chump. There This unexpected rald by the
had caused tremendous who had lost their parents or who 18 Aslatic tribesman. Germans had havoc. In nearly every street at had been hustled out of the danger 20 A good deal of her balance has dreadful stampede that been taken by this old-fashion- least one house was turecked; in some zone in the g of the first shots.
ed book. followed the a whole row was demolished.
walls,
My own little girl, I afterwards 42 Elin. Birba Great holes gaped in the Wong Chu Ban. Eid. P. K. Kwok, E., Wong Yun Tong, Ran Ying Fe, Leq.,
masses of Inths and sintes lay across learned, was taken in by a kindly 24 An offensive point about a cer- the roadways, for whole roots had neighbour. Her brothers had been tain vegetable.
27 Command neatness. lifted
off by the high velocity struck down with the shells. been shells,
Later this neighbour fled with her 20 Not quite so fast-built more. for comfort than for speed, as One shell had hit the Carnegie family to the country, and it was not
stone until late that night, when many a matter of fact. sending a great
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:-ew
Hon. Bir Shouson Chów, Chairman.
Li Koon Chan, Erdu
Chan Chang Shok, Exc..
Li Lan Bang, E44,
Kan Tong Po, Esq., Chief Maniget.
- Li The Fong, Esq., Manager, BRANCHES AND AGENCIES —
Melbourne Bingapore Magureki New York
Opaka
Karachi
Kobe
London
· ·Mynii
Los Angeles
Majl
Capital... (fully-palid=ip) Heserve Fund kangas”.
HEAD OFFICE:—YOKOHAMA. Branches and Agencies at
Rio de
Janeiro Kan Francleco Beattie Berarang Shangbal· Singapore Bourabaya
Sydney
T.100,000,000 Y.189,990,900) Amoy
Batavia Bombay Calculia Canton Halpbong Tinakow Honolula Kobe Kowloon Tondoa Manti
PARE Piping Penang Rangoon
Tien talo
Thingto
Tokyo
Yingkow
Currant heedunia opened in Local Currency Alexandria Elminklor and Fixed Deposit received for one voer or Bangkok
and Slatavia "Currency In Local shorter Delo Sterling ou terme which will be quoted on Uerdin
1 Bombay application.
ALSO up to date sapH DEPOBIT BOXER Cleulta
Canton In various rises TO LEA
Dairen (Dalny) Nagasaki - Fungtion
.Nagoya (Mukan) New York
Hongkong at November, 1919.:
11ONGKONG SAVINGS, BANK,
·Belzon ·
Bhanghal
Foursheys
Swntow Rydney
Talboku Tintain "Tokyo
Vancouver
* Ban Franeker Yokoham
Sentite
Bemarkac
Litbrasivio and chunks of ornamen were forced to return to the 'stricken 30 Ita possession is a doubtful":"
for
· gift.
DOWN:
that little Elizabeth shelter, tal masonry hurtling into the street town below, where they fell on a group was brought back and carried to the 31 The volcano did. of people who were seeking shelter. hospital to be laid, at the request of 32 Went In, blushing finally.
Matthew who died shortly after 33 Concurred also (three words, killing several of them.
churches were hit, includ- wards from terrible wounds-in the 7, 2, 8). Several ing St. Hilda's thirteenth-century same bed as he occupied.
Poor Elizabeth lived for five years edifice, and one of the finest ex-
were years
of agonising suffering. Every decription of Banking and Examples DE, ceclesiastical architecture after the bombardment, but they 2 Turn to, and give him hell, the change bus{DORS transacted. Loans arantod in the north.
Stonework on St. Mary's Church It was found that numberless amalis They're all round the coast of on approved 'nécurillen, qoAD
Current: Ancounia opened In Local Car was also badly damaged, and a shell particies of shrapnel had lodged in rency, and Fixed Deposits received for ane
rebuilt causing impregnated with the polton from Deporita received. For fized periods at ratos ar or shorter periode in Local Foreign Passed right through the Baptist her body, and her whole system was
Currenclas on orm which will be quoted Church-recently
those dreadful shells. N tremendous havoc.
Hamburg
Hankow
Ovaka
Olaru Park
·Petping" Rangoon Interest allowed on Current Accounta
-The-Business of the above Bank een-Harbin ducted by the Hongkong and Shangbs) Bank Fionolulu me Ing Corporation. Nules may be obtained on Flongkeer Spplication.
FOR THE HONGKONG - AND SHANGHÁI.
SANT BANKING CORPORATION
NARV. M,' GRAYBURN.”.......
Chlet Manager, Hongkong), 14th: February, 1970.
to be obtained on application
Y. KANO.
4
Bafe: Deposit Boxes To Let
Managit,
Hongkong, 18th November, 1986,
KAN TONG PO.
Chief" Manager,
It finally penetrated the bedroom The scenes among those who were of a house, which was also damaged, brave enough to remain on in the
Jealous fellow.
England, and in this. 4"A sound measure, B. Here you see Anne in a temper.
Balvo (anag.).)
7 Somewhat mixed language.
8 Set free an imprisoned Danish
fencer.
Stone a shrimp (anag).
14 Sticks down.
18 Keen enough, but I must admit
It takes a long time.
17. Don't turn this fish for obvious
reasons.
19 Fancy having to fag up here! 21 Fort? Note the question-then
Ignore it.
23 One would imagino that the cryptogam would not flourish In this forrid situation:
25 Domestic animale;
26 The guard, that does not watch, 20 Rate.
20 Begin (two words, 3, 2),
Yesterday's Bolution. SUBSTITUTE ZUL PED BET UNAWAKENED HOO
K
TOWER ME RE TFB LAM INVOICE PIN OWN IGA MANAGES GILLIES
GENEN I JOR INAQA IN OTIAN NIG
I ELANDE DRAMA
P.B
[BUG KE COLLARBONE
ARD DETERMINED: