1936-12-16 — Page 12

'12

To-Day in the Past

The barracks after the bombardment. They were empty at the time..

By Coastguardsman

JAMES WALSH

Scarborough Castle during

the bombardment.). AWN was

D

spreading

over the North Sea.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16,

The German battle-cruiser Von der Tano, which took part in the raid.

The

Bombardment

of Scarborough

1936.

THE bombardment of Scarborough and Hartlepool, by a German naval force brought home to the British people, perhaps more than anything else, the real meaning of the war.

On December 16, 1914, six German warships crept up to within a few miles of the British coast and rained shells on the two towns. During the raid they killed 187 inhabitants, injured 592 and did great damage to property.

coune chamber. Another hit the authorities to see over the town under lighthouse at the harbour entrance, the guidance of a local historian. badly damaging *1.

eern,

The request was granted, -' and during the tour of inspection both the barracks and Castle wero visited.

The hospital was hit, although, fortunately, no one was injured.

At St. Martin's Church on South Cliff morning Mass was being held Every one in the German party was armed with a camera, and 1 when the bombardment started.

One shell hit the tower. Naturally recall that at the time particular the congregation showed some con- interest in the Castle and its place but after a few renssuring in the military scheme of things words from the officiating archdearon was exhibited by several of its the service was resumed.

members, who asked a great num- Private houses and their occupants ber of searchng

questions, in widely scattered areas suffered But whatever the significance of this incident, there is certainly, no doubt that on December 18, 1914. the commanders of those German battleships were by no means lack-- Ing in knowledge that had both a Castle and Scarborough

tremendous damage.

Her speed was churning the water to be in the midst of one of these mines as she went along the inshore calm his terrifled mother as shells

almost up to her forecastic.

coast

נן

shattering fulminallons.

'

Successive crashes told us that e Castle and the barracks were crun bling before the terrible onslaught. Uncanny Silence

In Wykeham-street there is a house that has since always been known as "The House of Tragedy." A young soldier home on leave was trying to flew over the house, when one pene channel, to which I have referret.

trated the wall and

and exploded in the A few minutes later she was fol-

It killed her, room where they were. the two by

larger vessels, the lowed

the soldier, and two young boys, one which skilfully manoeuvred past their own mines, firing as they went.

well remember another tragic All three ships then steamed at

of the bombardment. A episode full speed in the direction of Whitby, postman, Alfred Beal by name, was which they next bombarded

delivering the morning letters ni In Senrborough the panle caused houses on South Cliff, one of the by this unexpected attack of the better-class roads of Scarborough, enemy on an unprotected town was when the ships started firing.

He

pluckily continued of rounds. The reached a house known

as "Dunollle" and rang the bell,

He had a birthday present for the maidservant. She answered the Even as he handed her the package a shell burst within a few feet of them. They were both blown to pieces,

from

its mast above the hut.

An uncom

1 called to my companions. fortable. Icy, penetrating mist,

They were Harry Holding, next in of November characteristic December on the Yorkshire east, rank to myself, and a police con-

stable. Harry Hunter. "Frostbalgh" they call it,

It was usual during war time for (who was on duty at the

Below I could only just make out the local police force to supple- Admiralty Signal Station at the sea. Grey and grim. I could ment the personnel at the Admic- Would It never cease? Surely it hear it slurring monotonously over alty signal stations dotted round the had already lasted hours. I looked the shingly foredior

with constables-mainly as a at my watch. It was twenty minules A few minutes infer the min began safeguard against espionage,

past eight. to ft.

"There's a strange shlpr over

And then suddenly there was a full. terrific. Suddenly to the north I could there...

I said. "And as sure as my An uncanny, enveloping silence.

When they had recovere dimly discern an approaching vessel,

Jimmie Walsh she's

their astonishment many A cock crowed in the distance. Just a blurred shape such as one German"

There were the faint sounds of dogs population had run distractedly into would see through a badly focused Even as I spolte 1 saw two more telescope. it was travelling inside vessels loom out of the haze at her barking agitatedly in the town below, the streets, regardless of the chilli-

I scrambled to my feet.

ness of the morning and the fact that door. Port.

There were

kooked gigantic.

Ji was, in fact, this rush into the no doubt, by an marvellous to

streets-impelled, to me that they did all merchant shipping as a safeguard cottages adjacent to the Castle been extremely well acquainted with deaths from flying pieces of shell.

piot run aground; they must have instinctive urge to By from danger

that

was responsible for a good many I told Holding to warn the coast the waters outside Scarborough.

Hundreds raced towards the rail- Probably one of the Carron Line Huard, who had their quarters lower vessels that were emstantly passing down the cliff.

way station, and the authorities had harassing morning coping with the along the 'channel with malls and Now I could clearly see that the

vast and sudden exodus. merchandise on their way to and lending vessel was a warship. from Leith and London. I

two-funnelled second look.

Cruiser. I hardly know what prompted, my next action. Perhaps it slight unfamiliarity about the design of the bont,

the swept channel that ran down

side.

I had watched it for the past twenty minutes split practically the whole length of the ting up the darkness of the East Coast ami extended three miles the men and oficers of the militare lay. They now three ships in the, they were only in thele night clothes.

long and dreary night.

Never before had my vigil from the look-out station that topped a promontory overlook- ing Scarborough Bay dragged on so interminably.

A Strange Vessel

be

I glanced at my watch. It showed 7.50. Thank goodness I had only ten minutes more duty. My relief. Bob Barnes, would already elimbing the steep hill that wound up from the town of Scarborough to the summit of the cliff.

I stretched my limbs and walked to the door.

A sticky chilliness enveloped me as I opened it and went outside on to the strip of grass that lay between the hut and elist_edge.

r

હતું.

It

1 shouted to Hunter to call out

bille's out to sea, muid which was used by guard, who had their

against mines.

took

n

WIN

one. An

A

enciny

It seem-

I noticed that two of the vessels were now swinging round and re versing their course.

town

The guns to port side were now town. A being trained on to the

Hotel Target great shudder passed through. me. Flash And A Roar

Scarborough was not an early Special trains were put on; many She was quite close to the shore. rising town. In a moment its sleep- people arrived at places so far in- I could make outgures crowding ng inhabitants would be roused to land as Maltou and Yorit in thressing

un unbearable agony. I walked in a gowns and bedroom slippers. Maybe it was because the guard on the bridge. I could also seo a

fearful suspense. I was helpless.

Others drove to friends who had; being trained on to the Castle. at Scarborough Castle thal Jay

At all barely three hundred yards

Thirty seconds later there was a houses inland in every kind of cone, Isprong to the telephone. im-

{1 salvo veyance-motor-cars, traps, cost I must inform the wireless flash and an explosion and mediately behind the signal station station at the bircle of the town was flung into the midst fr

Many bicycled out of the had the night before unexpretedly it was in direct touch with the thickly popistated streets below mc. with few personal belongings been doubled,

Admiralty. I began the niessage. Again and again were those light- hurriedly placed in a knapsack slung

handlebars. "Enemy baileships approuching ning flashes followed by explosions over the from the north," I spoke hastily, that quivered the air and terminated The damage to houses and pubile

They are about to bom

In crashes that seemed to reverberate buildings in the streets was consider-

The

LWD against the cliffside a thousand times, able. message

top floors was never finished. The

of the Grand Hotel were shattered their en- There was

brilliant flash. A sonorous year,

tire length and breadth. The hotel A shelt tore over

Ind made a Brst-class target and the hut, taking with it, the tele- My suspicions were now definitely phone wires. It burst in the strip town at close range.

Shell after shell was fred into the stands high up on the cliffs in, the

very centre of the bay. rear of

At any rate, I re-entered the hut and rong up Whitby signal station the next round the coast northwards. I inquired if any vessel of the description of the approaching one

slation had passed their

earlier, None had.

A heavy haze hung over the sea. Wisps

drifted of it

across the clitis. The turf was saturated,

it gave beneath my trend. It glossed my aroused. boots to the sheen of patent leather.

n

of headland between the

The suspect was drawing nearer, the hut and the Castle. The White Ensign sagged madly on She was travelling at a great rate,

OUR BRITISH CROSSWORDS

ACROSS

1 Characteristic of a nation of

shopkeepers, to include an old English kingdom.

7 Describes that crossword fish.

8 That is to come.

11.Quite washed out.

13 Own up that it's let in.

13 This page will cause a strike

I can see.

10 Fish that helps in the choir.

17 He shows derision though ten-

der to a degree,

19 What Mordecal was to Haman.. 21 Drudge.

23 Catspaw.

24 Dow.

25 She took the "repentant tear"

lo Heaven's gate.

20 An orrcar of work In

Lewisham district.

20 Kitchen menini.

the

30 Although completely ambiguous

It contains one term.

DOWN

quite definite

2 A bird that is full of oil and

roc

3.Why sulk? Hundreds open

shortly-OR

This is to be seen in medieval halls and churches with, a red. centrepiece.

Clerical praise of a high order. 0. Befool

7 Describes a novel journey?

110

113.

#16

Piano or text funng.).

10 They have their points, cut up.

14 Frilly bow or wooden shoe.

15 Lol sir (anag).

18

.

poem In fruit. Some consider It makes music.

20 The lane that has a turning:

very spirited, this

21 The lion would not be satisfied

with this share.

22 Refrain.

28 Not full-blooded,

mustn't be without it.

but one

|27 As arranged, according to this,

The earth trembled,

At the same moment

my' relief. Bob Barnes, white and breathless, dashed into the hut..

"My God, the papers, quick," he "This is going to be a

-1-- gathered up all the confiden tal books and documents, and flew to an old disused well at the back of the hut. Bob Barnes followed with cam of paraffin.

Now a second terrible resonant roar out at the sea, the whine of a shell, and the but we had just vacated was no more.

"Nothing but a wooden platform that and formed the floor, and tangled heap of smoking rubbish. With feverish haste Barnes tore

the T cap of the paraffin can und poured its contents on to the books and papers that I had lald in heap on the

Bruss

a

Another shell, We saw a great cloud of dust rise from a row of I empty barracks adjacent to the #Custle. A long, gaping fissure show- d from roof to floor of its brickwork

With

Barnes

frembling Angers truck a match, and as the flames devoured the little pile I pushed the rinouldering muss into the well

Dodged Own Mines

Meanwhile the smaller vessel wAS- returning northward

One shell passed through the side

again, laying of the town hall and lodged in the

M&M

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Now there was a veritable fusilade of shells. One after another they roured and whistled over our heads and detonated with fearful

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Consignees are hereby informed that their goods with the exception of Oplum, Treasure, and Valuables British are being landed Godowns of the and stored into the Hongkong Kowloon Whorf and Godown Co. Ltd, Kow- FIR VERloon, whence delivery may be-ob-

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In all 208 properties were hit by the 409 shells fired; eighteen people were killed and eighty-four injured.

its hendland.

The deliberate and 'confldent way they steamed to a point opposite these two edifices and took aim was umple manifestation.

Permissible

1

What they did not know was that the barracks, had not been occupled since the beginning of the war and that the military, authorities had not deemed it necessary to take defensive twelve-strong to fortify the Castle, since Scarborough

never really seriously been considered a mark for the enemy on account of its essen- tally residential character.

tutions beyond a

had

If the Germans had thought, as they evidently had, that the Castle and the barracks were of military. importance, their bombardment of these was a permissible war-time operation.

on

I have thought it a significant fact

Many times since the bombardment But the effect of the bombardment recruiting figures throughout that some eighteen months before the country. and particularly in the war a congress of German medi- Yorkshire was a testimony to the eal men was held at Scarborough, strong feeling that the and that during its stay one doctor raised in the beasts of the British

a polite request to the civte nation.

made

THE

attack had

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