Battles - Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby, 1914 At approximately 8.10 on the morning of 16 December 1914 the First High Seas Fleet Scouting Group, commanded by Admiral Franz von Hipper, unleashed a bombardment of the North Sea English seaports of Hartlepool, West Hartlepool, Whitby and Scarborough. THE BOMBARDMENT OF SCARBOROUGH. As the bow of the leading ship pierced the mist, her captain raised his field glasses and surveyed the tranquil beauty of Scarborough's twin bays. By the 1911c the family had moved to Scarborough and Ada then aged 24 was working for Miss Mary Beatrice Morehouse at 124 Falsgrave Rd where she was a general domestic servant. The film focuses on the events at the castle and uses a mixture of photographs from the time alongside new artistic illustrations created by John Vallender. So that was a near miss, and during the bombing of Scarborough our house was missed by nine houses. The footage of the Hartlepool bombardment aftermath was found in a box of broken camera parts. No photographs are known to survive of the bombardment as it took place but reconstructions like this designed for a postcard convey the drama of the event. English Heritage are keenly aware of the significance of the centenary of the bombardment and have created a film and a graphics story both entitled An Episode of War. Panic drove people from their homes, fear forced them to flee the town in all directions, whilst the sparse smattering of freshly recruited Territorials in the town tried to help the injured and wounded at the railway station. Air raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby , which took place on 16 December 1914 - 2BTPBGY from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. One pierced the wall creating a small gap that at first glance looks like a window, while the second area of damage was on the corner of the building. In the weeks, months and years following, many more people were killed as fishing boats and other vessels hit mines laid by the German ships. This was the first attack on British soil since the start of the Great War and would not be the last. Still lost, it headed for home but on the way, sighted four British destroyers which it reported by wireless. The bombardment of Scarborough began just after 8am on the cold December morning almost 100 years ago, and two schools in the town were hit in the attack. Using an old browser means that some parts of our website might not work correctly. In just 30 minutes on that cold December morning in 1914, the Great War had finally become a harsh and bitter reality for the people of Scarborough and Whitby. © Historic England Archive. From 1913, Temperley lived in Scarborough, where he worked as Secretary to the Council of Social Welfare, witnessing the bombardment which occurred in 1914, killing 17 residents of the town. The structure was damaged beyond repair and it was never replaced. The speed of the ships increased, the smoke from their funnels turning from grey to black, a dense heavy cloud trailing in their wake. Tuesday, 15th December. Hipper also noted radio traffic from British ships which caused concern that the British … High on the cliffs, north of the town, the attention of three workmen renovating a cottage was caught by the movement out at sea. The castle was one of the first targets of the battleships. It was 106 years ago today that Scarborough came under naval bombardment during the first world war. It also includes footage of the German attacks on Scarborough and Whitby the same day. Before the bombardment Remember Scarborough is currently a work in progress as we build a range of content related to the bombardment of Scarborough and Whitby on 16 December 1914. The time was eight 'o' clock, the day was Wednesday 16th December 1914, and far removed from the battlefields of the Western Front death had come calling on the defenceless seaside town! It would feature a room dedicated to a permanent memorial of the 1914 Scarborough Bombardment and its victims. That fateful morning 18 people fell victim to the German attack, either killed instantly, as in the case of the 14-month-old baby boy John Shields Ryalls, or who died later as a result of their wounds like shoemaker Henry Harland. Temperley was a talented naturalist, with particular interests in ornithology and botany. The attack lasted some 30 minutes, and the folk of Scarborough suffered greatly, being left to try and save what and who they could as the ships sailed off. However, due to the early hour and the winter weather, the number of casualties were … The battleships also sent shells towards the medieval keep at the heart of the castle. Wayne has unveiled a blue plaque on the house in Wykeham Street today. Conserving the Fog Battery Station on Lundy Island. A few hundred yards away the thunderous broadside was echoed by the Derfflinger. Scarborough Bombardment 1914 Beginning at 8am on Wednesday 16 December 1914 two German battleships, Derfflinger and Von der Tann, bombarded the undefended Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough for about half an hour. More likely though, is that they wanted to spread fear and panic and to test the strength of the Royal Navy. Discover and use our high-quality applied research to support the protection and management of the historic environment. Nothing stood between the battleships and the pride of the Yorkshire coast. Keith Johnston BA PGCE is a well-known, local Scarborough historian. We have at considerable cost, had dies prepared by a firm of medallists of high repute in order to issue medals to keep in perpetual memory the bombardment of the town by German ships on nthe 16th December last. Beginning at 8am on Wednesday 16 December 1914 two German battleships, Derfflinger and Von der Tann, bombarded the undefended Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough for about half an hour. Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. Around 8.30am the two battleships sailed off to the north and then shelled Whitby before heading east back out into the North Sea. A Scarborough historian has launched another bid to breathe new life into a local eyesore. In 2014 the Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre commemorated the event along with the … See our extensive range of expert advice to help you care for and protect historic places. Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area. Sheltered from prying eyes by the darkness and a bank of early morning mist they steamed to meet fate. Seventeen of the eighteen victims of the bombardment are buried in Dean Road and Manor Road Cemetery. The building was unoccupied at the time of the bombardment and was being used as a store. By using this website, you consent to cookies being used in accordance with our. Grade II listed Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham. Elsewhere in the castle grounds, the medieval curtain wall overlooking the town was hit by several shells making several breaches in the ancient defensive wall. Shortlisted for ‘Best Rescue of an Industrial Building or Site’ Angel Award in 2012, Michaela Strivens: Upside down world, Wallington, London Suburbs, Scarborough Castle, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday 16th December 1914 two German battleships Derfflinger and Von der Tann bombarded Scarborough, killing 17 and injuring many more, Read about our latest aerial investigation methods. This post will focus on the bombing of Scarborough. Download this stock image: Bombardment of Scarborough . Bombardment of Scarborough, 1914 On December 16th 1914, Scarborugh was brutally shelled by German Battlecruisers resulting in 18 people killed. R.I.P to all who lost their lives in the bombardment of Scarborough of 1914. At Scarborough, the Germans may have thought that castle was still garrisoned when they directed their fire at the old barracks and they might also have known about a secret government wireless station on the edge of the town since some of their shells were aimed towards it, though the building survived unscathed. Both these scars are still visible today. Download from below the graphic story which has been illustrated by Judith Dobie and is based upon the experience of Mrs George Rowntree who lived on Scarborough's South Cliff and who recorded the events of that day in her diary. At about 8 in the morning on December 16, 1914, Admiral Franz von Hipper, commander of the First High Seas Fleet Scouting Group, “unleashed a bombardment on the North Sea English seaports of Hartlepool, West Hartlepool, Whitby, and Scarborough” . During that short period over 500 shells rained down on the castle and town, killing 17 inhabitants and injuring many more. Under the cover of darkness a powerful German naval battle group negotiated the hazardous minefields of the North Sea, its target was the still slumbering north-east coastal towns of Scarborough and Hartlepool. Our website works best with the latest version of the browsers below, unfortunately your browser is not supported. (S3282_V_0651), Women outside the 3000th Easiform dwelling to be completed in Bristol, watching the opening ceremony through a ground floor window as a policeman guards the entrance nearby, © Historic England Archive. The bombardment of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool was a World War I attack by the German Navy on English seaports on the morning of 16th December 1914. Scarborough England. Signed up: British troops march through the streets of Scarborough after the bombardment (Image: PA). The building had not housed troops for many years and was being used as a store at the time of the bombardment. Obverse: Winged Victory carrying a flaming sword in her right hand and a wreath in her left. The bombardment of Scarborough 1914. Listening to the loud noise of the Bombardment her employer was shocked to find Ada had been injured by a shell and she died shortly afterward aged 28. As Britain mourned her dead and questions were asked in Parliament about the whereabouts of the mighty Royal Navy, Germany struck a commemorative medal of the raids. Object ID: MEC2443: Description: Medal commemorating the bombardment of Scarborough and Hartlepool, 1914. Find out about services offered by Historic England for funding, planning, education and research, as well as training and skill development. Constructed during the reign of King Henry II in the 1160s and with walls around 30 feet thick, the old building was hit twice but was able to withstand the damage. Some 15 minutes or so later there was a brief calm as the ships steaming southward turned northwards and commenced firing again. One shell pierced the wall and the other hit the corner of the building leaving scars that are still visible today. During that short period over 500 shells rained down on the castle and town, killing 17 inhabitants and injuring many more. This photograph taken soon after the bombardment shows the side of the castle keep where two shells hit. By Mark Marsay. Houses right across the town had walls blown out, roofs ripped off and windows smashed by shellfire and there was widespread panic as people quite understandably thought the bombardment was the precursor to a German invasion. Scarborough will commemorate the WWI bombardment of the coastal town in the hands of the Germans during the Great War — December of 1914, to be exact. Hartlepool Bombardment: 16 December 1914; First major attack on British soil of WW1; More than 1,000 shells fired over 40 minutes; Scarborough and Whitby also attacked Scarborough was completely unprepared for the attack in 1914, Panic drove people from their homes and many fled the town. The assault on the east coast brought about hundreds of casualties and led to a British propaganda campaign, Remember Scarborough, that was used on army recruitment posters.. The old barrack block on the castle curtain wall was so badly damaged by the bombardment that it had to be demolished and was never rebuilt. This risked giving away the presence of the ships and the destroyer was ordered to be silent. At around nine 'o' clock, Whitby felt the weight of the German broadsides as they steamed past the quiet fishing port heading for a rendezvous with the rest of their battle group who had attacked Hartlepool. Exactly 100 years ago Scarborough and Whitby were subjected to bombardments by German warships. Seven people in Whitby died (although only three were ever officially recorded as having died as a direct result of the bombardment). Organisers of forthcoming events to commemorate the bombardment of the North Yorkshire town of Scarborough on 16 December 1914 are eager to … THE BOMBARDMENT OF SCARBOROUGH 1914. As the 100th anniversary of the 1914 German bombardment approaches, Scarborough is planning a number of special events to commemorate the centenary of the shelling which killed 18 people. Testing vertical aerial photography methods at British Camp on the Malvern Hills. Find out about listed buildings and other protected sites, and search the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). Further along the castle curtain wall the eighteenth-century barracks was shelled repeatedly. Scarborough author. While the feared invasion never materialised, the motive behind the German navy's attack on the east coast ports is still debated. On the 15th December, 1914, the Second Battle Squadron under Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender, the Third Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Pakenham, and the First Light Cruiser Squadron (as we were called until the Galatea class formed a squadron under Commodore Alexander … thescarboroughnews.co.uk. Three houses were demolished up … Scarborough is a seaside town located on the Yorkshire Coast. Robin Hoods Bay East Yorkshire. By early morning the battle group had divided; three battlecruisers steaming north, two battlecruisers and a light cruiser steaming south. John Laing Collection JLP01/08/007475, New Heritage Partnership Agreement Signed at King's Cross Station, Brixton Windmill - Friends of Brixton Windmill. They began by directing their fire at the coastguard station on the cliff edge which was totally destroyed though the small company of men manning the look-out were safe in the shelter of a nearby underground cistern. The devastating attack that followed on Scarborough, together with Hartlepool and Whitby, was the first time civilians had been targeted on English soil during the First World War. The Bombardment of Scarborough 1914 | Keith Johnson Recorded at The Western Front Association’s Remember Scarborough conference, held in Scarborough at the Stephen Joseph Theatre on 12 December 2014. A reconstruction of the bombardment created for a postcard showing shells hitting the castle curtain wall and the old barrack block. Scarborough is set to commemorate the 1914 German bombardment which killed 18 people and injured 200. Aboard the battlecruiser Von der Tann, her captain gave the order to his battle ready gun crews, 'Feuer Geben!'. However, it is lesser known that Scarborough was subject to a bombardment in December 1914 which left 18 people dead and 80 injured. AN ISSUE OF COMMEMORATION MEDALS. Today a memorial plaque has been unveiled on Wykeham Street to the Bennett family who lost three generations of their family in the attack. Having visited the Heugh Battery in Hartlepool a number of times I was well aware of the circumstances of the Bombardment on December 1914, as well as shelling along the East Coast at Scarborough and Whitby. About Scarborough. The bombardment … Explore the many ways you can help to support the incredibly rich and varied heritage. Scarborough was completely unprepared for the attack in 1914. Admiral Hipper left the Jade Bight at 03:00 on 15 December. Young men in their droves rushed to their local recruitment offices to 'avenge' Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool. Around the same time, a second German naval force attacked the port of Hartlepool causing far more death and destruction than at Scarborough. On the British side though, the attack on defenceless civilians handed the war effort a major propaganda tool and the cry 'Remember Scarborough' helped boost the recruitment drive. Summary. Air raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby , which took place on 16 December 1914 - 2BTPBGP from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Download this stock image: Bombardment of Scarborough . Scarborough has been popular with tourists since the Victorian time and is still a widely visited town today. The authors link together various aspects of the First World War as they affected a North Yorkshire seaside resort. “One Day in December” covers ‘The Bombardment of Scarborough’ in December 1914, the war poetry of Wilfred Owen written during his time in the town, and the effects of the war on the local community. On Wednesday 16 December 1914, the inhabitants of Scarborough in North Yorkshire awoke to find a heavy mist hanging over their seaside town – and three German warships sailing rapidly towards them. WWI bombardment of Scarborough is commemorated 100 years on. Bombardment of Scarborough. The bombardment lasted for about one and a half hours, killing more than 130 civilians and wounding another 500. These pictures show the bombardment of the house and the funeral procession. Scarborough was just one of the many targets during the German bombardment in December 1914. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience online. 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