BELIEVED TO HAVE FIRED FIRST BRITISH SHOT IN WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23042, 5 September 1949, Page 4

BELIEVED TO HAVE FIRED FIRST BRITISH SHOT IN WAR

A Hastings man, Mr. M. T- Vanderpump, instructor to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club, is believed to have fired the first shot within the British Empire in the Second World W T ar. His story, told with considerable reluctance, provides an interesting sequel to an incident which occurred in Wellington Harbour on September 3, 1939.

A gunner on the Army reserve prior to the war, Mr. Vanderpump was called into service on September 2, 1939. and was stationed at the 6in. artillery battery at Fort Dorset. At about 9.30 a.m. on September 3, an 8000-ton ship, the City of Delhi, entered the heads and steamed down the harbour- A signal to heave-to by the Navy examination ship, the Jannie Seddon, proved unavailing, and the steamer continued on her way. Fort Dorset was immediately instructed to fire a shot across her bows. The first shell, fired by Mr. Vanderpump, landed well in front and richocheted into the Eastbourne hills. A second shot went so close to the ship’s bows that they were wet by its splash and swiftly had the desired effect. The first shot is believed to have been the first fired in the British Empire during the war. It later transpired that the City of Delhi had not received the signal because her wireless was out of order. Five years slipped by. Mr. Vanderpump, then squadron-leader, was homeward bound from Cairo after serving in the Middle East. On the last day of hostilities, V-J Day, 1945, his ship called at Delhi, capital of India, en route to New Zealand. And so for Mr. Vanderpump the war began and finished with the ‘‘City of Delhi.”