The North Sea Raid.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 301, 18 December 1914, Page 5

The North Sea Raid.

AT THE SHELLED TOWNS. INHABITANTS DISTURBED AT BREAKFAST. ' LOSS OF LIFE AND CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. United Prbb« Association. ~ London, December 17. The War Office announces that two German battle-cruisers and armored cruisers commenced the bombardment of Hartlepool N at 8 a.m. The land batteries replied and apparently hit and damaged the enemy. Firing ceased at 8.50, and the enemy steamed off: None of our guns was touched. A shell fell in the Royal En- ; gineers’ lines, and several in the lines of the 18th Service Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. Casual, ties among the troops were seven killed and fourteen wounded. Some damage was caused to the town. The gasworks were fired. People during the bombardment, especially at West Hartlepool, crowded the streets. Approximately twenty-two were killed, and fifty wounded. Simultaneously a battle cruiser and an armored cruiser fired fifty shots at Scarborough, causing considerable damage, and thirteen casualties. Two battle cruisers at Whitby fired shots, damaging buildings. The War Office adds: “At all three places there w r as no sign of panic, the demeanor of the people being everything that could be desired.”

A SHOWER OF SHELLS. A couple of flashes, and the roar of big guns startled the people of Scarborough, who were mostly at breakfast in the gaslight on an unusually dark morning. A light cruiser came close to the shore, but the bigger vessel remained at a distance, firing recklessly. The whole seafront was swept by a rapid succession of shells. Most damage was at Castle Hill. The castle itself was damaged. Shells struck the general hospital and the Roya Northern infirmary where there were wounded soldiers. None were injured. The Town Hall and several churches were damaged. The western part suffered badly. Many houses were demolished, The. guns were fired in threes. After a few seconds’ pause, terrifying explosions indicated where the shells had lodged. Three struck the Grand Hotel, causing heavy damage. * THE POPULATION CALM. A wounded resident who has arrived in London estimates that nearly a hundred houses were destroyed at East Scarborough but the population is generally calm. The objects of the raid are to relieve the depression in Germany ami create a panic in England, in the hope of retarding reinforcements for the Continent. Another object, which is equally futile, is to divert some warships guarding the North Sea, and thereby enable would-be raiders to reach the trade routes, or contraband to enter Germany. The Emden’s fate and the result of the Falklands battle were great factors. The newspapers recall Admiral Reventlow’s recent statement that the Germans must see clearly that in order to fight with success thev must fight ruthlessly, in the proper meaning of the word.

VENTION. When the British destroyers appeared the enemy!s bigger ships desisted from the bombardment and retired. Some minor engagements were unproductive of decisive results on either side.

Narratives show that men, women and children were killed, and others wounded. Indignation was universally aroused by the attack, which in the case of such undefended towns as Whitby and Scarborough, was a manifest violation of the Hague Convention, and the indignation is exceeded only by sympathy with -the victims of the barbaric act.

. It is generally agreed among experts that the bombardment was out of the control of the North Sea fleet, •which cannot be everywhere. Moreover, the blockade of the German coasts is not a close blockade, as in olden wars.

The Admiralty points out that demonstrations of this character against unfortified towns and commercial ports are easy of accomplishment, provided that a certain amount of risk is accepted, and are devoid of military significance. They must cause loss of life to civilians, hut must in no circumstances be allowed to modify the general naval policy which is being pursued. An unoffieial report comes from Blyth that all the German raiding vessels were sunk.

A message from Stockton-on-Tees states that thirty were killed and six-ty-four injured at Hartlepool,

FUTILITY OF THE RAID.

The Times, in a leader, says: “The possibility of a such raid was widely known, especially on the oast coast. We fully expect the Germans to come again, until they come once too often. They think they can frighten us, but we are not easily frightened. They might as well throw pebbles at the Rock of Gibraltar.” KILLED AT SCARBOROUGH. The killed at Scarborough include several children and Mr John Hall, an ex-alderman. A postman was about to hand a letter to a servant, when a. shell exploded between them, killing both. A mother and daughter, fleeing from their house, were killed on the doorstep. In another place a mother and two children were killed. William Avery, Salvation Army adputant, was killed at Hartlepool. He leaves a widow and five children.

THE THUNDER OF THE GUNS AT WEST HARTLEPOOL.

When the thunder of the guns was first heard at West Hartlepool, the inhabitants regarded it as gun-prac-tice. Then they heard explosions in the direction of the railway station and shipyards, and saw the gasometers and timber yards on the water-

front burst into flames. The weather was hazy, and nothing was visible except sudden jets of flame. The forts came into action, and all the troops were paraded to prevent a possible landing. Shops and offices were emptied, and business was suspended. The waterworks were l partly damaged, and several houses in the higher parts of the town are wrecked. Many people ran into the park. Several shells fell in their midst, but none were hurt. Residents at Blackball Rocks, five miles from West, Hartlepool, saw the ships firing broadsides, turning and firing their opposite broadsides. BRITISH SIGNALS DISPLAYED. It is reported that the warships dis-

played British signals, and were taken for friendly vessels until they opened fire.

In one family, the father, mother, 'and, six children in Hartlepool were killed. In another case one child out of a family of four escaped. Several children proceeding to school were killed. A shell burst among a group of volunteers, and killed seven. WITHIN A MILE OF WHITBY. Under cover of the 'haze, the warships approached with in a mile of Whitby. The first shot lodged at Eastcliffe; Then they got the range, and rained shells on the town. It is estimated that 200 were fired. Many fell short, the fire being evidently directed at the coastguard buildings, [which were slightly damaged. Windows' were broken throughout the ! town, otherwise the damage is apparently not serious. Many precautions had been pre-arranged on ■ the east coast. Gas was cut off at North Shields. The military guarded the post office. The news of the raid at many places, both on the coast and inland, caused a,marked spurt in recruiting. 1 TYNE FLOTILLA ATTACKED. A wounded lieutenant and six men of a destroyer have been brought to hospital at South Shields. They stated that three German cruisers and four destroyers attacked the Tyne flotilla; A shell exploded aboard the destroyer, and wounded others besides these seven.

AID TO RECRUITING.

MILITARY PURPOSE OF THE BOMBARDMENT QUERIED.

United Pbbbs Association. (Received 9.10 a.ra.) London, December 17

Addressing the Engineers, Earl Cathcart said the. Germans were rapidly besoming desperate, and were launching venom and hatred at Britain. He did not know what military purpose the bombardment hoped to serve, but it was worth to Britain twd new army corps. GERMAN PRESS REJOICINGS. (Received 8.50 a.m.) London, December 17. The Berliner Tageblatt declares that once more our ships have braved the scattered mines, and shelled the English fortified places. Other German newspapers are enthusiastic over the performance.

THE HARTLEPOOL LOSS.

55 KILLED :: 115 WOUNDED.

(Received 8.50 a.m.) London, December 17. Several shells did not explode at Hartlepool. It is officially stated that, fifty-five were killed, and 115 wounded at Hartlepool.