Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1914-12-25
GERMANS SHELL
BRITISH CITIES
The RaIding Cruisers Then
Escaped in Fog.
PEOPLE PANIC STRICKEN
HartIepooI, Scarborough and Whitoy
Bombarded Fer an Hour and Many
kiIed-Much Property Destroyed.

A German feet slipped through the
Gordon CT naval defense which hao
made the coast of England lnVlolate
for centuries and bombarded the GU
les of SCARBOROUGH, Hartlepool anu
Whitby, on the northeast coast OF
England and $40 miles across the
North sea from the German naVal
base at Helga!and.
It was the most daring and success
full exploit the Germans have perform
ed in the war and all England is much
alarmed and excited over the possf
bility Of invasion.
An enormous amount OF oamage
was done at Scarborough, Hartlepooi
and Wnitby, at least seventy-four per-
sons were killed and scores or others
were wounded. Twelve persons were
killed at Scarborough, ffty-tiVe az
Hartlepool and two at Whitby.
The first shell was dropped into
Scarborough at 1856 a. m, and tne
bombardment continued there and al
Hartlepool and Whitby for more than
half an hour.
Instantly there was an exodus from
these towns to the interior. Sncckea
and panic-stricken By the almost uh'
believable daring OF the Germans ana
by the failure Of the navy to antlct
pate and prevent the raid, thousands
fed from the coast-crowding trains
taking every available automobile and
horse drawn conveyance. The govern
ment at once took measures to pro-
tect the coast, calling every company
of infantry and artillery that could
be spared to man the trenches ana
forts.
The British official press bureau
made the following statement:
"wednesday morning a German
cruiser force made a demonstration
upon the Yorkshire coast, IN tha
course OF which they shelled Hartle-
pool, Whitby ard Scarborough.
"a number OF their fastest ships
were employed Tor tais purpose, ard
they remained about an hour on the
coast.
They were engaged by patrol veg
sells on the spot. AS soon as the pres
ence OF tie 2Gemy was reported a
British EatTo!lia5 squadron endeaV.
ored to cut them off. On being sighted
by the British warships the Germans
retired at full speed and, favored by
the mist, made their escape.
"The losses on both sides are small.
but full reports have not yet been re-
ceiyed.
"The admiralty takes the opportu.
nifty OF pointing out that demonstra'
tions of this character against unfor.
tilted towns or commercial ports, al
though not dilf:cult TO accomplish,
provided a certain amount of risk Is
accepted, is devoid of military signili.
canoe.
They may cause some loss of life
among the CHI! population and some
damage TO private property, which IS
much to be regretted, bit they must
not in any circumstances be allowed
to modify tie general naval policy
which is being pursued"
When the German cruisers sailed
away they dropped floating mines to
hamper pursuit.
The east coast of England is now
stirred by martial excitement. 1t Is
feared that the coast bombariment
may be a covering movement for op.
eyations by the main German fleet
frcm tie Niel canal. Coast guards are
out in Increased numbers and sea
p:arcs hare been gent flying up and
down by the admiralty.
When the firing began communion
service was proceeding in st. Mar
tins church at Scarborough. The ser.
vice was continued despite the can
mona :ia.5, ard when shell struck tho
church the congregation remained
CAIN. There was no disorder as tha
congregations left the church.
The Balmoral hotel and railroad
station at Scarborough are said by a
witness of the bombardment to have
been destrovcl. He estimates that
ff!y s,:e..s we're thrown into this we'll
known Tr....:sll coast resort. Most OF
those killed or injured were in houses
struck by German shells. Few were
wounded by shells which burst in the
streets. At Hartlepool one house was
struck by three shells, and all the oc.
cupants, man, his wife and their
six children, were killed.