Defence of the realm - A PLACE TO VISIT

On 2nd November 1914, a German battlecruiser squadron left its base on the Jade River and headed towards the east coast of England. Its mission was to lay mines off the coast around Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, plus drop a few shells on Yarmouth for good measure. By the time the Royal Navy realised what was happening, the mines had been successfully laid, and a British submarine, heading out of Yarmouth to engage the Germans, was sunk as it struck a mine. The majority of the German shells fell harmlessly on Yarmouth beach, and the fleet headed home, feeling rather pleased with themselves. Admiral Franz von Hipper, in charge of the operation, was awarded the Iron Cross. However, he refused to wear it, saying little had been achieved.

More ambitious
Less than two weeks later, on the 15th of December, a larger German fleet headed out of the German Bight, once more under the command of Admiral Hipper, with a more ambitious exercise planned. By 8 a.m. on the 16th of December, the ships, which had split into two groups, were in position. Two battlecruisers, Von der Tann and Derfflinger, stationed off Flamborough Head, began shelling the town of Scarborough, while a third vessel was engaged in laying mines in the area. During the shelling, Scarborough Castle and the Grand Hotel were hit and around 20 people were killed in the town. These ships then moved up to Whitby, where shelling damaged the coastguard station and the abbey. There were less than a handful of fatalities.
The second group, consisting of the battlecruisers Seydlitz, Moltke, and Blucher, had positioned themselves off Hartlepool. As the shelling of Scarborough commenced, the three ships simultaneously began bombarding the town. With steelworks and a port, Hartlepool was a more strategic target than the holiday resorts down the coast.
Protecting the town was the Heugh battery, with two 6” guns, and the nearby Lighthouse Battery with one similar weapon, both manned by eleven officers and 155 men of the 1st Durham Volunteer Artillery. The German plan was to suppress the batteries with 15 minutes of shelling, before turning their attention to the port and steelworks.
An estimated 1,150 shells were fired in around 40 minutes, with little damage to the batteries. However, the steelworks, gasworks, and railway took several hits. Also, seven churches were damaged, along with several public buildings and some 300 houses. Around 130 people were killed, with up to 500 injured. This action saw the first English soldier killed on home soil by enemy action for some 200 years. The battery guns returned fire and scored hits on the Blucher, forcing her to retreat with nine sailors killed.

A hidden gem on the northeast coast
If you are a military history buff, you will likely be aware of the existence of this small museum perched on the headland at Hartlepool and its significance in the early stages of World War One. However, don’t be dismayed if you’ve never heard of the Heugh, as the museum manager, Diane Stephens, says they often have visitors from the local area who “didn’t know it was here.”
There has been a fortification in this vicinity for almost 300 years, with ‘Southeys Point Battery’ shown on a local map from 1740. The present battery stems from around 1860 and was built to protect the port and shipbuilding centre, the armaments being modified and improved several times in the ensuing years. They last saw action during the Second World War, before briefly acting as a post-war training facility. Finally decommissioned in 1956, the sight became neglected and overgrown, with its history quickly disappearing.
In 2000, a group of local people, realising that history could be lost forever, formed the Heugh Battery Trust, to halt the decline of the site and preserve it for future generations. As can be imagined after years of neglect, they were faced with a mammoth task, but work really started in earnest in 2008, with help from the Lottery Fund and support from local businesses.
Since then, the team of volunteers (now 22 strong) have worked countless hours putting together and maintaining an extensive collection of military artefacts to interest young and old alike, whether you are a military enthusiast or just enjoy history in general. The collection of armaments, from handguns to a tank, will fascinate people of all ages. There is an armoury room that features a display of small arms where you can handle and take photographs with rifles or machine guns from the period. Exhibits are both indoors and out in the courtyard, with some areas below ground. Unfortunately, the latter are not accessible to wheelchairs. A recent £500,000 grant from the Arts Council will help to stabilise the concrete in the parts below ground, which are suffering from dampness caused by flooding.
Museum entry is through the small gift shop, and admission is by donation, so you pay what you think it is worth. There is provision for a hot meal or drink and a snack in the Poppy Tea Room, with a unique seating arrangement in small outdoor cabins. Alternatively, you can use the outside grassed picnic area with views of the site from its elevated position.
Throughout the summer the museum hosts several activities, a list of which can be found on their website (www.heughbattery.co.uk). Parking at the site is very limited but a larger public car park is not too far away. This is an interesting experience, making it well worth a visit.