Most people in Scarborough know about the German bombardment on the town in 1914. Less is known about the deaths caused by sea mines which beset the coast for years afterwards. There were three German ships which arrived here on 16th December,1914. Two were battlecruisers, the "Von Derr tann" and the "Derrflinger". The third ship, was the Kolberg. This was smaller and it separated from the others and laid mines towards Flamborough Head.
The first victims were minesweepers. On Sunday night a minesweeper was hit and limped into Scarborough Harbour. The Garmo was sent to aid another minesweeper that had been hit on Sunday. This too was hit by a mine. It was an armoured trawler. Six men were killed out of 14 on board - 62 year old Thomas (Thaddeus) Gilbert, of Cleethorpes, was the skipper. The sea was flat and Mr Sheader, caretaker of the St Sepulchre St Primitive Methodist Church, put out with a small coble. The Lifeboat was called out. Johnson Crawford was coxswain. They watched the boat sink and they picked up survivors. The survivors were then taken by to the Sea Bathing Infirmary and the Hospital.
Gilbert's funeral was an "impressive affair". The coffin was draped with a Union Jack and taken by horse drawn carriage. There were 50 naval reservists amongst the mourners. Several well known Scarborough fishermen also attended.
Then the "Boston", a Norwegian cargo vessel(1,168 tons), was hit by a mine just three miles off Scarborough. All 18 crew were saved and were taken on board a minesweeper. This abandoned vessel was not sunk but drifted onto Filey Brig. Nine of the men were landed at Scarborough and 7 men plus the Captain were landed at Filey. All the men were looked after by the Shipwrecked Mariners Society. In Scarborough they were placed at Mrs S Christians at 21 Sandside. In Filey they were accommodated at Foords Hotel.
Sources
- The Mercury,1914.- The Pictorial,1914.
