An article from the Scarborough Pictorial 23rd December 1914 entitled "EYE WITNESS STORIES - COASTGUARD TESTIFIES TO 500 SHELLS." It describes the coroners inquest into the deaths during the German bombardment of Scarborough in 1914.
A vivid description of the raid was given at the inquest by Mr Arthur Dean, Chief Officer of the Coastguard at Scarborough.
He said that on Wednesday morning he was at his house at the coastguards residences, when he heard firing. That was, as nearly as he could tell, at five minutes past eight o'clock. He looked out of his door, and saw part of the wall of the Castle tumbling down.
He stayed there about two minutes, when he saw two large cruisers coming from the Castle towards the South Bay. They opened guns with all guns on the starboard side. They kept firing as they passed along the bay, turned round, and did the same thing from the port side. From behind the Castle again they fired shells into the town for about twenty minutes.
The Coroner: How long did the firing last altogether?
Witness: I should say about 40 minutes.
The Coroner: How many vessels were there?
Witness: There were two large cruisers and two smaller ones further outside.
The Coroner: The two smaller ones, were they in the bay?
Witness: They were outside, covering the larger ones if you like? You had to look quick to see them.
The Coroner: Did they fire?
Witness: I did not see them?
The Coroner: All the firing you saw was FROM THE LARGE CRUISERS?
Witness: Yes.
The Coroner: Were they too far away for you to see?
Witness: Yes, it was very thick and hazey, and it was only at times that you make them out, sometimes not at all.
The Coroner: Could you distinguish what they were?
Witness: Certainly.
The Coroner: You considered that they were covering these two?
Witness: Yes that is what they were doing. I did not see any flags flying at all - there was no national ensign. There may have been one ship signalling to the other, but there was no national ensign.
The Coroner: There was none?
Witness: No
The Coroner: Not a German?
Witness: No.
The Coroner: Were there any big guns on the Castle?
Witness: None at all. There is one thing I would like to say. One saw conflicting reports about the distance the ships were off. They varied, did these reports, from two miles to eight miles. As a matter of fact when they first attacked they were within 600 yards of the Castle, and I thought that when they were going past the pier they were within 500 yards.
The Coroner: What type of shells were fired?
Witness: They were all classes. There was nothing that I saw to make the ships go away.
The Coroner: They simply fired as long as they desired, and then went away?
Witness: Yes.
The Coroner: How many shells were fired?
Witness: I could do so from the number of guns the ships were using. I would say that 50 were fired at the Castle first, and at least 200 at the town.
The Coroner: I am glad to hear that from you, because some people say 50. Almost anyone knows that there were more than 50.
Witness: There were 250 shells in the first firing. Then there was a lull, the ships turned around, and another 250 larger shells were fired. I should say at least 500 shells were fired.
The Coroner: This shows the ruthlessness that the enemy had shown, I should think the public should know, and they could get an idea of what war might be. Possibly this might stir up the public and let them know the danger they are in.
