Felt unwell first thing. Stayed in bed until dinner time. Had walk out in the afternoon. Went to Lily & Willie’s to tea with all the rest of the family but Joe and Marmie. Went to chapel at night. Mr Mathews preaching again and was awful. We talked to Willie Peake until late and didn’t get home until late.
Hear of fall of Antwerp. 2000 Naval men interned in Holland & some Belgian soldiers. Great excitement in town.
Finished in good time. Had a tooth out in the afternoon. Went to the Memorial Hall1 at night. Mr Hollinsworth best one on.
We receive news of dire straights [sic] of Antwerp.
Memorial Hall: see note on 10 January. ↩
Got up early and went to baths. Still slack at work. Went down to Wanless’s at night and talked to Willie a bit and then Joe arranged with Mr Wanless to go to the dock with Father on Friday to try if he can work his machine. Walked round by chapel and went into Mission meeting last thing. Charlie had been there earlier and then arranged to give his testimony.
Germans occupy Antwerp.
At work but not much to do. Played a bit at night and read a bit. Received letter from Insurance Co. asking Father to go down for a trial at his machine on Thursday next. We worried that the notice was too short and wrote at night stating that we would try to arrange for next Thursday.
Exodus of Antwerp population. Petrol tanks ablaze. Part of the City in flames. British & Belgian force retires through the night. Boer Commando under Maritz rebelled 1.
“Boer Commando…”: This was the Maritz Rebellion, an organised rebellion against the Union of South Africa. See also 2 December 1914. ↩
Got up early and drilled. Not much to do at work. Went to Patriotic Concert in Victoria Hall1 with Willie Whittaker and Alf Wright and his sister. Very good concert. The Sunderland Vocal Union were the chorus and Mr L A Nicholson’s orchestra accompanied. Mrs Vincent and Miss Spain, and Mr William Hendry were the singers and a lady recited.
Germans commence to bombard Antwerp2 at midnight with heavy guns & 6 Zeppelin Airships drop bombs3.
Victoria Hall: see note on 10 January. ↩
Winston Churchill rather controversially went personally to take part in the defence of Antwerp, on the arguably slender grounds that Royal Marine troops were involved; he was First Lord of the Admiralty – not an operational appointment – and no longer a serving officer in the Army. ↩
This presumably means “on Antwerp”: the first Zeppelin raids on England are said to have been in January 1915. ↩
Got up about 7.30. Drilled again. Not much to do at work. Further news about Allies check. Russian Victory in East Prussia. German destroyer sunk by Submarine E91 off the mouth of the Ems.
Belgian King2 & ministers leave Antwerp. Garrison retires to inner ring of forts.
The destroyer was the S116. It was the E9 which sank the Hela (see 13 September); she was scuttled off Helsinki on 3 April 1918 to avoid capture, and was salvaged for breaking up (in Finland) in 1953. ↩
“Belgian King”: Albert I of Belgium ↩
A bit more work to do. Got up early and drilled first thing. Went to the Mission at night and didn’t like it. News of a slight repulse to the British advance on the Continent. 3 of the mill lads joined the Royal Army Medical Corps. Mother went to see about Fruit business for sale1 in Dundas Street.
Germans cross the Nethe & occupy Lierre & Duppel. Belgian Army retire to the West.
As already noted on 13 February, the family planned to run a corner shop because Father had no wage since his accident. ↩
Chapel as usual. Mr Mathews conducting the services. Better than last time but not much use†. Instead of Sunday School the children went into the chapel and sang the songs Mr Mathews had taught them and he spoke a short while. Had usual walks. Mrs Cooke & Bella Spain to tea. Mother and Gertie went with them to the Grange1. Germans bombard Lierre again at night with heavy howitzer.
The Grange: probably the Grange Congregational Church, in Stockton Road. ↩
Got up 6.15. Had walk along Hendon beach and cliff with Alf before breakfast. Had a bit of a row with Willie about a football. Sent 5/- to Everyman1 for Persian relief fund. Went to Porteous and had another tooth out. Went to Roker at night with Willie and Charlie. Walked as far as Whitburn.
British troops in Antwerp2. Germans attack with artillery only.
Everyman: see Everyman and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩
“British troops in Antwerp”: See upcoming guest posts by Leading Seaman Arthur Hawes, which offer a first hand account of these events. ↩
Got up about 6.20. Went to baths. Pretty busy at work. Stayed in at night and wrote to Ernie. Went out last thing and called by the chapel. Charlie and Father there. They said the meeting was better.
Riot in India & about 20 natives and one Englishman killed1. British Navy commenced to mine North Sea. Heavy bombardment of Belgian trenches. Belgians retire across the Nethe. Germans occupy outer ring of forts.
“Riot in India…”: Probably the denouement of the Komagata Maru incident. ↩