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 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. ↩
At work as usual. Not much to do. Went to Mission at night with Joe. Another noisy time. Joe Speed was in good form. Had short walk round. Disagreed with what Mr Mathews said.
The bombardment of Waelhem, Wavre – Saint Catherine & other forts by 11 guns.
Mission conducted by Mr David Mathews commenced. He preached only poorly and I didn’t quite agree with all he said. His service at night was awful and more like a Salvation Army meeting. He managed better in the School and held the attention of the children pretty well. Had usual walks. Fine day. Mrs Cooke and Bella Spain at our chapel.
Germans bombarded & occupied Malines.
At work as usual. Very little to do. Decided to shut down machines. A lot of excitement in town about the loss of the 3 big ships.
The War on the Continent very much the same. Russians capture Smaslau†. Battle of Aisne proceeding & looks promising to Allies. Went to meeting at chapel and met Mr Kettle.
Got up late. Had to hurry to work. Very little to do. Finished early. At choir practice at night. Mr Kettle at meeting at the chapel. Received news at night of the loss of the Aboukir, Hogue & Cressy, by German submarines. Supposed† to be attacked by 5 or 6 submarines. The Aboukir was sunk first and when the others were taking off the crew they were sunk. About 1200 lives lost. British capture armed liner “Spreewald” & two coalers (H.M.S.Berwick) and also news of the capture of the Professor Woermann at Sierra Leone.1
Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were old cruisers patrolling in the Broad Fourteens area of the North Sea. They were supposed to sail at 13 knots (which they were too old to do) and to zigzag (an order widely disregarded as submarines had not been seen in the area); however the submarine U9 was indeed there, and sank all three. Spreewald: armed cruiser/ex-liner,3,900 tons, supplying raiders in W. Indies; Professor Woermann: 6,000 tons, apparently merchantman; became SS Professor after War. ↩
Went to the Victoria Hall1 at night and did a bit clearing work. Not much to do and a lot of toffs doing it. Went down to chapel afterwards and helped with the decorations.
Victoria Hall: see note on 10 January. ↩
Chapel and class as usual. A stranger preaching in the morning and Mr Roope at night. Mr Roope preached very well and Fred Waggott asked Joe to write out the sermon for him1. Managed pretty well at Sunday School and my turn for the children’s service. Got on pretty well.
Invasion of British East Africa announced. Light cruiser Hela sunk by British submarine2.
Joe Wiseman used to practice his already excellent shorthand by recording speeches etc. verbatim; apparently he did sermons too. ↩
Hela was used as a supply tender for submarines in the Heligoland Bight (though classed as a light cruiser, she had only four 8.8cm guns.) She was torpedoed by the British submarine E9; see also 6 October 1914. ↩
Had heavy cold. Joe and Marmie went to church meeting. I stayed in tonight and read and played.
Germans defeated at Battle of Marne1. Oceanic2 wrecked off North of Scotland. No losses.
“Battle of Marne”: See note on 6 September. ↩
Oceanic: See note on 8 September. ↩
[In longhand above date] Germans fall back from Paris after two days fighting1.
At church and School as usual. Managed pretty well at School. Had rather shorter walks than usual. Charlie at work in morning and afternoon. Received news of the sinking of the “Pathfinder”2 & loss of about 240 lives caused through striking a mine. Also the Runo liner3 with loss of about 20 lives. Gen. French’s official report stating that 15000 men have been lost and that our men were in every way superior to the Germans. I had bad cold and sat out <of> the choir at night. Communion service. Charlie sang a bit of a solo in the anthem.
“Germans fall back . .”: this was the First Battle of the Marne. The Germans’ rapid advance had been intended to finish the war in the West so as to free most of their troops for the war in Russia, and although their southward drive came East of Paris, instead of West as originally planned, it nearly succeeded. It failed however (leading to the 4 years of trench warfare), partly because their communications became too extended, but also because General Galliéni, who had been left with troops to defend Paris, on his own initiative took the opportunity to attack the German right (western) flank as they were moving South of Paris. ↩
Pathfinder: see note on 5 September. ↩
The New York Times reports the sinking of the Wilson passenger liner Runo on 5th September 1914. ↩