Finished early. Had a tooth stopped by Mr Porteous. Walked round town with Charlie. Went to the Teachers Training Centre at night. Called for Willie Whittaker with Charlie and walked round the town a bit.
Portugal brought into the War1 by the invasion of Angola, Portuguese West Africa, by the Germans.
Portugal didn’t officially enter the war until 1916 but the events alluded to here did give rise to reports that it had. See for example The Independent on October 26 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. ↩
Finished in good time. Finished about 1.30. Went up the town in the afternoon with Charlie and he got measured for a suit at the Store1. I called at Porteous the dentist and he examined my teeth and agreed to take 2 out next Wednesday. Went to Roker at night with Willie Whittaker. Came back on the car2.
The Belgians retired from Malines to line of outer Antwerp forts.
Not busy at work. Finished about 2 o’clock. Went down to chapel at 4 o’clock but there was no-one there for me. Went down again at night and made up a tray. Had walk round the town last thing with Charlie and Willie Whittaker.
Insurance man called at dinner time and I met him. We talked for about an hour. Made me late for work after dinner. Rode Charlie’s bicycle there and back. Went along and saw Willie Whittaker about insurance and spent all the night talking about it.
Hardly anything to do. Went down to practice with Charlie and Howard†. Came round with Blaikie and Willie Whittaker and Charlie.
Finished in decent time. Walked up town in the afternoon. Paid for history† book which I received from Hills’s1. Went up town at night with Willie Whittaker. Wet night. Saw young Letty come out of the library as we came down Villette Road.
German retreat continued to the Aisne, where new battle.
Hills’s: the main Sunderland bookshop, in Waterloo Place, where Ernie later worked as manager and eventually as a director. ↩
Finished about 1.30. Went to Tunstall Hills1 in the afternoon with Father and saw a destroyer off the harbour. Went to Roker at night with Charlie and met Willie Whittaker at Whitburn. A lot of soldiers in the town. News to hand of the Germans sinking 15 fishing vessels in the North Sea. Received Ernie’s letter stating that if things didn’t improve he was going to <en>list.
Pathfinder sunk by submarine 250 dead wounded & missing2.
See footnote on 15 May 1914 and Sunderland map. ↩
Pathfinder: a 4″gun destroyer, 2940 tons, built 1904, sunk by submarine U21 in the Firth of Forth 14 miles ESE of May Island; a contemporary report says that the majority of the 268 crew were lost. ↩
Busy at work. Finished shortly after 5 o’clock. News to hand of the fighting. The Allies have retired to the French frontier. The British losses are estimated at 2000. Mr Asquith stated this in the House in reply to a question. Lord Kitchener held midnight Conference. Newspapers try to keep up appearances, but German success cannot be denied. Went to practice. Got on very well. Walked round with Dora’s Charlie, Willie Whittaker and Blaikie and got home late. Japan declares War on Austria1.
Busy at work. Finished about 2.15. An aeroplane passed over the town in the afternoon. Trial football match played. Took Histories1 up to Hills’ to be bound. Went to Roker at night with Willie Whittaker and Charlie. Discussed war news. Belgians retire to Antwerp & Germans occupy Brussels. They demand 8 million indemnity for the town. Various rumours from Austria & Russia. Charlie heard of the movement of the German fleet to Ostend.
“Histories”: presumably History of the Nations; see note on 11 April ↩