So far as the land was concerned, all that had happened hitherto was passive. The preliminaries prepared the way for the tragedy which was to follow.

The Von der Tann had pride of place and passing the Lighthouse, at about 2 and 1/19 miles out, immediately opened fire upon the Heugh battery with 280mm (11-inch) shell.

This first round of explosive got home on the right hand corner of the battery, making a huge gap in the concrete and, worse than aught else, killing the sentry and three of the infantry guard. Wounded were there as well as dead, and spare gunners were near at hand to help them. Two ran out to pick up their comrades who had fallen . This deed of mercy was not to be accomplished.The Von der Tann had got the range, but was too close inshore to be effective upon the battery itself with a dropping fire. The mists of the morning saved the puny defences from destruction. "There is a Divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will!"

Those two "Red Cross" men never rejoined their comrades, could not bring in the wounded. Another 280mm (11-inch) landed near to the first and both were killed, while other of the guard were wounded.

Inside the battery these were pulsating moments. The 152mm (6-inch) guns were charged with lyddite shell. The range was got at 4,150 yards. The point of impact was raised and the upper works of the Von der Tann began to suffer.

Meanwhile, the Blucher, as rear ship, was engaged by the Lighthouse battery. After a second correction, the range was found and a third round cleared away the fore bridge of the giant cruiser. This was good work for the D.R.G.A. (Durham Royal Garrison Artillery)., but the men of that force had always distinguished themselves as marksmen. Had they not taken the premier prize at Shoeburyness under Colonel Cameron? They were now equal to the test of actual war under Lieut-Col. Robson.'

This is an extract from 'The Hartlepools in the Great War' published in 1920 by Frederick Miller pages 67 and 68.

The first man to be killed on English soil in the Great War was Theophilus Jones. See Every Name A Story