In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:
R. Baillie
Able Seaman
S.S. ‘Corglen’
24th May 1943 age 42
God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes
Rev.XXI.4
The son of James and Elizabeth Baillie, of Nairn.
Robert Baillie was born on the 31st August 1900 at Nairn, the fifth son of seven children to father James Main Baillie, born 6th October 1863, died 15th January 1950, and his wife Elizabeth ‘Elsie’ [nee Storm], Baillie, born 1st July 1867, died 1st September 1941. They were married in 1894.
The other children were:-
• Jane Baillie, born 1895.
• Alexander Baillie, born 1897.
• Margaret Main Baillie, born 1898, died 1898.
• Elsie Baillie, born 1899.
• James Main Baillie, born 1902, died 1904.
• George Main Baillie, born 1904, died 1904.
In 1891, Elizabeth was residing with her parents, Alexander, born 1831, and Elspeth, born 1831, at 25, Union Street, Nairn, Scotland, and her father was a Fisherman.
In 1901, Robert Baillie, was residing with his parents, at 30a King Street, Nairn, Scotland.
Robert Main Baillie was an Able Seaman in the Merchant Navy, and served on the SS Corglen, ship number 161301, a British merchant cargo ship (collier) that transported coal during World War II, and often operated by William Cory & Son Ltd.
The last major raid of the war in the North-East caused the highest death toll. In its 35th raid of the war and its 11th of appreciable dimensions.
At South Shields twenty-eight people were killed and twenty-two seriously injured; some forty buildings were wrecked and another fifty seriously damaged. PMs also fell at Dalton le Dale, New Seaham, Ryhope, Silksworth and East Boldon. HEs were reported at Cold Hesledon, Ryhope Colliery and Whitburn, and IBs at Murton Colliery, Ryhope and Tunstall Hope. There was one fatality at Dalton le Dale and one at Ryhope.
South Shields. This was the last raid in which bombs were dropped on South Shields and it was one of the more serious with regard to loss of life and property, it centred on the Westoe and Cauldwell areas where four 500kg. HE bombs and four Phosphorous bombs were dropped at 03.19 on Sunday morning. They fell on Marsden Street, Stevenson Street, Dean Road and Hepscott Terrace.
These were percussion bombs said to be fitted with rods at the nose of the bomb, so that they exploded before they penetrated the ground, they made no craters but the damage above ground was extensive. The floorboards of a downstairs flat in Stevenson Street were undamaged although the entire building above ground was totally destroyed.
About twenty dwelling houses, shops, and the front of the ARP stores at the Regent Garage were completely shattered and many more had to be demolished later. About fifty other shops and houses were seriously damaged and 500 other properties, including the Regent Cinema and the Roman Catholic School, then at ‘Wyvestow Lodge’, suffered. The Dean Road wardens post was damaged, as was the entrance to a public shelter adjoining. The bomb there fell on the road between the Regent Garage and the wardens post opposite. [This is where Robert Baillie was killed]. There was no crater but the tram lines were torn up and a water main burst. Another water main at the end of Hartington Terrace was also damaged.
Owing to the densely populated nature of the Marsden Street district, casualties were heavy and the material damage widespread. Unhappily the Police Force and the ARP Service suffered the loss of one regular Police Officer, three Wardens and one Fireguard. 300 people were rendered homeless and temporary accommodation was provided at a Rest Centre. The siren on the roof of the Regent Cinema was put out of action. The Phosphorous bombs all fell harmlessly on fields at Harton Moor and Cauldwell.
Casualties were:- 21 men, 3 women and 2 children killed / 14 men and 10 women seriously injured / 8 men, 11 women and 3 children slightly injured. Blackout begins: 23.19, ends: 04.46.
Sources: The British Newspaper Archive; The James Hoy Archive; The National Archives; The Merchant Navy Association; Jennifer Stephenson; The 1939-1945 North East War Diary; South Shields Local History Group; Pride and Humanity Vol IV Ann Flagg;
Robert Baillie is remembered in our List of Ships’ Crews and in the Civilians list of Dead from South Shields.
