On this day in Yorkshire 1940

Yorkshire Coast and N. E. Raided. Nazis say Whitby & Middlesbrough

German ‘planes raided the Yorkshire coast in daylight yesterday and were over the North-East again last night, when it was reported that a high-explosive bomb fell on an inland town.

During the day, bombs were dropped on a Yorkshire coast town and near a village, causing some casualties, a few of them fatal.

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Another town was machine gunned while children were going to school. None was hurt.

The gun crew of a ship shot away the undercarriage of a raider with their first shell when it tried to attack a North-East coast town.

Losing height, it jettisoned its bombs into the sea and fled with fighters in pursuit.

The enemy claim to have bombed a blast furnace near Middlesbrough and harbour works near Whitby.

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After coming from the sea and circling over a Yorkshire coast town tor 30 minutes this morning, a German machine dropped eight or nine bombs on business premises and dwelling houses causing a number of casualties, a few fatal and several serious.

Bombs fell on a plumber’s shop and a garage and the Council’s electricity show room. Three of the bombs fell in grounds. The houses in the track of the bombs are in ruins.

Children in school behaved with remarkable calmness and air raid precaution services and police carried out their duties with coolness.

A second machine which flew over the town was driven off by machine gun fire.

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Three bombs were dropped near one coastal village. Three men were seriously injured and a few received minor injuries. One of the injured men, F. Jacobs, was on his milk round when a bomb dropped nearby.

Another town was machine gunned when the children were going out to school. People ran out of their houses to bring them to safety when the ‘plane was in the vicinity. None were hurt.

The next time the ‘plane flew over the town it was given a good peppering with anti-aircraft fire.

It is further learned that harbour facilities near Whitby were plastered with bombs of medium calibre, the explosions causing fierce fires.

Air battles developed, in the course of which the British lost two Hurricanes.

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