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North-East Diary
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Incidents1st June 1941 to |
The Board of trade introduces Utility Scheme for retail goods.
The controlled distribution of eggs is announced.
Clothes rationing began today. Second hand clothing is not affected. Each person is to have 66 clothing coupons to last for a year.
The number of coupons needed for some garments is shown.
| Man | Boy | Woman | Girl | |
| Unlined mackintosh or cape | 16 | 11 | 14 | 11 |
| Jacket | 13 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
| Waistcoat, cardigan or Jersey | 5 | 3 | - | - |
| Trousers | 8 | 6 | - | - |
| Men's Shorts or Women's Knickers | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Overalls | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Dress, Gown or Frock Woollen | - | - | 11 | 8 |
| Dress, Gown or Frock other material | - | - | 7 | 5 |
| Blouse, Cardigan or Jumper | - | - | 5 | 3 |
| Skirt | - | - | 7 | 5 |
| Shirt | 5 | 4 | - | - |
| Pyjamas | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Collar, Tie or pair of Cuffs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pair of Socks or Stockings | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Pair of Men's Slippers | 4 | 2 | - | - |
| Pair of Boots or Shoes Men's | 7 | 3 | - | - |
| Pair of Slippers, Boots or Shoes | - | - | 5 | 3 |
| 2 Handkerchiefs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Apron or Pinafore | - | - | 3 | 2 |
| Pair of Gloves or Mittens | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Cloth - coupons needed per yard depended on the width - Knitting Wool was 1 coupon for 2 ounces.
Day 638. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.35, begins: 23.33
'SS Beaumanoir' (2,477t) on a voyage from Blyth to London, was sunk by German aircraft, off Ravenscar, near Whitby.
Yorkshire.. Middlesbrough.. Bombs were dropped in fields near Middlesbrough, where they did very little damage.
Day 639. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.34, begins: 23.34
Public Alert: 10.38, All-Clear: 11.21
Enemy night action resulted in an attack on Berwick where seven people were killed. In another attack, Amble and Alnwick were raided.
23.41.. Northumberland.. Report of HEs dropped NE of Red Row. Believed to have been out at sea.
00.00.. Off Northumberland coast.. 'SS Royal Fusilier' (3000t) attacked at sea [NU342051], seven miles E of Amble. Ship developed list, Amble lifeboat called, fifteen of crew taken on lifeboat then put back on the ship. Ship then towed north by one of the two destroyers which were in attendance.
01.40.. Northumberland.. Three HEs between Howick Rectory and Howick End, Howick [NU2517]. Also three UXBs near road at Howick Rectory between Howick Road and Howick End. Road closed.
02.30.. Northumberland.. Four HEs Sunnyside Crescent, Spittal, [NU0051]. Early reports say seven children trapped in house. Twenty men of the King's Own Scottish Borderers sent by Lt Col Anderson to assist - not asked for but accepted. 1st bomb - direct hit on 7/9 Sunnyside Crescent. 2nd bomb - roadway outside 11/13 Sunnyside Crescent. 3rd bomb - direct hit on 40/42 Sunnyside Crescent. 4th bomb - gardens in front of 44/46 Sunnyside Crescent. Final figures eleven dead, ten injured and treated at Berwick First Aid Post, two of them sent to Berwick Infirmary. Five houses demolished, seven uninhabitable and evacuated, one hundred houses slightly damaged, some with roof and ceiling damage, others windows only. Report of final body recovered at 10.50.
00.01.. Hull.. Two small and two medium sized HEs were dropped in Park Grove, Cave Street, Blenheim Street, Marlborough Avenue and Margaret Street. Some domestic damage was done. This was Hull's fiftieth raid, and though it was small, it had most unfortunate results. The "Raiders Passed" signal had sounded, and people were making their way from shelters to their homes when the bombs dropped. The casualty list included, twenty-seven killed and eleven seriously injured, all killed and injured within minutes of thinking they were safe.
A Junkers Ju 88 A was shot down by a Hurricane, into the sea four miles NE of Tynemouth at 22.29. Two of the crew were killed and two were taken prisoner.
Night 639. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.34, ends: 04.33
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 22.17, All-Clear: 22.34
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 23.50, All-Clear: 01.03
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 22.30, All Clear: 23.55
15.00.. Northumberland.. An enemy plane passed over Boulmer [NU2614] dropped bombs and machine-gunned the village. Believed to be a UXB near Boulmer.
15.00.. Northumberland.. One HE at Foxton [NU2511] between Alnmouth/Boulmer.
15.01.. Northumberland.. A plane heading north machine-gunned Hauxley Pit Screens [NU2803]; Amble Coastguard Station [NU2704]; Amble Camp (Lord Mayor's Camp); foot of Queen Street; Brickworks; Station [NU2604]; a train in the station; a signal box; High Street, Amble; then Longhaughton Village [NU2415]. A Spitfire was seen chasing the plane. A corporal in the RAF Marine Section was seriously injured by machine-gun fire at North Side, Amble and was taken to the RAF Station, Acklington. A soldier was slightly hurt in High Street, Alnmouth. A lady of Scotsgap received a slight burn to the face and neck. The guard on the train, was struck on the top of the head by a bullet and taken to Alnwick Infirmary.
Day 640. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.33, begins: 23.35
Public Alert: 15.01, All-Clear: 16.18
An Junkers Ju 88 C on a night intruder sortie, flew into a hill in bad visibility at Skelder Moor near Whitby 00.30. The crew of three were killed.
Night 640. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.35, ends: 04.32
Co Durham.. at 15.00 an enemy aircraft dropped one 500kg bomb, 20 yards W of the LNER railway line at East Jarrow. Two pigs and a number of hens were killed by blast. No other damage or casualties were reported.
15.15.. Co Durham.. One HE was dropped at Whitefield Pit, Penshaw, near to houses where damage was caused to about fifty of them, a small water pipe and an electric cable. A male and two females sustained injuries.
'SS Baron Lovat' (3,395t) cargo ship, Tyne to Huelva, was sunk by the Italian submarine 'Marconi', SW of Cape St Vincent.
Day 643. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.31, begins: 23.39
Public Alert: 15.19, All-Clear: 15.43
The barrage balloon vessel 'Cor Jesu' while on Admiralty service, was sunk by enemy aircraft off Alnmouth.
Day 645. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.29, begins: 23.41
Public Alert: 15.47, All-Clear: 16.19
'SS Diana' (942t) an ex Danish cargo ship, Reykjavik to Hull was sunk by German aircraft, SE of Iceland.
Day 646. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.28, begins: 23.42
The sloop 'Pintail' and 'SS Royal Scot' (1,444t) were both sunk by mines in the Humber.
The Ministry of Food announces egg rationing prices, large eggs are to be sold at 2/6 (12½p) per dozen.
Yorkshire.. Slight damage near Northallerton.
Day 647. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.28, begins: 23.43
Public Alert: 14.11, All-Clear: 14.39
'SS Moorwood' (2,056t) bound for Blyth from London was sunk by enemy aircraft off the Tees.
Day 648. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.27, begins: 23.44
'SS Empire Dew' (7,005t) cargo ship, Tyne to St Lawrence was sunk by U 48 in the North Atlantic.
Arab seaman killed at Billingham Reach. Buried at South Shields.
Day 649. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.27, begins: 23.45
Industrial Alarm: 15.46, Release: 15.48
Minelaying off the North-East Coast and attacks on shipping. In one coastal town HE demolished the Central School, damaged dock buildings and killed 14 soldiers.
Night 649. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.45, ends: 04.26
Public Alert: 01.40, All-Clear: 04.41
Night 651. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.46, ends: 04.26
Public Alert: 19.25, All-Clear: 20.00
Industrial Alarm: 19.22, Release: 19.49
Night 654. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.47, ends: 04.26
Public Alert: 00.12, All-Clear: 00.26
Northumberland.. Explosion of mine at Seaton Sluice.
King George and Queen Elizabeth toured Tyneside and visited shipyards and armament factories.
Day 655. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.48
Public Alert: 13.47, All-Clear: 14.05
'SS Isle' struck a mine while in Tees Bay. A futile attempt to beach her resulted in her finally sinking off Hartlepool at 54°41'14"N - 01°10'44"W.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured the North-East area including a visit to Billingham to see factories, meet people and see war damage.
Day 656. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.48
A Halifax bomber operating from Middleton St George, Co Durham, set off on a mission to Kiel. It left the airfield making a wide circle inland, before setting course for the target - the pilot, concentrating intently on the numerous tasks required, heard with dismay his wireless operator call out " We're heading into the balloon barrage Skipper". The balloon barrage was that protecting Middlesbrough. At the same time a warning device broadcasting from the ground confirmed this. The plane was flying at 4,000 feet and when the pilot looked up, sure enough 7-800 feet above them were the balloons. Skilfully steering in between them and climbing at the same time, he 'tip-toed' out of danger.
As a result of this near squeak, an arrangement was entered into with the balloon commander - the Middlesbrough barrage would be hauled down to 500 feet during the bomber's take-off and landing times in future.
Day 657. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.49
Yorkshire.. Of the nineteen enemy aircraft that penetrated the defences, some carried out raids in Yorkshire. There were no casualties.
Night 657. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.26
'SS Gasfire' (3,001t) cargo ship, London to Sunderland, sunk by a mine off Aldeburgh.
'SS Kenneth Hawksfield' (1,546) cargo ship, Blyth to London was also sunk by a mine off Aldeburgh.
Day 658. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.49
Newcastle.. A very heavy downpour of rain during a thunderstorm this afternoon flooded several parts of Newcastle and the Earl Grey Monument was struck by lightning, the head falling on to Grainger Street.
Day 659. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.49
Newcastle.. Sirens at Hiltons Garage, Cowgate and Nurses Home, Westgate Road failed to sound at 00.12 today owing to technical fault in Post Office lines.
01.26.. Hull.. Six small HEs fell in Goddard Avenue causing slight domestic damage. No casualties.
Night 659. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.26
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 00.13, All-Clear: 00.45
Industrial Alarm: 00.02, Release: 00.20
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 00.18, All Clear: 02.52
'SS Hull Trader' (717t) cargo ship, London to Hull, sunk by a mine near Cromer.
Day 660. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.26, begins: 23.49
Hull.. A small attack, The Albion Street office of the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post, already bomb-battered, narrowly escaped the fate of Paragon House in the raid of 7th/8th of May 1941, when the near-by Municipal Museum, then in temporary occupation by Thornton-Varley, Ltd., was totally destroyed.
Night 660. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.27
01.23-02.47.. Northumberland.. Gunfire from an enemy aircraft at Seaton Sluice [NZ3376].
01.30.. Northumberland.. One HE in the sea, 50 yards E of Searchlight Battery, East Hartley, [NZ339768].
01.35.. Northumberland.. One HE on foreshore between Crag Point and Old Hartley Bay apparently aimed at an AA searchlight which was operating at the time [NZ349760]. Slight damage to the roof of a cottage at East End, Old Hartley, to the roof of an Army Hut at Old Hartley AA Camp, and to shop windows at Old Hartley. No injuries.
01.50.. Northumberland.. Hartley.. Report of a bomb exploding on the west side of Blyth Road, [NZ3375]. Not confirmed.
01.59-02.01.. Northumberland.. Three HEs (1 UX) at Broomhill [NU254015]. Two on Broomhill Coal Company's private line to Radcliffe. One on cornfield. Line closed, alternative line in use.
02.00.. Northumberland.. Ulgham.. One HE in a cornfield at Ulgham Fence Farm, [NZ224924]. No damage.
Co Durham.. Near South Shields.. One 250kg and two 500kg bombs fell but failed to explode in the Harton Cemetery Extension, they were dealt with in due course. A fourth bomb fell in the Penshaw district.
Night 661. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.27
Public Alert: 01.20, All-Clear: 02.40
Industrial Alarm: 01.26, Release: 01.50
Newcastle.. During the day a total of three Heinkel He 111s of I/KG26 were lost in an attack on Newcastle, their fates being unknown.
'SS Dashwood' (2,154t) cargo ship, London to Sunderland was sunk by German aircraft near Great Yarmouth.
Day 662. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.27, begins: 23.49
'SS PLM 22' (5,646t) cargo ship, Pepel to the Tees was sunk by U 123, W of the Canary Islands.
Day 664. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.28, begins: 23.49
01.45.. Hull.. Five IB clusters and fifty small HEs were dropped in east Hull and the King George Dock area, Stoneferry Bridge hit. Slight domestic damage was done and all six fires that were started were put out. One person was killed and five seriously injured. It was during this raid that the Deputy Chief Constable (Mr James Smith), on duty, in a car driving to a bombed site, was struck by a splinter which went through the body of the car and killed him.
Night 665. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.29
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 01.27, All Clear: 03.33
'SS Rio Azul' (4,088t) cargo ship, Pepel to the Tees was also sunk by U 123 , S of the Azores.
Day 666. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.29, begins: 23.49
Night 667. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.49, ends: 04.31
Public Alert: 00.21, All-Clear: 01.13
It was announced today that coal deliveries are to be limited to one ton per month, maximum, for all establishments. This did not bother householders too much, because most households didn't use that much anyway!
'SS Homefire' (1,262t) cargo ship, London to Sunderland, was sunk by German aircraft off Cromer. Fifteen of her crew were lost.
Day 668. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.31, begins: 23.48
'SS Balfron' (362t) was sunk by German aircraft off Ravenscar, on a voyage from the Thames to Grangemouth.
The minesweeping trawler 'Akranes' was sunk by German aircraft while anchored in Bridlington Bay.
Day 671. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.33, begins: 23.47
The paddle minesweeper 'Snaefell' (466t) was sunk by German aircraft, just off the Tyne. She was built in 1907.
Day 672. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.34, begins: 23.46
Yorkshire.. Bombs were dropped in Yorkshire during the night.
Night 673. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.45, ends: 04.36
00.38.. Hull.. An incendiary raid only on east Hull. There was industrial, residential and railway damage. No casualties reported.
Yorkshire.. Bombs fell near Whitby during the night.
The three enemy losses listed below are believed to be due to a British radio counter-measure 'Meacon' which falsified German navigational beacon signals and caused the planes to fly headlong into coastal hills.
A Junkers Ju 88A flew into a cliff at Cliff Farm, Staithes, Yorkshire, in bad weather at 00.06. The crew were all killed.
A second Junkers Ju 88A came in from the sea in mist and flew into the ground at a shallow angle at Speeton near Bridlington at 01.20. The aircraft was burnt by the crew who were all captured.
The third Junkers Ju 88A also came in from the sea in mist and flew into the ground also at Speeton near Bridlington at 23.48. The crew were all killed.
Night 676. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.43, ends: 04.40
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 00.12, All Clear: 02.53
The trawler 'Isabella Fowlie' was sunk by German aircraft, E of Longstone Island, Farnes.
A Heinkel He 111H-5 crashed into the sea off Hull. Cause unknown.
Day 677. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.40, begins: 23.42
Hull.. Bombs fell at eight places between the Tweed and the Yare, but only at Hull was there serious damage.
Northumberland.. Whitley Bay - damage to houses.
01.15.. Hull.. A general attack concentrated to the N of the railway approach to Hull station. The bomb load consisted of six IB clusters, twenty-eight 50kg HEs, eighteen 250kg HEs, six 500kg HEs, three 1000kg HEs and one GM. One major fire, Blundell Spence. Aire Street. Seventy-seven other fires put out. There was industrial, residential and railway damage. There were nearly 150 casualties including twenty-one fatalities and forty-six seriously injured.
Night 677. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.42, ends: 04.41
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 01.30, All-Clear: 02.55
Industrial Alarm: 01.36, Release: 01.48
Industrial Alarm: 01.52, Release: 02.10
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 00.53, All Clear: 03.05
Yorkshire.. At night bombs fell mainly ineffectively in Yorkshire.
Night 679. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.40, ends: 04.44
'SS Collingdoc' (1,780t) cargo ship, London to the Tyne, sunk by a mine off Southend.
Day 680. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.44, begins: 23.39
'SS Rupert de Larrinaga' (5,358t) cargo ship, Tyne to Las Palmas, Canary Islands was sunk by the Italian submarine 'Morosini', W of Madiera.
Day 681. All times DST. Blackout ends: 04.45, begins: 23.38
About twenty-five enemy bombers carried out attacks on the North-East Coast.
01.50.. Hull.. Nine small, thirteen medium and three large sized bombs, plus five GMs dropped on North Hull Estate, Anlaby Road, Sidmouth Street. A school and residential property was damaged. Casualty list included twenty-five killed and twenty-eight seriously injured.
Night 681. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.38, ends: 04.46
Industrial Alarm: 19.20, Release: 19.40
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 00.55, All Clear: 03.19
Night 682. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.37, ends: 04.47
Public Alert: 23.53, All-Clear: 00.53
A Luftflotte 3 operations map shows that one hundred and eight aircraft attacked targets in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and Buckinghamshire. They dropped 173.9 tonnes of HE and 6,194 IBs, these attacks lasted until 03.31. The map shows that the main weight of the bombing that night was directed at Hull.
01.20.. Hull.. A heavy raid concentrated on east Hull and Victoria Docks. The bombs dropped:- Four IB clusters, ninety-two 50kg HEs, fifty-five 250kg HEs, twenty-one 500kg HEs, four 1000kg HEs and three GMs. About thirty aircraft attacked the city and caused a considerable amount of damage to business and residential property. 140 people were killed and 108 seriously injured.
Direct hits were made on Rank's flour mill, East Hull gas undertaking, Messrs Reckitt's factory, Franklin Street shelter, Holderness Road, the General Post Office, Crowle Street police station and the YPI George Street, altogether more than 200 industrial buildings were hit. Approximately 7,000 houses received damage of a more serious nature than broken windows, 1,500 made uninhabitable.
HEs fell in Mulgrave Street, an industrial area, thickly populated. Factories were hit, shelters demolished, 30 people killed, 130 injured, and more than 800 rendered homeless. In Franklin Street, Holderness Road, a shelter received a direct hit, a wardens' post was moved several feet by the force of the explosion, a cinema and a bank destroyed.
The raiders bombs started eighty-nine fires. Early in the ordeal a number of bombs fell in the vicinity of the main fire station, one of which did not explode, lodging itself in the roadway opposite, with the result that the station had to be evacuated of pumps and all personnel except the control room staff. The bomb exploded at 08.30.
A gas-holder was struck, and a huge sheet of flame lit up the sky, fortunately there were no serious consequences, and the danger was over in a few minutes. There was a stick of bombs, too, on the works of Messrs Reckitt& Colman, Ltd. This caused a large fire which did much damage. At the height of it a high and long wall collapsed, and though the firemen had very little warning, they managed to get clear. For this blaze, water was obtained from agricultural drains, but the water from the hoses soon had dyes, bath cubes, blacklead and disinfectants mixed with it. The effect was spectacular.
The largest fire of the night was at Messrs Spillers, Ltd., millers and grain merchants, in Cleveland Street. Here a bomb burst a large water main, so water had to be relayed from the River Hull and from a fire boat. A silo containing 35,000 tons of grain was the danger point. Large quantities of water would cause the grain to swell and burst the walls of the silo, if that happened and the grain fell into the River Hull, navigation would be impeded or stopped. So it was decided to let the grain burn, but damp it down a little and lead it away from the bottom of the silo. This was done, the silo, with thousands of tons of grain, invaluable to the country at that time, was saved.
There was another total stoppage of the gas supply, the service being partially restored the next day, and wholly on the 22nd.
Seventy-two water mains were damaged during the raid, a large proportion to trunk mains, this was the only occasion that a call had to be made for outside help. Assistance was given by Goole Water Department whose men worked in Hull for as long as 16 hours per day for three to four weeks to complete the repairs.
Yorkshire.. Bombs fell at Bridlington.
Night 684. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.34, ends: 04.50
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 02.19, All-Clear: 03.02
Industrial Alarm: 01.56, Release: 02.28
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 01.18, All Clear: 04.07
Northumberland.. Bombs were dropped ineffectively in Northumberland.
00.35.. Hull.. Five HEs dropped in the Holderness Road, Holland Street, Preston Road area. Mainly shop and domestic property damaged. Casualties included two killed and five seriously injured.
The barge 'Omfleet' was sunk by a mine at Hull.
Night 689. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.27, ends: 04.58
Public Alert (Newcastle Warning Dist): 23.51, All-Clear: 00.32
Public Alert (Hull Warning Dist): 00.09, All Clear: 03.25
Night 692. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.22, ends: 05.03
Industrial Alarm: 22.10, Release: 22.14
'SS Kellwyn' (1,459t) cargo ship, Tyne to Lisbon, sunk by U 203 off Cape Finisterre.
Day 693. All times DST. Blackout ends: 05.03, begins: 23.21
Popular singer Gracie Fields visited Tyneside to entertain war workers.
Day 696. All times DST. Blackout ends: 05.08, begins: 23.16
'SS Adams Beck' (2,816t) just starting off on a voyage from the Tyne to London with a cargo of coal, when she was attacked and sunk by enemy bombers off the Tyne at 235? and one mile from 20c Buoy.
Day 697. All times DST. Blackout ends: 05.10, begins: 23.14
Hull.. The last of the big nights for the fire service. An enigmatic statement but one that may mean that there was a sizeable raid on the city. ???
Night 697. All times DST. Blackout begins: 23.14, ends: 05.11
Industrial Alarm: 23.45, Release: 23.48
15.30.. Off Northumberland coast.. Farne Islands.. Three HEs Longstone Lighthouse [NU246389]. Two made direct hits on the turret and engine room, both badly damaged. All doors and windows blown in, kitchen badly damaged. Plane dipped its wings when passing over (a signal of acknowledgement to the lighthouse keeper, as made by friendly planes) and three objects were then seen to drop from the plane followed by two explosions. Lighthouse men landed at Seahouses by Holy Island Lifeboat. Search for UXB found nothing - possible two of the three bombs exploded together.
Day 699. All times DST. Blackout ends: 05.13, begins: 23.10
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