The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War

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619 Gnr. Harry Tyson Army Durham Royal Garrison Artillery Gunner Tyson was serving at the Heugh Battery on the 16th December 1914 when the Bombardment of the Hartlepools took place. The men were billeted at the Borough Hall and at 7.30 that morning, they marched to the battery singing 'Tipperary'. Each man was issued with 250 rounds of .303 for their Lee Enfield rifles, at this time there was a shortage of webbing so the ammunition had to be carried in the pockets of their Greatcoats. Harry Tyson and Jack Wilkinson were assigned to look out duty and whilst most of their fellow gunners retired to the shelters, they marched back and firth btween the Heugh guns with bayonets fixed. As dawn broke the German raiderswere spotted by the gunners aty South Gare on the southern bank of Teesmouth, and Heugh Battery was alerted by telephone,though at this stage the ships were beleived to be British as they were flying the White Ensign and had responded to the signal. There was a British ship in the area, HMS Doon, whose Captain was aware of the true nationality of the newcommers but was out of range of his guns. He led HMS Moy, Test and Waveney as they closed the range and began firing. At Heugh Captain Trenchman ordered the gun crews to man the guns, Tyson and Wilkinson took up their posts at No. 1 gun as Number 2 and Loading number respectivley. The rangefinder crew took the barings and the guns were laid on the inavders. "Then all of a sudden the three ships gave us a broadside and Captain Trenchmann called 'Action'" The first of the shells began to fall and the men at the Maxin machine gun post were wounded. Shells also fell on the houses behind the Battery. The elctrical firing mechanism of No 1 Gun failed after firing two shots and it too several minutes to change to percussio firing whilst No 2 gun continued to get off 30 rounds. The German fire was very accurate, the shells hitting the concrete and bouncing over the Battery to explode on the houses and in the field behind. One shell landed next to the doors of teh ammunition locker but fortunatley did not explode. Teh German ships continued to fire on the Battery and the town for about 15 minutes before repossitioning and aiming at the docks and West Hartlepool. The ceasefire was ordered at 8.53, after 38 minutes in action, as the German ships retreated into the mist. Gunner Tyson noted in Ward's book "Dawn raid" "I would like to say a word of praise to our cooks, Billy Sanderson and Arthur Hall. They must have been making tea all the time we were in action. As soon as we stopped firing out came buckets of hot tea." Later that afternoon a group photograph of the gunners was taken Add to this record.    Additional Information: Gnr Harry Tyson was my Dad. After Heugh Battery he fought in The Somme, Ypres and Verdun. He came home in 1920 after serving from 1914 joan ranger Reply Related Content: Durham Batteries, Royal Garrison Artillery Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? If so please let us know. Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?" We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. 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