15th May 1915 On this day:  Instruction Anti-German mob in Nottingham   "The anti-German feeling that has been in existence in Nottingham since the sinking of the Lusitania broke out in earnest on Saturday night 15th of May, when for nearly four hours pandemonium reigned supreme in one part of Sneinton, and a similar disturbance of shorter duration was witnessed in Alfreton Road. The trouble at Sneinton commenced shortly after nine o'clock outside Mr. H. Wagner's pork butcher's shop in Hockley. An epithet was shouted in a woman's voice at the proprietor. Then a male voice was heard, and the customers, evidently alarmed, made a hasty retreat from the shop. Within a few minutes a crowd of about 20 or 30 people gathered and, following a series of threats and accusations, a woman's shoe was thrown against the window. Mr. Wagner promptly closed the shop and closed the blind. The crowd, however, increased in number, and three police officers who had come upon the scene obviously saw they could not deal with the now ever increasing concourse of people. Presently Inspector Cooper and about a dozen more officers arrived. The crowd was separated in front of the shop, one half being dispersed towards Sneinton and the other half towards the city. They returned, however, a few moments later, one section lustily singing, "It's a long way to Tipperary," and the other, "They can't beat the boys of the bulldog breed." Cries from a group of women, "He's a German spy," "Down with the Germans," and "Who threw the gas bombs?" Some horse-play by a number of youths were elements that gradually produced a storm-scene, culminating with a brick being tossed over the heads of people on the footpath on the opposite side of the road. The next missile crashed through the window. From then there was a perfect fusillade of stones, bricks, and bottles which rattled against the window-frame and pavement. Again, there were cheers and singing. The glass panels in the doors received attention in turn, and shivering glass falling on the anti-blind told that the windows on the second floor had met with a similar fate. The police, now slightly reinforced, dealt with an unwieldy crowd of many hundreds of people most tactfully. Good humour took the place of force and eventually the people were moved back a considerable distance. It was nearly midnight, however, before the mass of people began to disperse. In the meantime, Mr. Frederick Hoffman's shop had been damaged. At midnight there were boisterous scenes in Carlton Road, and between twelve and one o'clock another bang was evidence of the fact that Mr. Arthur Wagner's shop window had been broken. Early yesterday morning [Sunday, 16th May] the damaged window of the Wagner's, who are brothers, were boarded up. A canary in a cage, hanging just inside the shattered frame in the apartment above the Hockley shop, survived the bombardment, and it was yesterday the object of pity of many hundreds of people who visited the scene. [How British to sympathise with an animal rather more than a human being!] During Saturday night a woman and a boy were arrested by the police in connection with the affair, but both were subsequently liberated. Mr. George Wagner told a representative of the "News" that the damage at his shop amounted to about £10. "I have lived in Nottingham," he said, "42 years and I never thought that the people would have done this sort of thing. A lot of lies have been told about me, but those who know me know what I think of the Kaiser and Germany. I have been a naturalised Englishman over 14 years. "The demonstrations in Alfreton Road outside Mr. Frederick Farber's shop was speedily ended by the shop being closed. Shortly after one o'clock yesterday morning [16th May] a brick was thrown through the window of Berthold Dorer's furniture shop in Manvers Street. An irresponsible section of the community continued the devastation last night. Another attack was made on Mr. Hoffman's shop in Sneinton Street, just after 10 o'clock. Two bricks were thrown, one of which sufficed to shatter a large window. The mob then marched up Sneinton Road, and reaching Mr. Hoffman's private residence, pelted with stones four windows overlooking the Parish Church. Practically, only the frames remained intact. Returning down Sneinton Road, the crowd, apparently suspicious as to the nationality of a newsagent, and a youth hurled a missile at his window, doing considerable damage. The victim in this instance is declared to be an Englishman. Mr. Frederick Hoffman, it may be mentioned, was born in England, and married an English lady, a native of Nottingham in fact. His father, whom he succeeded in business, came to England when a young child, while his grandfather fought under the British flag at Waterloo. In respect to Mr. G. Wagner it may also be said that his son's wife, an English girl, has two brothers fighting with the British Army in France. An attempt at a late hour last night at demonstration in the vicinity of Mr. F. Denner's shop in Union Road was frustrated by the police" Only a few of those involved were brought before the courts. The story was reported in the local press but the punishment hardly fitted the crime, in monetary terms at least: The so-called "anti-German" agitation of last weekend was recalled at the Nottingham Guildhall today when three persons were fined for their participation in the scenes of Saturday and Sunday evening. In the first before Mr W. B. Baggaley and Mr. A. Eberlin, Muriel Parkinson, aged 30, an embroiderer of St. Ann's Well Road, was charged with throwing stones. The incident occurred near the shop of Mr. G. Wagner in Hockley, where, according to a police officer, a crowd of 1,200 people had assembled. The officer said he saw defendant throw half a brick at Wagner's window, and further damage the glass which had already been broken - a fine of 5s. was imposed. The second case concerned the shop of Mr. F. Hoffman in Sneinton Street, and defendants were Gilbert Norman (16), a rag-gatherer, of Gough Street, and Albert English (18), a porter of Knotted Alley. Defendants were seen throwing stones at Hoffman's window. They were arrested and Norman said, "The window was broken before we threw." On the way to the police station he dropped half a brick out of his pocket. The damage amounted to between £10 and £12. Hoffman said that he was an Englishman and was born in Sneinton. His father was an Englishman and his mother was a Nottingham woman. He had no connection whatever with Germany. Defendants were ordered to pay 10s. each. Battle of Festubert    6th County of London Brigade RFA report 16th London Battery fired two rounds at southern end of Rue D’Ouvert, thirty nine rounds from J.6 to ‘S’ Bend, twenty nine rounds at north end of Rue D’Ouvert and Rue Du Marais. Further fifty five rounds were fired over the same parts. Major R R Wansbrough (6th London Ammunition Col) appointed to command 47th Division Ammunition Column. Capt P A Love (15th London Battery appointed to command 6th London Column). War Diaries    The "Second Battle of Ypres". 1st Battalion fighting at Sanctuary Wood, Zillebeke, Belgium May 1915.   Congratulated New pattern respirators arrive   Received from HQ 19th Infantry Brigade 125 new pattern (cotton waste in gauze) Respirators for 19th Field Ambulance. DDMS* 3rd Corps visited the Field Ambulance this morning re Lt. Gibbons *Deputy Director Medical Services War diary RAMC 19th Field Ambulance, Erquinghem-Lys  Fighting continues  Two Interesting letters  First Night attack  The Battle of Festubert  Night attack  In Billets  Relieved  In Reserve  Digging  Change of Billets  In the Trenches  Working Parties  Cyclists into Huts  Manning working parties  Concentration west of Ypres  Report  Trenches Poor  Cricket Match  On the March  Orders  On the March  Shelling  Quiet  Assault Made  At Rest  Quiet  Shelling  Working Parties Orders   At 12.35 pm Orders received by 149th Inf Brigade from 10th Inf Brigade for the remaining company of the 5th Border Regiment to proceed to Royal Irish Fusiliers Transport at B26c and report at 6pm. At 12.45pm Orders issued in accordance with above. The company left their huts at 4.30pm. At 3pm Orders received for the 4th and 5th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers to move from huts they are at present occupying to bivouac in H2g - HQ to Hopital Farm. At 3.45pm Orders issued in accordance with above and 4th Batt. moved off at 4.55 followed by 5th Btn and arrived in bivouac at 6pm. At 3.50pm Orders received for two working parties of 200 men each to be furnished by the brigade to parade at 8pm at the entrance to Vlamertinghe Chateau. At 4pm 4th and 5th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers were ordered to find these parties. 149th Brigade war diary  In Billets  Orders  Instruction  In Reserve  Attack Made  Breastworks  East of Vermelles  Training  Relief  German Mining?  Concentration  Orders  Report  Orders  Saxons occupied the trench opposite  Reliefs  Reinforcements  Good Food  Artillery bombardments  On the Move  Reliefs  In Reserve  Ready to Attack Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? Do you have a copy of an official war diary entry? Details of an an incident? The loss of a ship? A letter, postcard, photo or any other interesting snipts? 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Want to know more about 15th of May 1915? There are:57 items tagged 15th of May 1915 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Remembering those who died this day, 15th of May 1915. Pte. David Armstrong. 7th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Cpl. William Balmforth. 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Horace J Chapman. 2nd Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Read their Story. Rfmn. William Clarke. 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps Pte. Kenneth Cormack. 1st Battalion Royal Scots Read their Story. Pte. Richard Early. 1st Battalion Royal Scots Read their Story. Pte. William John Jenkins. 2nd. Battalion Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Rgt. Read their Story. 2nd Lt. Spencer Henry Le_Marchant. 6th Battalion Royal Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. James McNulty. 1st Battalion Royal Scots Read their Story. Cpl. William Turnbull. 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. Ernest Sidney Wild. 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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