ON the morning of December 16, 1914, warships of the Imperial German Navy’s High Sea Fleet opened fire on three east coast towns: Scarborough, Whitney and Hartlepool.

By 9.30am, the bombardment was over – but 135 people lay dead in the three towns, and more than 500 were seriously injured.

Hartlepool saw the largest loss of life: but it was the attack on Scarborough that most outraged the nation.

Bob Clarke’s new book, Remember Scarborough, describes what happened to the seaside town that December morning.

The roof and north-facing wall of Scarborough Castle were blown out by German shells. The Grand Hotel, one of Scarborough’s most recognisable landmarks, was hit more than 30 times.

Numerous other hotels and guesthouses were also struck, and the Esplanade area received several hits, damaging many shops and properties, including chemist Clare & Hunts on the corner of South Street. The shop’s porter, Leonard Ellis, was caught in the blast and became the bombardment’s first victim.

Scarborough’s Liberal MP, Walter Rea, was not immune. His house was extensively damaged by a shell which flew through a second-floor window and exploded inside. Another shell destroyed the third floor of 6 Belvoir Terrace, trapping the occupant, Mrs Keble, inside.

The worst tragedy occurred at No 2 Wykeham Street, however – a simple terraced house that was home to the Bennett family and a number of paying guests.

Witness Annie Agar’s account is reproduced in Mr Clarke’s book. “The shell came flying straight over the railway bridge – it smashed a lot of windows in Gladstone Road School – and went clean through Mrs Bennett’s house,” she said. “The place was blown up and things went flying in all directions.”

Four people died: Johanna Bennett, 58; Albert Bennett, 22; John Ward, ten; and George James Barnes, aged five.

The loss of life was terrible: but as Mr Clarke makes clear, the attack was a catastrophic miscalculation on the part of the Germans. It incensed the nation – and fuelled a government recruiting campaign. “Men of Britain! Will you stand this?” screamed one poster, featuring a picture of the Bennetts’ house.

The campaign worked: the War Department claimed that for every poster 1,000 men joined up.

Above all, Britain had been forced to realise the war was not going to be over before Christmas and the nation was in it for the long run. Awful as this tragedy was, far, far worse was to come.

• Remember Scarborough by Bob Clarke is published by Amberley, priced £12.99