The Diary of Dorothy Priest, December 16th 1914

Yesterday came news that one of our older submarines the B11 dived under the five rows of mines guarding the Dardanelles and sunk a 40 year old Turkish ship.

The great importance of this action lies not in the loss of the Turkish ship but of the daring of B11 and the proof that the Turkish fleet is not as safe as they thought it was.  Tonight we heard news of much greater importance.  At 8 o’clock this morning, for the first time in the history of the world, a foreign enemy shelled Great Britain.  This is the first time since the Norman conquest (or Henry I?) that a foreigner has attacked our shores.  But they did not shell them because such things were not invented in those days.  Of course this does not include the Spaniards in Ireland in Queen Elizabeth’s time.  Some German cruisers have bombarded Whitby, Scarborough and Hartlepool.  Of course we all wonder what the navy was doing to let them get near enough, but as Daddy says (only in different words) our sailors aren’t such fools as to let them slip past without being seen.  Probably Fisher and Jellicoe knew all about it and have something up their sleeve.  Those cruisers won’t be able to get back so easily and may fall an easy prey to some of our ships lying in wait for them.  And, moreover, it may wake up some of the men who ought to have enlisted.  We seem to have made substantial progress in France and Belgium.  As Joffrey says we nibble, and with success.  The Kaiser is said to be suffering from malignant sore throat due to diphtheria, and his condition is serious.

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