It was a lovely cross country drive down to Hartlepool, to visit Heugh Battery, not too far from the Historic Quay and HMS Trincomalee. The battery is now a museum, but was first opened in 1860 to protect the port of Hartlepool. The guns were gradually upgraded over the years and by World War 1, was equipped with 6 inch guns.
The battery, manned by the Territorial Force gunners of the Durham Royal Garrison Artillery, were to see action in the Bombardment of Hartlepool on 16 December 1914 against a German Naval Fleet. During the bombardment, the leading German battle cruiser fired a shell which struck aground less than 100 metres from the battery. This marked the first death in action of a soldier on British soil in World War I. A plaque commemorating the event is found on the coastal walkway just outside the battery.
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