?Socialist claimed British bombarded coastal towns

Socialism was rife in 1920 and the state cracked down on subversive elements. One socialist lecturer, John Frederick Hedley, was charged with making false statements on 16th and 19th of January contrary to the Defence of the Realm Regulations. He was found guilty and sent to prison with three months of hard labour.

He was a stoker in the Navy and was reputed to have said on the 16th January "During the War I was on a British submarine chaser. We deliberately, by instructions, sank some of our submarines - our own, mark you - not German. What was this done for? Simply to keep up the hatred between British and German working men. The poor devils who went to the bottom did not know, and the capitalistic press would simply add one more vessel lost through enemy action."

On the 19th January, he was reputed to have said "You have heard reports of raids on different towns on the East Coast, such as Scarborough, Hartlepool and other places. That was done by British battleships not Germans."

These statements were according to the prosecution false, malicious and wicked inventions. There were 300 to 400 people present on each occasion as Hedley spoke to a large crowd. He also stated that the military and police in Ireland had committed atrocities by stripping women and children in search of firearms.

Hedley defended himself by using German press reports that stated that the British Navy sank their own submarines and bombarded undefended towns in order to "incense" the English people against the Germans.

Hedley was arrested and his house searched by seven policemen. Books and pamphlets were seized.

The Chief Constable read out a letter from the Head Constable of Belfast stating that there were few more dangerous men at liberty.

Source Scarborough Mercury, 20th February, 1920.