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The German Bombardment Of Cape Cod During World War I
Many people don’t realize that a naval engagement took place off the shore of Massachusetts when a German submarine began firing at passing watercraft
The horrors of World War I, the first global conflict in human history, left behind many memories and legacies of this great tragedy. While most may have learned that the battles of the “Great War” were primarily fought in Europe, in addition to Africa, Asia and the Middle East, it reached other surprising areas as well. This includes the time that German forces bombarded the quaint Massachusetts community of Cape Cod in 1918.
Lasting from 1914–1918, World War I was of almost impossibly bloody consequences. It’s believed that there may have been as many as 40 million casualties, including 15–24 million deaths and around 23 million wounded. For many, it was the first time that armed conflict had arrived in their lives, and in this case it was done with a sudden and dramatic escalation well beyond the pale from what had ever been known before.
The United States mobilized more than 4 million soldiers during their efforts in WWI, suffering 65,000 fatalities. The rest of the country was fortunate in one regard, as they remained far away from the actual fighting — at least for the most part. Carnage knocked on their door during the 1918 Battle of Nauset Beach, when a German submarine emerged just off the coast of Cape Cod and began firing on nearby ships.
It wasn’t until 1917 that the United States entered the war, but when they did it was full bore. A little more than a year after they jumped into the fray it landed on their doorstep. On the morning of July 21, 1918, the Chatham, Massachusetts’ Naval Air Station received a very unexpected message:
“Submarine sighted. Tug and three barges being fired on, and one is sinking three miles off Coast Guard Station 40.”
The location given was beyond alarming. Station 40 was Nauset Beach, which was on Cape Cod, a mere 70 miles outside of the major hub of the region, Boston.
Although it wasn’t an expected scenario, the possibility of Germans attacking the coast was something many had thought about and…
