6 replies to this topic

[hmsk212]

Hi

During the Great Zeppelin Raid of the night of 31st March / 1st April 1916, Zeppelin L16 ( Werner Peterson ) dumped all of his bombs on Bury St Edmunds. Can anyone tell me how many casualties this caused in Bury St Edmunds and also, if there were casualties, is there a list of names etc of those killed or wounded.

Steve

[David Seymour]

Steve,

Jones, in The War in the Air Vol 3, pp. 192 - 3, says thirty-seven houses damaged, seven people killed and five injured when Peterson bombed Bury St Edmunds.  He mentions no names.

However, there are six names listed as "killed in air raid" here: http://apps.suffolk....arch.aspx  Just fill in Bury St Edmunds in the Parish box

Hope this helps.

Regards,
David

[hmsk212]

Hi David

Many thanks for the information, it's a great start to my quest.

Killed :-

Henry Adams  aged 60
George Kimberley Adams aged 15

Annie Evelyn Dureall aged 29
James Dureall aged 5
Catherine Dureall aged 3

Harry Frost aged 44

Cheers
           Steve

[Zepp Raider]

Steve

From: The ‘Baby Killers’ German Air Raids in the First World War by Thomas Egan (Pen & Sword 2002)

“Eight explosives and a pair of incendiaries were dropped on the town in the space of fifteen minutes, most falling on the west of the town centre in a north-south course along Spring Lane, Chalk Lane and Mill Road.  Private Hubert Hardiment, who was on leave, was killed at the back door of his landlady’s house as he went to investigate the attack; Harry Frost was fatally wounded as he watched the raid in his garden; at another house a blast killed Mrs Dureall, whose husband was away serving with the 3 Sussex Regiment, and two of her five children, aged three and five, in her bedroom.  Elsewhere in Bury, bombs landed near the railway line by Eastgate Street, behind St Mary’s Vicarage at the top of Southgate Street and beside Prussia Lane.  In the last place the elderly Henry Adams and his fifteen year old son died.”

I would also recommend that you find yourself a copy of Zeppelins Over Bury by Gareth Jenkins pub. by Moyse's Hall Museum, 1985.  This cracking little soft-cover book deals with both raids on Bury (the April 1915 raid and, of course, the raid you are researching) and includes maps and photographs.  

Good luck with your quest!

David

[hmsk212]

Hi David

Many thanks for the information, I must try to get a copy of the book you have recommended.

Hubert Hardiment was Private 3726 with the 4/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment and was aged 21


Steve

[RAF_Louvert]

.

Steve,

Here is a scan of the accompanying map to H.A. Jones volume 3, "The War in the Air", which was quoted by David Seymore.  It shows the routes of all the zeppelins over England that night:






As you can see, L16 made a full circle just to the northeast of Bury St Edmunds during its run.  Hope this will prove useful for you Sir.

Cheers!

Lou

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[hmsk212]

Excellent stuff Lou, Many Thanks

Steve