9 replies to this topic

[LBV]

I'm trying to find dates/details on two air raids made by zeppelins in 1916, and I often come across mention that there were 159 Zeppelin attacks on England during the first world war.

I'm assuming that there must be a grand list somewhere, but have no idea of where to find it.

Does anyone know of such a thing online or in a book?

If not, the two raids I'm trying to find details of are:

A raid on Harwich some time between July and November 1916 which my great great uncle saw from Felixstowe Army Barracks:

"While training in Felixstowe, there was a zeppelin raid over Harwich and it was a most thrilling sight to watch - all of the searchlights shining up this huge aircraft, and the shells bursting in the air as they were shelling from the batteries at Landguard forts. We thought the zep was hit and been brought down, but she recovered from a possible slight damage, and flew away. It was a most interesting sight, and one I shall never forget."




A zeppelin in the sky over Norfolk (near Hethersett) on the night of 15 August 1916, the night my grandfather was born:

"According to mother that evening the zeppelins were roaming over Norfolk. You could hear the throbbing of the engines as they were passing overhead. And also there was a particularly good warning, in that there was a local bull that disliked the sound of the engines, and so it spent it's time roaring at the same time. At least that's the story.^⁠"

I'd be incredibly grateful if anyone could help me to fill in the blanks.

Cheers,

Lewis

[johnbarleycorn]

LBV, on 14 March 2012 - 04:47 AM, said:

I'm trying to find dates/details on two air raids made by zeppelins in 1916, and I often come across mention that there were 159 Zeppelin attacks on England during the first world war.

I'm assuming that there must be a grand list somewhere, but have no idea of where to find it.

Does anyone know of such a thing online or in a book?

I have posted a complete list of 1914-18 air raids here.

[Charles Fair]

Thanks, that is an extremely useful list.
Charles

[LBV]

Thanks for such a quick response!

My Gr Grandmother must have meant there were zeppelins about around the time of his birth - 12 August, Dover, or 24-25 Aug Ipswich, London and Harwich.

They must have been lost, though - and most likely the latter raid, as Dover's a fair way from Hethersett in Norfolk.

Gr gr uncle Forester may have been watching that same raid in late August, or the one 2-3 August (probably this as there is specific mention of bombing of Harwich).

He was also at Yarmouth Jan 15 of 1915, but for that one there's plenty of information out there.

[Charles Fair]

There is a bit about a couple of raids in Sept 1915 that my grandmother referred to in her letters in this thread: click here

[Stephen Nulty]

johnbarleycorn, on 14 March 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

I have posted a complete list of 1914-18 air raids here.

John

Some additional info on the April 1918 raids can be found here

[Magnumbellum]

johnbarleycorn, on 14 March 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

I have posted a complete list of 1914-18 air raids here.

Some clarification is required as to whether the posted list is in fact a master list of all air raids on Britain in 1914-18. I note that. that the list was published on the Kent History Forum, and is headed, "Air Raids Kent 1914-18". Although a few places outside Kent are mentioned, a cursory run-through suggests that the other places are mentioned only because the raids in question also involved Kent.

The only comprehensive list I have ever seen is that published in the 1920 volume of Pear's Cyclopaedia. Some cross-checking is required.

[Dolphin]

There are lists of the airship and aeroplane raids in German Air Raids on Britain 1914-1918 by Joseph Morris, originally published in 1925, but recently re-printed by Naval and Military Press.

Also, The Air Defence of Britain 1914-1918 by Cole & Cheesman (ISBN 0 370 30538 8) has data on every raid and counter-measure.

Gareth

[johnbarleycorn]

Magnumbellum, on 15 March 2012 - 06:07 PM, said:

Some clarification is required as to whether the posted list is in fact a master list of all air raids on Britain in 1914-18. I note that. that the list was published on the Kent History Forum, and is headed, "Air Raids Kent 1914-18". Although a few places outside Kent are mentioned, a cursory run-through suggests that the other places are mentioned only because the raids in question also involved Kent.

The only comprehensive list I have ever seen is that published in the 1920 volume of Pear's Cyclopaedia. Some cross-checking is required.

It is a complete list of all raids on GB, 1914-18., details taken from the refs given at the end of the posts on KHF.
johnbarleycorn aka herbcollector.

[Magnumbellum]

Thanks for the clarification.

For the record, the edition of Pear's Cyclopaedia to which I referred, as including a listing of all air raids on Britain, 1914-18, is the 23rd, actually undated, but appearing to have been published in 1921.