29 replies to this topic

[Pete Wood]

My long-term interest in the German airborne raids on mainland Britain, was awoken by a recent thread in Chit Chat (Zeppelin Death). So I thought I would explore the subject further, as it affected a lot of villages, towns and cities.

The bombing raids had a massive impact on the morale of the civilian population - as well as causing destruction on a scale never seen before, and major civilian (and military) casualties.

"The German air raids of the Great War were the first of their kind. Strategical aerial bombing had never been used before and its novelty was shocking. It was viewed as terrorism rather than a legitimate act of war. It caused panic and outrage far in excess of the death and material loss that was inflicted and its psychological impact was as great as that produced by the far more devastating Blitz of the Second World War."

The above quote is from Thomas Fegan's book, The Baby Killers (Pen and Sword isbn 0-85052-893-3).

So how did the Zeppelin raids affect your community......??

[Tom Morgan]

I wrote about the effect of one raid on my Black Country town in this article.

Tom

[Tom Morgan]

I meant to add that there's an excellent book on the subject which traces the development and implications of the 1917 Gotha raids on London.

"The First Blitz" by Andrew P. Hyde, Pen & Sword 2002 ISBN 0-85052-812-7

Tom

[Tim Birch]

I have always understood that the bombing of Gernica during the Spanish Civil War was a watershed in the history of bombing in that it was the first time that civilians were deliberately bombed as the primary target, rather than being co-lateral victims.

Were the primary targets of the Zeppelins and Gothas military and industrial targets, or was there a deliberate policy of bombing civilian targets with the intention of terrorising them?

Tim

[Tom Morgan]

A bit of both I think, but mostly terror.  The Zeppelins couldn't really bomb anything with any accuracy so strategic bombing was not really a possibility. I think they carried a fair number of incendiary bombs, but in those days most factories were surrounded by houses, shops, schools and so on.

The Gothas weren't much better in this respect.  Both Zeppelins and Gothas carried 12.5 kg bombs containing crude TNT, thirty inches long and about 3 inches in diameter.  The bomb had an instantateous fuse with an optional one-fiftieth of a second delay mechanism, so it was essentially an anti-personnel bomb designed to cause the maximum number of casualties, because it had no significant delay to allow it to burrow and cause a crater or "blow things up."

The Gothas also carried a larger 50 kg bomb which a cigar-shaped body about five feet long and six inches in diameter, with a sharp steel point.  This combined with its weight and velocity meant it could penetrate several floors of a building before it exploded so it could completely demolish a house or if it hit the ground it would cause a crater twelve or fifteen feet in diameter and five or six feet deep. This might cause severe damage to a factory or something, but it would also cause terrible casualties if it hit a school, as one did, killing 18 children, mostly five-year olds, and mutilating many more.

[Pete Wood]

Were the primary targets of the Zeppelins and Gothas military and industrial targets, or was there a deliberate policy of bombing civilian targets with the intention of terrorising them?

Military targets were the primary aim, initially.

At the beginning of the war the German high command had been refused permission to bomb Britain, by the Kaiser. It was only after a French aeroplane raid on Freiburg, where three German civilians were killed, and under increasing pressure from the populace for revenge, that permission to bomb Britain was granted.

Britain's coastal defences and the London docks were the early targets. The Kaiser's one condition was that the Royal palaces (and other historic buidlings) should be spared - and civilian casualties should be spared wherever possible.

The bomb aiming equipment was too crude to be anywhere near as precise.....

Another excellent book is The Zeppelin In Combat by Douglas Robinson - a masterpiece!

[Jonathan Saunders]

Zeppelin and Gotha raids had a catastrophic effect on my area.  I know of at least two local women from my (then) village who were killed in raids but the worst effect was on nearby Gillingham and Chatham and the Naval dockyard.  I may have included this on another thread but in a particular riad on 3 Sept 1917 killed a large number of seaman who had been billeted in a glass roof gymnasium (I think).  Most of them dying from the splintering glass roof.  A memorial was erected to them in the Royal Naval section of Woodlands Road cemetery in Gillingham.

[Tom Morgan]

There is also "Zeppelin!" by Manfred Griehl and Joachim Dressell, which gives quite a lot of statistical info not just about actual Zeppelins but also about the Schutte-Lanz airships.  

Just flicking through it I spotted a reference to an article in "The Times" from January 1919, which gives the official casualty figures for all German airship raids from 1915 -1918 as follows:

498 civilians killed
58 soldiers killed
1,913 people reported as injured.

Tom

[Ian Bowbrick]

Janice Brooker wrote an interesting article on the Air Raid on Folkestone by Gotha bombers which took place on Friday 25 May 1917. If you search google you will find it as it is on the web.

This particular air raid is very close to my heart as two of those killed were Ester Bowbrick aged 8 & Elizabeth Bowbrick aged 12. Their mother Nellie was so badly injured in the raid that she never walked again and eventually died in 1925 aged 55 as a result of her injuries.

RIP

Ian

[gem22]

A few years ago I was reading some war time copies of the local paper when I came across an article reporting a bombing raid on our village. I can't remember the year but I think it was '16 or '17. I thought the paper said it was a Zeppelin raid, but Arthur Banks in his Military Atlas of the First World War reported it as a plane raid.
Our village, Littleport, is a fenland farming village with no strategic importance at all. The only possible target would be the railway line from Kings Lynn to Ely. I wonder if any forumite has any more details on this raid.
It's only effect on the locals was to make one farmer richer. His wife set up a table and chair at the edge of the field and charged 6d admission to see the bomb craters. For our younger members, and our overseas members that equates to 2.5p in new money; and about 4 cents U.S.
Of course in those days it was a tidy sum.
Garth

[Stuart Brown]

Zeppelin Warnings

From a newspaper August 1916. Letter regarding warnings and clearings.
These warnings appear to have been broadcast by a "buzzer". Can anyone add to this ?

There is a small article regarding a Grimsby trawler and a Zeppelin if anyone requires it.

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[Pete Wood]

Gem, if you can be a bit more specific, where dates are concerned, I'll be able to help. I know roughly which of three airships is responsible, but when property was not damaged, the reports are very sketchy. There is a bomb displayed ina church near you that was dropped on Somersham. The Germans bombed Newmarket and Cambridge, too.....

No planes made it so far inland to my knowledge. London and the coasal areas were their targets.

[Pete Wood]

These warnings appear to have been broadcast by a "buzzer". Can anyone add to this ?

The all clear system was not properly improvised until 1917 - when the all clear was sounded by boy scouts with bugles.

Before that the car horn was 'buzzed' to sound the all clear, along with police whistles, bicycle bells and even hunting horns.

[Tom Morgan]

Stuart - I'd like to see a copy of the small article about the trawler if you wouldn't mind, as it might be the "King Stephen".

Tom

[gem22]

RT
I would have to go back to the local library to get a date for the raid on Littleport.
Banks book definitely says a plane raid, and we are only 25 miles from the coast, if you come in over the Wash.
When I get chance I'll look up the date.
Garth

[Stuart Brown]

I'd like to see a copy of the small article about the trawler

RT,

Thanks for the information on the buzzer there a couple more letters.

Tom,

This is the trawler item - again August 1916.

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[Stuart Brown]

Gem22,

Following article was dated 4th August 1916 and the assumption is that the incident was on the 28th July. It was East coast. (two parts)

Stuart

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[Stuart Brown]

continued..........

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[Tom Morgan]

Thanks for the trawler article Stuart. It wasn't the "King Stephen" incident I thought it might be, but I'm glad to have seen it and will follow it up.

Tom

[Terry_Reeves]

There was quite a sophisticated air defence system in the UK By 1918, which ran from Scotland down to London. This included a warning system.

In Coventry, a major centre of armaments production - 25% of all British military aircraft were manufactured there in WW1 - the local council minutes show the the development of an air raid warning system from 1915 which included the sounding  of car horns ect, through to factory sirens and hooters for the start and end of a raid. Electricity supplies were cut off if a raid was detected within 60 miles of the city, much to the chagrin of the manufacturers. Residents were advised take blackout precautions and one or two local ironmongers did a natty line in "Anti-Zep" light shades.

Just the  threat of a Zeppelin raid could cause some distress. In 1915, local newspapers reported on several occasions that Zeppelin engines were heard overhead. One such alarm caused the death of an old lady who, according to the local coroner, died of a seizure believing that a raid was taking place. Her family reported that she was terrified of an ariel bombardment.

In fact the only Zep raid on the city was in 1918 when bombs were dropped on the outskirts, landing on open ground,  most of which failed to detonate. The crater created by one bomb however attracted an audience of an estimated 12,000 people the following day.  Two fighter aircraft were lost chasing this particular Zep , both crashing on the northern outskirts of the city. The only other casualty on that night was a car driven by a special constable who bent a front wing after crashing in the blackout. Quite a thing at the time!

Terry Reeves

[gem22]

Stuart
Thanks for the newspaper report.
Garth

[Pete Wood]

While the King Stephen story is fairly well known, a less familiar story is that of the capture of a ship by a Zeppelin.

On April 23,1917 the captain of "L23", Lieutenant Bockholt, sighted the Norwegian bark (schooner) "Royal" in the area of the Dogger Bank. When the airship went to investigate, the Royal's crew abandoned the ship - fearing the Zeppelin would bomb them.

A small party was lowered from the Zeppelin, and went onboard the Royal. The bark had so called 'contraband' on board, in this case lumber for English coal mines; the Royal was enroute to Hartlepool.

Because of its cargo, the Royal and its load were seized and taken as a prize to Horns Reef near Cuxhaven; three of the Zeppelin's crew were in charge of the Royal. Later on the lumber was used for the construction of residential buildings.

The crew (all Naval personnel) of the L23 were therefore entitled to prize money, similar to the reward given to British sailors.

Here is a small picture of a painting of the event.

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[Pete Wood]

A few years ago I was reading some war time copies of the local paper when I came across an article reporting a bombing raid on our village. I can't remember the year but I think it was '16 or '17. I thought the paper said it was a Zeppelin raid, but Arthur Banks in his Military Atlas of the First World War reported it as a plane raid.
Our village, Littleport, is a fenland farming village with no strategic importance at all. The only possible target would be the railway line from Kings Lynn to Ely. I wonder if any forumite has any more details on this raid.

Garth

The airship responsible for the bomb on Littleport, Cambridgeshire was SL8 commanded by Kptlt Guido Wolff and this airship was part of the largest massed airship raid on England, which took place on the night of the 2/3 September 1916. SL8 was one of 16 airships to leave for Southern England on that cold Saturday.

The weather that night was bad, and with solid cloud, the crew of SL8 were not even aware that they were over England. There was a break in the cloud at 00.30 hours, when it was realised that they were over England. London could be seen in the distance, and one (or maybe more?) bomb was dropped at 00.40 hours to see if the anti-aircraft guns would respond (so that the airship crew could work out their position). The crew were convinced that they were further north (near Kings Lynn) and their compass was not working properly.

The lack of response, once the bomb had dropped, meant that they were further south of the coast (where most of the anti-aircraft guns were located), so the airship pushed on to try and pick up ther bearings. When the SL8 reached Ely, the helmsman thought that this was Norwich. SL8 circled around, waiting for the cloud to clear, then using the stars as a reference changed course to the West.

By now there was heavy fall of snow and a strong headwind. The SL8 turned around, just short of Huntingdon, when it was realised just where they were. The original target, London, was then abandoned. It was now that, even with the poor visibility, the crew witnessed the death fall of its sister ship SL11 (as it lit up the sky - some 40 miles away - and crashed, burning, on Cuffley (around 10 miles north of London).

The SL ships were not popular, compared to the Zeppelin-built craft. SL8 was transferred back to the Baltic where it was declared obsolete and broken up in Selim Shed (hangar), Seddin, in November 1917.

To the best of my knowledge, no inland towns in England were ever bombed by aeroplane. All aeroplane missions were directed at coastal targets and areas of London (which was approached from the east, following the Thames) - so only towns in Kent/Essex would have been bombed as the planes made their way to the capital.

I would love to get a copy of this and other air raids from your local newspapers - or other sources, please.

[Pete Wood]

I should have made it clearer that the one bomb, dropped at 00.40, was on Littleport....!!

[Dolphin]

It may be old news to many, but just in case it isn't, you might like to look at:

http://members.aol.com/tgenth/index.html#in

where the grandson of a Gotha commander has posted some marvellous photgraphs of Bogohl III in 1917, plus some other great 1914-1918 aviation images.