THE FIGHT OVER ESSEX .

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3563, 25 September 1916, Page 5

THE FIGHT OVER ESSEX .

THE RAIDER'S TRAGIC FATE.

(Received' September 25, noon.) LONDON,. September. 24.

' Official.—Fourteen or 15 airships took part in the raid. The three which attacked London were large, and of a ifew.pattern. . The raiders principally visited the south-east, eastern, and east Midland -counties and Lincolnshire. Two airships attacked London trom the south-east between 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning, and another from the east hetween midnight and 1 o'clock. Aeroplanes were- sent up and antiaircraft guns opened fire and drove off *ih» raiders. ■mmbs were dropped on the southern aid south-eastern districts, and it is regretted that 28 people were killed and 99 injured. One of the raiders fell in flames and was destroyed, -with its. crew. A second also fell in Essex, and the crew •f 22 officers and men were captured. Detailed reports o£ the casualties and damage have not yet been received. A special correspondent telegraphs: " An airship passed over here at midnight, and about 10 minutes later I saw 'it going southwards. Guns were busy and shells were bursting , all round the airship.' It then proceeded northwards. The guns suddenly ceased and the airship disappeared. The engines were clearly heard again within 20 minutes; the Zeppelin was apparently seeking to escape homewards. There was' another minute's heavy gunfire- then shells burst round the airship, and.a red spot glowed, seemingly .ahout the size of a small football The ,fiames swept along the back oi the ■ypnnelin and almost immediately it Jrfiefr.m end to end, like a SrV.shooting -soppont, with flames Sbing its sides. The airship's tail str^t .p, audits nose . down, It, back seemed to hw»ak, ami then, a "iWing wreck, it «ado a headlong