THRILLING INCIDENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3564, 26 September 1916, Page 6

THRILLING INCIDENTS.

ARTISAN QUARTER DAMAGED

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Service.) / LONDON, September 25. Eye-witnesses' stories of the raids on ;he Eastern Counties and on London; how'that the raid was on the biggest ;cale, and was full of thrilling incilents. Public excitement was equally livided between the destruction wrought in the artisan district of outh-eastern London, the tragic end f j?he burning Zeppelin, and the comic urrender of the officers and crew of first-class Zeppelin to tlie .sleepy inabitants of a lonely country village. JbTve Zeppelins were engaged in tho aid on Es.scx. They dropped 84 ombfi, but, thanks to the authorities' rccantions, ihey foiled to discover ny towns or populous villages.' The liief victims were, sheep, poultry, and abbits. A Zeppc--lin, travelling at a terrific peed, dropped incendiary and highxplosive shells in East Anglia. "it as greeted by an inferno of sholl-Gre, ut-seemed to escape from the searchghts. The inhabitants were conratulating themselves that all had ided, when the Zeppelin returned, ring very high. When 'the monster 11 it by a miracle narrowly missed vo cottages, only smashing their ont windows. A few moments later the crew hamered at the door of tho cottage, but, c wily labourer inside pretended to asleep. He heard the commander earing, and the labourer then put 5 wife and children in a back room, :aped by .a window, and brought tho istable. : . They met a body of men. who replied queries in broken English : " Zopin engine exploded; we prisoners of r. The Germans .did not offer any re-

sistance, and appeared to be unhappy .<, and dejected, but quite submissive. . They were conveyed to a detention camp. Uiie sad incident is reported. A soldier had special leave from tho front to .see lus vying father, and arrived only to iind the house in ruins, his fatner killed, and his mother and sister uucunsuuus in hospital. The soldier scrambled on to tiie ruins, gazed pitifully at them, and then Hung himself ou the debris and sobbed unrestrainedly. 4 Tho artisan districts of London suffered severely, especially tho small working-class houses. A number of people are suffering from gas poisoning, suggesting that asphyxiating bombs were dropped. Ambulances and fire engines arrived in the stricken districts with splendid promptitude. The public showed fine courage. Many rushed out half-dressed, men with top-coats over their pyjamas, and women in their nightgowns. The child ion wore the bravest. Although they wore terribly frightened, and some were hurt, they showed wonderful patience. Eye-witne?ses record the fine spectacle of several British airmen going in pursuit of the assassins. Though tho Zeppelins were very high, the British craft wore soon in hot pursuit.

Tho crow taken prisoner are most timorous men, and seemed to fear that they would he lynched.

Tho commander assorts that his doseont was duo to engine trouble, hut the chiof engineer hotly disputed this statement.