RECENT ZEPPELIN RAID ON ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2687, 5 February 1916, Page 5

RECENT ZEPPELIN RAID ON ENGLAND

• CHURCH AND CHAPEL DAMAGED [ ' LOSS OF LIFE COMPARATIVELY SMALL l , .. Ej Telegraph—Press Aasoclatlon—UopyriElit ; ,/ London; February 3. ' The Zeppelins hovered over a Derbyshire town on Monday from' 8 o'clock until midnight, occasionally, dropping, bombs. There'were some casualties. Another Zeppelin over a Staffordshire town>dropped nineteen incendiary bombs in half an hour, two falling near picture theatres and a third near a theatre. Another set fire to a brewery. One bomb wrecked a mission room. One of the Zeppelins was over a Leicestershire town from S to 10.30 'p.m. and dropped four bombs, killing and injuring several people and damaging a number of houses. , The "Daily Chronicle" states that in a small area to Staffordshire twentysix people were .killed and ten injured. There were two separate visits here. The whole district reverberated with tlie explosions. As the result of one explosion thirteen people were killed. One bomb made a hole in a road seven feet deep.and.ten feet wide. A family of five was killed in one house, which was reduced to a heap of bricks and mortar. All the tenements in this street had the windows shattered. A number of people state that tlie Zeppelins were flying very low. ' • All incendiary bomb fell on the roof of a theatre in Staffordshire and rolled into tlie street. Tlie audience was huddled in darkness untli the danger passed. They sang the National Anthem. A lady lecturer in tlie Parish Hall was killed, and also two women of the audience. A bomb wrecked a billiard-room, lulling a player, but his opponent was not injured. Three Zeppelins crossed the Norfolk coast at a leisurely speed and dropped twenty bombs. They .wrecked a farmhous, but there were no. casualties. A small town in Lincolnshire wasj damaged. A bomb fell in a Derbyshire town, killing three! men. Other missiles dropped harmlessly in open country. The War Office issues a statement in which it declares that in Monday's raid 33 men, 20 women', and 6 children were killed, and 51 men, 48 -women, and 2 children injured. One church and a Congregational chapel were badly damaged, ; a parishroom wrecked, fourteen houses were demolished, a groat number damaged less seriously. Some not serious, was done to railway property in two places. Only two factories, neither of military importance, and a brewery were badly damaged, .two or. three other factories were slightly damaged. Tlie total of bombs discovered was '300. many being found in rural districts, where they had fallen without doing any harm. There was much loss "of-life and damage to property in the thicks-popu-lated suburbs iiv Staffordshire. Ten houses were blown to pieces iby a bomb which also killed six persons walking within' a radius of thirty yards. ' VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER AGAINST THE KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE (Rec. February i, 9.50 p.m.) t, .. •• London, February 3. Further details of the Zeppelin raid were.revealed at the inquests. The dead included the family of a soldier, who had returned on furlough to find his home wrecked, and his wife, boy, and girl dead. A verdict "of wilful murder against the 'Kaiser and the' Crown Prince was returned. 'Tlie first intimation of the raid in one town was a succession of bombs, which fell ;;n the poorest quarter where thirteen were killed, the majority being crushed by'falling houses: The Zeppelin returned four hours later' and killed ten persons, mostly women. . . The explosions caused . slight, earth tremors for miles. , ' A bomb fell .on'the'roof of a theatre and rebounded into the . street. The manager reassured the audience, who remained in their seats. A light shining dm--the'.glass roof of a factory attracted an airship. The light,was extinguished and the bomb fell, in the street near by, blowing two men, ftvo women, and a child to pieces. ° - ZEPPELIN WRECKED IN THE NORTH SEA. ' (Rec. February 4, 9.45 p.m.) London, February 8 •'Official.—A fishing trawler reports having seen a Zeppelin in the North Sea sinking. The High Commissioner rejlorts L ° ndon ' 3 > B ' 4o P' 1 "" The Admiralty announces that a Zeppelin was imported in a sinking condition in the North Sea. • IDENTITY OF THE WRECKED ZEPPELIN. (Rec.. February 4, 11.50 p.m.) .. . , ~ . , , London, 'February 3. A trawler has arrived at and reports having discovered Zeppelin Ll9 damaged. The cage was entirely submerged and half the envelope was floating and was tied with ropes to prevent further escape 1 of gas Eight men were on top, and others appeared in the hatchway leading through! There were about twenty men altogether. Tapping was heard, indicating appeals. The captain asked to he taken off. Several shouted "Save us." The trawler being small and the crow few, and there being 110 immediate danger of the Zeppelin sinking, and as there was considerable risk in taking off such a large number, the trawler steamed off and reported to warship. The same Zeppelin was reported yesterday at Amerlind returning from the raid on England, and was hit by Dutch batteries. DISCOVERED FLOATING OFF SPURN HEAD. . . (Rcc. February o, 1 a.m.) ■ London, February 4. When discovered, the Zeppelin was floating twenty miles off Spurn Head, on the Yorkshire coast. COMMENTS ON THE ZEPPELIN RAID AT SALONIKA. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, February 3. The "Evening News" comments on the Salonika raid as being (rer.li proof ./>f the extraordinary Zeppelin activity. It in computed that of ten Zemjelins

capable of long-distance raids, si* or seven were concerned in the raid 011 England, and 0110 was reported as flying over Paris. Now W c hoar of an eHith or ninth at Salonika. f 0 This one may bo the Zeppelin which made a dramatic journey to Sofia. Tho commander, fcanug airraids on tbe palace, asked King Ferdinand when lie should set out for the front. Jhe King replied: "You had better pass the winter hero." Sofia is 150 miles almost due north of Salonika. BRILLIANT RED LIGHTS POINTED THE ROUTE. ("Times" and Sydney' "Sim" Services.) During the Zeppelin raids brilliant red lights 3 ' The Press demands a rigorous search for tho treacherous signallers.