Warneford's Zeppelin

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 September 1915, Page 3

Warneford's Zeppelin

A •IIOiUUJJLJi IJiLLS" i'ltlXU ME.\ IN iiUILVLNG MONSTER. Among tiie most vivkl and thrilling accuiint of the destruction oi a German Zeppelin by the lato Flight-Lieut. Wariieiord, Y.C., is the one below, l'roni an eye-witness to Uie Mother Superior of the Visitation Convent at JJridport (.Dorset) :— "At tho noise of a bursting shell 1 jumped out oi bed and pulled aside the blind. What a sight met my gaze! Thy Zeppelin just above- tho house on the opposite side of the (street, and >i>t airman (British) hovering 50 yards above. A second bomb was thrown, l'ho Zeppelin burst, practically in two, but (still found the energy io hurl up to its enemy a quantity of projectiles and oi burning naphtha. One taw nothing but fire and heard hideous yell* and horrible noises from the occupants of the burning airship. i thought the end of the world had come —at least for us. . . Arrived at tho Town Hall I percieved the flaming Zeppelin, midway between tho parish church and the Convent oi the Visitation. I rushed into llie convent, where tho tire was already burning and was consuming the new sday school recently erected. Above the classes is the dormitory of the 'ay -sisters, where 15 were sleeping. Thirteen were able to save themselves; one. >Si.stor Elisa, aged 26, was killed instantaneously, crushed under the motor of the falling Zeppelin. Sister Eleonore had her thigh" broken and her foot mangled, and was burning badly when she was saved. A third sister endeavouring t-o assist her was so severely injured tlniC she had to undergo an operation at. the hospital straight away. One .sister was pulled out of tho window and snvod by neighbours. The Zeppelin earned ia mitrailleuse and quantities of bombs and, jars filled with inflammatory essence. The convent was soon packed with German .*>'- (Mors, and no one was allowed within twenty yards of the house. The soldiers won- busy getting out the remains of 28 fellow-citizens, who had been burnt to death on the Zeppelin." i