BOLT FROM THE BLUE.

Shannon News, 23 July 1926, Page 4

BOLT FROM THE BLUE.

BOMB THROUGH A HOUSE. FALL FROM AN AEROPLANE. FAMILY'S NARROW ESCAPE. While four aeroplanes which had left Kenley Aerodrome, on a bornfcdropping practice, were flying over Caterham, Surrey, early one evening a few weeks ago, a smoke bomb fell from one of them on a house in High street and crashed through the roof, a ceiling, and a floor, narrowly missing the occupants, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. The bomb, which was a small one, struck the slate roof at the angle. It burst through the slates, passing through a ceiling into a bedroom on the first floor, and into a sitting room below, where it ricochetted from a wall on to a gramophone,, where it smashed. The house was at once filled with acrid smoke, through which Mr. and Mrs. Coleman dashed in be- , wilderment. Mr. Coleman, in relating the story, staled: “I was in with >y wife in the bedroom in the front part of the house on the first floor at about five minutes to 7 wjhen suddenly I heard a terrific explosion. My first thought was what explosion had taken place. I went on to the landing, to find the house filled with smoke. The smoke was 1 particularly thick in a bedroom at the back” Discovery Of The Bomb. “I made my way downstairs and in "he sitting room at the back, on the giound floor, I found a bomb and realised that it had fallen from an aeroplane. The bomb passed through the house onl yabout 10ft from where iiiy wife and I were. It passed through the bedroom of one of '„y daughters. Fortunately- she was away. It was a' lucky thing, because she is usually in theroom-at the time the bomb fell. Shortly after the accident occurred three officers from the Kenley Aerodrome came round to the house and examined th bomb and they found, I believe, that a staple which they thought would be missing was still upon it.” Some residents actually saw the bomb falling from the aeroplane. The house which was struck is next door :o Caterham Post Once, which was only missed by a few feet. A senior officer at Kenley Aerodrome stated: “A flight of four machines of No. 23 Fighting Squadron, left the aerodrome in order to carry out bombing practice. While cllmning from the aerodrome they passed ' about 500 ft about Caterh&m, making a right-hand turn. It was then that a bomb fell from one of the machines. The pilot of the machine did not notice it happen, but one of the three other pilots saw it fall. He immediately left the formation to see where the bomb went. He saw it strike and returned at once to the aerodrome and reported the occurrence. Live Bombs Never Carried. ‘‘lmmediately the aeroplane from which the bomb dropped landed in the aerodrome the dropping gear was tested and was found to work perfectly. The gear in use is regarded as fool-proof, and a safety arranement has to be released before the bombs are dropped. This safety arrangement had not been attached by the pilot when this bomb fell . ‘ Hundreds of bombs have , been dropped at various aerodromes in Lnglafid during the past few years, and I have never known of such an ! accident taking place,, and residents need not feel any alarm. Live bomos are never carried by the Royal Air Force machines over England. They are used only occasionally for practice purposes at specially selected points on the coast where they could uot fall on any inhabited building.”