In the Air

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 23, 25 September 1915, Page 5

In the Air

THE STUTTGART RAID. barracks damaged. MANY KILLED AND WOUNDED, j Onit»d Phksi Association. | (Received 8.20 a.in.) Berne, September 24. < Tlie Allies’ bombs considerably damaged two barracks at Stuttgart, and many were killed and wounded. SUBMARINE DEPOT BOMBED. Amsterdam, September 23. The Telegraaf states that ,on Sunday and Monday evenings Allied airmen bombarded the submarines in Bruges harbor, and a factory was destroyed. CONTINUED ACTIVITY. The High Commissioner reports under date, London, September 24tb, 4 a.m.“An Allied dirigible bombard-, ed several stations where the enemy movements were reported. The Allied aeroplanes forced a rapid descent of several enemy, captive , ,baljoons,[ and groups of Allied aeroplanes bombarded three- statipnf? , . and '{ cantonments in Langemark and Middelkerke. 1 * i ■ ,u ' i ■» AN AMERICAN “SCOOP.” Lg, ll'll : I I RECENT RAID ON LONDON.

ANOTHER GERMAN FALSEHOOD. AMUSING THEATRICAL EFFORT. London, September 24. The New York World publishes a description of the London air raid by Zeppelin-Commander Mathy, who states: —“It was a clear moonless night. The distances in the sky were illusive and it was difficult to find the range, but our instruments told us our exact height. The most important guides were the silver surface of the Thames, and the London glow, which was visible at a distance of thirty-seven miles. The English can never eradicate <* the ( t Thames, wherefrom we can always pick up any point of \London.’j Although it is darkened, there Jd still' .sufficient glow' to Enable straight steering until the city is outlined still and'silent below. The darkest spot stood out in contrast to the blue lights in other portions, mostly residential. We wore.,after the 1 'spots; I Hvlienl searchlights suddenly flashed,, dead* oity had come to life, ‘ Waving their arms around the sky and sending out feelers for the danger which was threatening. Our height made it impossible for any effective antiaircraft rangfefinding. There ■ was military justification for bombing a battery screened near St. Paul’s, but we abstained from that, hot desiring togidamage the cathedral. We 'endeavoured to bomb Tower Bridge, but we'wete not certain of the result. We ineveii ; encountered any aeroplanes, but> the British anti-aircraft gunners Were always ready.- ( Our motors.*■ and propellers soon revealed our presence. First one, and then another of tho-sri rijbborts frqm the glaring eye-like searchlights,' arid picked us up. Later on, little flashes of fire burst f'Acini* : 'the black back ground and then sound of guns. It was a beautiful Impressive picture from above, and probably equally interesting from below, with the greyish dim outline of the Zeppelins gliding through waving ribbons of light and shrapnel clouds, but we had no time to admire the scene, for we knew that at any moment we might be plunging below, a shapeless mass of wreckage and unrecognisable bodies. I picked up St,, Paul’s* where there was a big searchlight, find laid my course for the Bank of England. When iabove the Bank T shouted to •|* f*' 7 > the Lieutenant to fire. Slowly, mingling with the vivid flashes; of. guns, came explosions and hurst ,of flames,, due to our bombs. We dropped several on Holborn Viaduct, and from the Bank we went to the Tower., I believe we were successful in bombing Tower Bridge. Flashes from the Tower of London showed.* that guns were there, as I had observed during a previous attack. Arriving directly over Liverpool Street Station I shouted for a rapid fire, and my Lieutenant rained down bombs. We could see that ’ they hit well and apparently caused great damage, as flames burst out in several places. Having dropped all our bombs I turned the airship homewards. Despite the bombardment we were not bit. Our main attack lasted eleven minutes. The Zeppelin was ascending and descending until she found a favorable wind, and wo made a quick return.”

Commander Mathy is thirty-four years of age, and formerly command-