LONDON AIR RAID.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

LONDON AIR RAID.

EFFECT OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE '" BOMB. Some idea of the effect of a heavy-' explosive bomb dropped in London during the last Zeppelin raid is afforded by a letter which has been received by Mr. T. E. Toneycliffe from his firm's London j representative. In the course of his de-1 scriprtion the writer states: "The bombs fell, fortunately, in the middle of the square, which is, roughly, some 75 yards to 100 yards across. In exploding it lias blown a hole in the ground at least 20 feet in diameter and almost a I similar depth, throwing solid masses at masonry in all directions. Every house] in the square is almost in a state of complete wreckage. The force of the shrapnel and the portions of the shotf is incredible. The manager of Bhowed me round. From Iris waistcoat pocket he produced portion of a shell, not much bigger than a filbert nut, which had actually gone completely tlirough their safe and embedded itself in the books within. The solid stone is pitted in every direction to a depth of ai least '6 indues. There is not a vestige of window frame or glass in the whole square, and the centres of the buildings are torn and ravaged in every direction. It i 9 not definitely known what the loss of life was from tins particular bomb. The landlord of an old-fashioned tan was blown to pieces, only fragments of his body being found. The head of ti young man was found in the square, but no other portion of his body has yet been recovered. A solid granite fountain, the staaid of which would be from 18 inches to 2 feet in thickness, was blown to pieces, and portions of it were found buried in buildings right across the square. The heavy-plated glass was so utterly smashed that it | was almost impossible to get a piece 6 inches in diameter, most of which was blown to fine dust. Had I not actually seen what I am describing, I could not have believed such.explosive power could exist. By great good fortune these heavy explosive bombs have fallen in open spaces. Had they struck one of the warehouses or large buildings fairly the whole place would have been blown to smithereens. Even the hospital gates, which are built of solid stone and are some hundred yards away outside the square, have been pitted by fine portions of the shell in every direction. Had the raid taken; place at any other time except close on midnight the loss of life would have been terrible. We can only expect further raids, and will have to take this barbarous and horrible method of warfare as calmly as we can, looking forward to the day of reckoning, which assuredly must come."