FIRST AIR RAID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 September 1942, Page 5

FIRST AIR RAID

VENICE BOMBED NEARLY 100 YEARS AGO. EXPERIMENT FROM BALLOONS. An article in the “Readers’ Digest” states that the first air-raids in history occurred 93 years ago when Austria repeatedly bombed the rebellious city of Venice from altitudes -up to 4500 feet. Franz Uchatius, an Austrian army engineer, had been experimenting with balloons inflated by hot air from a stove suspended beneath them. He proposed to Jet them drift over Venice, each equipped with a time device that would drop a bomb. The army high command rejected the idea, but the Emperor told him to go ahead. Uchatius built an air fleet of 100 balloons, but could get enough stoves to equip only 50. With these ready he established headquarters on the warship “Volcano,” shifted its position, until trial balloons drifted over the city, then launched his first bomb. The bomb exploded in the midst of crowded streets. The unexpected menace .from the skies created mad panic./ Many persons were trampled on as they jammed the narrow bridges over the canals. Diw after day, Uchatius released his balloons. A. series of accidents due to faulty construction increased- tb n devastating effect of the balloons. Some became so overheated that they caught fire, dropping burn'ng silk, wickerwork, wood and fragments of stoves 1 as well as bombs. Fire destroyed several

buildings before the demoralised people could organise a bucket brigade. The air-raids killed only four persons and injured 26, but the effect of the bombardment on the morale of the population was tremendous. The people were so le-rrified that no one dared leave or approach the city. Venice, dependent on shipping for its food, came near to starvation.

The city was on the point of surrender when suddenly the air raids ceased. Rival officers, malting much of the expense and the haphazard results of the raids, were able to block the request of Uchatius for more stoves without which his remaining 50 balloons were useless.

Released from the spell of aerial terror, the Venetians rallied and broke the Austrian siege.