THE AIR RAIDS

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4207, 5 April 1916, Page 5

THE AIR RAIDS

FIRST VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

POPULAR N. Z. AERIAL HERO.

LIEUT. BRANDON’S LEAP

TO FAME.

ZEPPELIN COMMANDER INTERVIEWED.

“THE ACCIDENTS OF WAR.”

LONDON, April 3. Sunday night’s raid was the first Zeppelin visit to the east coast of Scotland. Over 20 bombs were dropped.

Tho airship remained over the district for 45 minutes.

She stopped over a north-eastern county for 30 minutes. Twenty bombs wero dropped over a considerable agricultural area, without doing damage. Searchlights were fixed on tlie raider. ’The precautions taken in London included a further reduction of lighting. Tho threatened raid was taken with the utmost sangfroid. All tho newspapers are publishing photographs of Sub-Lieutenant Brandon, the New Zealand aviator, who dr6pped bombs on one of the invaders. Tho Amsterdam “Telegraaf’s” London correspondent interviewed Captain Briethaupt, who was commanding tho Zeppelin lost at the Thames estuary. lie said: “You must not suppose we set out to kill women and children. Wc had higher military aims. No officer -of the German Army or Navy has killed women or children. Such things happen accidentally in waY.”

The interviewer states that it seems tlie Germans expected to be shot when caught. Urietliaupt told the British ; “I take the responsibility. My men ■were not responsible.” Tho captives state the crew totalled eighteen. Only one wa s drowned. The Zeppelin was nearing the British coast when spotted, and immediately she was struck in three places. Before the crew were able to throw out the bombs the Zeppelin broke in the middle and fell from a great height into the water. All were submerged, but were rescued after an hour. They say the British are veij kind. . . , Asked if they could distinguish anything on dark nights they replied: •‘.Nothing, only the land from the water.’ 5 SUNDAY’S RAIDS. LITTLE DAMAGE DONE. LONDON, April .‘3. Ofiicial: Six Zeppelins participated in last night’s raid—three raids on the south-east counties of Scotland, one visiting the north-east coast ot England, and the. remainder tho eastern counties of England. The vessels crossed the Scottish coast between 9 p.m. and 10.15 p.m., and remained until 1 o’clock m the morning. ’Their course did not indicate nnv special locality ol attack. Thirty-six explosive and 17 incendiary bombs were dropped at various places, damaging some hotels and dwclling-liouscs. Seven men and three children were killed, and live men, two women ana four children injured. One raider dropped 22 explosive and 1-5 incendiary bombs on the northeast coast. Two Zeppelins cruised over the eastern counties from 10.15 to 1 o’clock in the morning. Our anti-aircraft guns appear to have prevented thenselection of a definite locality as an objective. They dropped 4.3 explosive and 63 incendiary bombs. No casualties were reported m England. Shortly before midnight the Zeppelins rained bombs on certain northeastern rural districts. Although surrounded by bomb craters a house was not hit and the only casualties occurred in a fowl yard. An unexploded bomb buried itself in a lawn a few feet from the house. The ‘ ‘Amsterdam Telegraat’s’ Loiidon correspondent states that one ot the Germans rescued from the Zeppelin declared that larger Zeppelins armed with more powerful bombs, would come to England. ■ The correspondent adds that Bricnthaupt’s capture is most important. He is the only Zeppelin comniander who has won. the Order of Merit. He is an exceedingly clever man. (Received April 4, 9.25 p.m.) The bombs fell in the residential quarter of a Scottish town, and no public buildings of importance were struck. Five people were killed in a passage adjoining a tenement building. Two domestics were killed m a doctor’s house. Two hotels were struck, and several people killed or seriously injured.

ENGLAND UNPERTURBED. FRUITLESS AND MURDEROUS INVASIONS. ANOTHER. ZEPPELIN BADLY FRIGHTENED. (Received April 4, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, April 4. England remains unperturbed alter aii l raids on three successive nights, and tlio newspapers emphasise the fruitlessness of murderous invasions without the slightest military achievement, only killing unfortunate civilians.

The bombs mostly have been of the poorest qualities, except some dropped on a Scottish city, where the 'hotels suffered.

Although. Zeppelins cruised several Fours drawing a bombardment, there are indications that the authorities are hotter prepared. A town in an eastern county reports that a. Zeppelin Hying low was subjected; to fierce shrapnel lire and rose rapidly, accompanied by an appalling series of terrific, explosions, indicating that the commander, terrorstricken, had loosed: every projectilo aboard. Tho Zeppelin disappeared towards tho coast.

Many craters were found large enough to bury a haystack. A Zeppelin returning from England dropped eight • bombs on Dunkirk. Two civilians were killed arid four injured. An engineer has been arrested in an east coast town charged, with the possession of a signalling lamp. Flashes wore seen at midnight.

GERMAN REPORT

(Received April 4, 1.15 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, April 4. A German communique says: •Our airships on Saturday attacked tho east coast of England and bombarded with incendiary shells iron foundries, blast furnaces, and industrial works on. tho south bank of the river Tees, and the harbor and buildings near Middlesborough and Sunderland for an hour and a-half. Violent explosions, the collapse of buildings, and the outbreak: or fires indicate the good effects of the attack. Despite a vigorous anti-aircraft bombardment, the airships were unharmedl. The British official report is untrue.