AURORA AIR RAIDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4814, 11 March 1918, Page 5

AURORA AIR RAIDS.

GERMAN MACHINES VISIT LONDON. NORTHERN LIGHTS MADE USE OF. DEFENCES AGAIN PROVE EFFECTIVE. Australian and N.Z. Gable Association and Reuter's. LONDON, Alarch 8. The Press Bureau reports that aeroplanes visited the East Coast at 11 o’clock on. Thursday evening, and proceeded towards London. The raid is progressing. The raid surprised London, marking a new enemy departure in utilising aeroplanes on moonless nights. ONLY TWO RAIDERS SUCCEED. OTHERS TURNED BACK. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter's. (Received Alarch 10, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 9. The Press Bureau reports : Seven or eight aeroplanes carried out last night’s raid. Two bombed London. The first two raiders, following the Thames, were turned back before they reached tlie capital. Tlie third crossed the Essex coast and bombed the south-west and north-west districts of London. The fourth machine crossed tlie Essex and dropped bombs on North London and then proceeded south across tlie capital, after dropping its remaining bombs on tlie northern districts. „ The remaining machines were turned hack. There was some damage to property and several houses were demolished. THE CASUALTIES. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received Alarch 10. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Alarch 8. Eleven people were killed and 4G injured in last night’s raid, and it is feared that six others are still buried in the wreckage. AURORA AS BEACON LIGHT. AUTHORITIES NOT TAKEN BY SURPRISE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received Alarch 10. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Alarch 9. The raid is designated as the “Aurora Borealis’’ raid, as a glow in the northern sky gave a light resembling summer which was ample to enable the aviators to steer over the North Sea. The Aurora lasted until 3 o’clock in the morning. Bands of red and white light illuminated tlie water, though only the northern glow was visible from London. Though the raid was a great surprise to the public, the remarkable barrage and the speed with which the British airmen went aloft showed that the authorities were not taken unawares. PARIS ALSO RAIDED. A WARM RECEPTION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter’s. (Received Alarch 11, 12.20 a.m.) PARIS. Alsrch 9. A French official report says:— Several enemy air squadrons raided Paris. Details are lacking, but it is believed that the casualties are fewer than in the last raid. Later.—Between 10 and 12 squadrons participated in the air raid on Paris, and they were hotly received by our anti-aircraft guns and 60 aeroplanes. Nine inhabitants were killed and 39 wounded. ’ A Gotha was brought down at Compeigne with four people aboard incinerated. It is now stated that 11 people were killed and 41 injured in the Paris suburbs.