THE NORFOLK RAID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15823, 21 January 1915, Page 6

THE NORFOLK RAID.

DAMAGE AT' YARMOUTH. MANY BUILDINGS IN RUINS. 1 TERRIFYING EXPLOSIONS. HEAVY CASUALTIES FEARED. LIGHTS SEEN At' SEA. BELIEVED TO BE SIGNALS. (Received January 01, 1 a.m.) London, January 20. The whole period of the bombdropping at Yarmouth did not exceed ten minutes. The first bomb fell on the recruiting ground. Immediately afterwards the airship's searchlight was flashed on the town. The neighbourhood was shaken by a reverberating explosion and windows were broken everywhere when the next bomb was dropped on the Drill Hall. The hall was struck but was not greatly damaged. Regardless of cautions, the majority of the townsfolk rushed into the streets. Terrifying explosions followed in five or six parts of the town.

The full damage cannot be known until daylight. It is impossible at present to estimate the number of killed and injured. The ruinous condition of many buildings suggests that the casualty list may be heavy, particularly as most of the people were at home at the time. The chief damage was done in the congested area about St. Peter's Road, where it is reported that four were killed. The road is the main thoroughfare leading from the Parade. Two Zeppelins Seen. The broken plate -glass from shop-windows cut several people. A bomb broko the windows of 40 houses, the scene resembling a gas explosion. Another fell near the quay without doing any damage. A sentry fired at the Zeppelin. Smith, whose head was btewn off, was 20yds from the centre of the explosion. An elderly woman was killed at a distance of 50yds.

A green light was seen at sea. It is conjecturea that it was a signal to the aircraft* showing the position of a German vessel ready to assist the aviators in case of disaster. A resident at Sherringham states that two Zeppelins, at an altitude of at least 3000 ft, were seen, ma 1 : -g an inspiring spectacle. With a crash, four bombs, following on one another, wero dropped, making a hole 2ft deep in the ground. The ground was so hot that it was impossible to hold one's hand near it thre*e-quar-ters of an hour later. Another bomb was picked up which had not exploded. Damage at King's Lynn. A child had a wonderful escape. It had been put to bed, but cried, to its parents to be brought downstairs. A few minutes later a bomb fell through the bed where the little one had been sleeping. Ono houso at Sherringham caught fire, but the outbreak was not serious. On approaching King's Lynn the Zeppelin dropped a bomb at Snettishara, where Queen Alexandra has a bungalow. It dropped others at Dersingham. Many houses at King's Lynn were damaged. Doors were wrenched from their hinges, windows shattered, furniture scattered in fragments, and masonry hurled several hundred yards. Altogether, seven bombs wero dropped at King's Lynn. One killed a boy aged 17The boy's father was buried in the debris of his house, but was taken out alive. Elsewhere a baby and its mother were injured. Tho aircraft left in an easterly direction.

AERIAL DUEL. TAUBE BROUGHT DOWN. GENERAL'S SON KILLED. A French aviator, accompanied by a subaltern, had completed a flight over the enemy's lines in Flanders and was returning home, when he sighted a German Taube spying near Lille. The Frenchman gave chase, and the pursuit, lasted for an hour. The Taube pilot thought ho had escaped, when the French machine overtook him, and tho subaltern shot the German observer and wounded the pilot. Tho Taube was able to descend, and tho French plane landed at the same time. The German pilot said, " Despite the resuit of our contest, I am proud to have had a man of your valour as an adversary." The observer, who was killed, was Captain von Falkenhayn, son of General von Falkenhayn, who succeeded Moltke in the command of tho German Army. The only paper found in his pocket was a note from his general stating that the flying squadron had not realised tho anticipations of its work.