AERIAL ACTIVITIES

Southland Times, Issue 17664, 23 February 1916, Page 5

AERIAL ACTIVITIES

THE SEAPLANE SAID. A HVE MINUTE AFFAIR. PEOPLE MORE CURIOUS THAN ALARMED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, February 21. The people of Walmer were enjoying Sunday walks when suddenly there was heard the whirr of an aeroplane 1000 feet in the sky. Instantly there arose the cry: "Take cover!” Some followed this advice, but many continued watching the machines with contemptuous indifference. A deafening series of explosions near the church shook the building and caused a momentary pause in the singing of the Te Deum. Then the service was continued without a sign of panic. Many houses had not a pane of glass left unbroken. Curiosity was the prevailing feeling and an eager search for pieces of bombs was made. Several fell in the sea. At Lowestoft a bomb penetrated a bedroom and did not explode; another blew out a window of the Primitive Methodist chapel. The crowded congregation were greatly alarmed, but left without disorder, and the service was abandoned. Three bombs dropped harmlessly in the vicinity of the gasworks. The attack lasted only a few minutes. Clouds enabled the seaplanes to reach Walmer undetected. British aeroplanes were quickly in the air; but, owing to the enemy’s runaway, tactics, they had little chance to effect a counter-attack. The attackers were out of sight in five minutes after they dropped the first bomb. One blew a boy, who was walking in the roadway, almost to pieces and terribly injured a man nearby. CORRECTED STATEMENT OP CASUALTIES. v LONDON, February 21. Received February 22, 10.15 p.m. The Admiralty corrects the Walmer casualties. The total was a lad killed and another injured. Twenty shop fronts were blown in. THE GERMAN ACCOUNT. BERLIN, February 21. Received February 22, 10.35 p.m. Official; Naval aeroplanes on Sunday bombarded factories at Deal and hit the main station and harbour works at Lowestoft several times. The gasometer collapsed. Despite the enemy’s bombardment and pursuit by airmen our aeroplanes retired safely. A ZEPPELIN DESTROYED. B7 FRENCH GUNS. PARIS, February 21. Official: French guns brought down a Zeppelin in flames near Bradant ,Le Roi.