GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 27 September 1915, Page 2

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

A ZEPPELIN RAID. AS TOLD BY GERMAN OFFICER. LONDON, Sept. 24. The New York World publishes a description of the London air raids by Zeppelin-Commander Mathy:—lt was a clear moonless night. Distances in the sky are illusive and it is difficult 1o find the range, but the instruments told us the exact height. The most important guide was the silvery surface of the Thames. The London grow is visible for a distance of 3‘7 mjles. The English will never eradicate the Thames, from which we can always pick up any point in London. _ Although darkened, there is sufficient glow to enable -straight steering until the city is outlined. It is still silent below. The darkest spots stood out in contrast with the blue lights of the other portions, mostly residential. We were after the darker spots. Searchlights suddenly flashed as if a dead city had come to life; waving arms around the sky and sending out feelers for the danger which was threatening. Our height made it impossible for effective anti-aircraft range-finding.

There was military justification for bombing a battery screened near St. Paul’s, but we abstained, not desiring to damage the Cathedral. We endeavoured to bomb the Tower Bridge, but are not certain of the result. We never encountered an aeroplane, but British anti-aircraft gunners were always ready. Our motor propellers soon revealed our presence. First one and then another of those ribbons shot out from the glaring eye-like searchlights, and picked us up. Later, little flashes of fire burst from the black background, and the sound of guns was heard. It was a beautifully impressive picture from above, and probably equally interesting from below, with the greyish dim outline of the Zeppelins gliding through the waving ribbons of light, and shrapnel clouds. But we had no time to admire this, for we knew that at any moment we might be plunging below, a shapeless mass of wreckage and unrecognisable bodies. I picked up St. Paul’s, where there was a big searchlight, and then laid a course for the Bank of England Above the bank I shouted to the lieutenant: “Fire! 7 ’- Slowly, mingling with the vivid flashes of the guns came explosions and a burst of flames due to our bombs. We dropped several on Holborn Viaduct. From the ban' we went to the Tower. I believe we were successful in bombing the Tower Bridge. Flashes from the Tower of London showed that guns wore there, as I had observed in a previous attack. Arriving directly over’Liverpool Street station, I shouted: “Rapid fire!’’ The lieutenant rained down the bombs, and I ould see that they hit wel land apparently caused great damage. The flames burst out in several places. At last, having dropped alii our bombs, I turned the airship homewards. Despite the bombardment, we were not hit. Our main attack lasted ten minutes, and finished at eleven, the Zeppelin ascending and descending Until it found a favourable wind, and made a quick return.

Mathy is 34, and formerly commanded a destroyer. The present is his hundredth voyage in a Zeppelin, including several to England. He states that there is not an officer or man. in the aerial fleet who does not feel deeply when he learns that women and children have been killed. He would rather fight aboard a torpedoer than attack a city from the air. The chief impression in the air is that of speed and intense cold when three- to five thousand feet up. Asked the height when he bombed London, Mathy refused, as he did not want to give the English the range. “They are doing well enough—learning fast,” he said. “If Mr. Balfour 1 had stood by my side and seen the flashing guns he would not have denied that London is a defended city.” The Press Bureau passes with a com-

ment on the numerous untruths, notably that a battery was under St. Paul’s. This statement can only be characterised as a falsehood invented for the purpose of excusing what the raiders were attempting to do.