AIR RAID ON ENGLAND

Waikato Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 1959, 25 September 1917, Page 3

AIR RAID ON ENGLAND

POISON BOMBS USED. .Special llepresentativc of Sydney ‘ Sun. ’ A number of the bombs thrown upon Southend on Sunday, August 12, by the German raiders did not explode, but emitted yellow vapor. These are now surrounded by barricades placarded “Poison.’ r Whole streets arc without gass. The majority of the hilled were citizens who were walking about the streets unaware that the aeroplanes were German. The Mayor was warned half an hour previously, but decided that it would bo unwise to alarm the promenading crowds. The imest building at Southend, the. Technical School,

was destroyed. One house was blown lo atoms, leaving a blank space. The l.‘l inhabitants were out. There were some remarkable escapes. In a wrecked restaurant two wc’/o killed. The proprietor and his family of 10 escaped. A father and his two daughters hurrying to a train found themselves in the midst of falling bombs. The father turned to the right and was killed. The two daughters turned to the left and were unhurt. A tramway conductor removed with his passengers towards shelter, when a bomb fell and Avrecked the car. It was relatively the most deadly raid yet. The Gotha machine is Germany’s 1917 surprise, taking the place of the Zeppelins. It can reach London from Ostcnd in an hour. It can fly IS,oooft high, haa a wing span of 24 yards and bristles with machine guns, including one firing down a tunnel lyidcr the tail. It requires two ordinary machines to tackle it.