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heartening effect of the raids upon the German populace is evidenced by
the mental attitude of men made prisoners on any of the fronts。 Only with
the utmost difficulty were their captors able to persuade them that London
and other large towns were not in ruins； that shipbuilding was not at a
standstill； and that the British people was not ready at any moment to
purchase indemnity from the raids by concluding a German peace。 When
one method of terrorism fails try another； was evidently the German motto。
After the Zeppelin the Gotha； and after that the submarine。
The next year1917brought in a very welcome change in the
situation。 One Zeppelin after another met with its just deserts； the British
navy in particular scoring heavily against them。 Nor must the skill and
enterprise of our French allies be forgotten。 In March； 1917； they shot
down a Zeppelin at Compiegne； and seven months later dealt the blow
which finally rid these islands of the Zeppelin menace。
For nearly a year London； owing to its greatly increased defences； had
been free from attack。 Then； on the night of October 19； Germany made a
colossal effort to make good their boast of laying London in ruins。 A fleet
of eleven Zeppelins came over； five of which found the city。 One； drifting
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low and silently； was responsible for most of the casualties； which totalled
34 killed and 56 injured。
The fleet got away from these shores without mishap。 Then； at long
last； came retribution。 Flying very high； they seem to have encountered an
aerial storm which drove them helplessly over French territory。 Our allies
were swift to seize this golden opportunity。 Their airmen and anti…aircraft
guns shot down no less than four of the Zeppelins in broad daylight； one
of which was captured whole。 Of the remainder； one at least drifted over
the Mediterranean； and was not heard of again。 That was the last of the
Zeppelin； so far as the civilian population was concerned。 But； for nearly a
year； the work of killing citizens had been undertaken by the big bomb…
dropping Gotha aeroplanes。
The work of the Gotha belongs rightly to the second part of this book；
which deals with aeroplanes and airmen； but it would be convenient to
dispose here of the part played by the Gotha in the air raids upon this
country。
The reconnaissance took place on Tuesday； November 28； 1916； when
in a slight haze a German aeroplane suddenly appeared over London；
dropped six bombs； and flew off。 The Gotha was intercepted off Dunkirk
by the French； and brought down。 Pilot and observer…two naval
lieutenants…were found to have a large…scale map of London in their
possession。 The new era of raids had commenced。
Very soon it became evident that the new squadron of Gothas were
much more destructive than the former fleets of unwieldy Zeppelins。
These great Gothas were each capable of dropping nearly a ton of bombs。
And their heavy armament and swift flight rendered them far less
vulnerable than the air…ship。
From March 1 to October 31； 1917； no less than twenty…two raids took
place； chiefly on London and towns on the south…east coast。 The casualties
amounted to 484 killed and 410 wounded。 The two worst raids occurred
June 13 on East London； and September 3 on the Sheerness and Chatham
area。
A squadron of fifteen aeroplanes carried out the raid； on June 13； and
although they were only over the city for a period of fifteen minutes the
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casualty list was exceedingly heavy104 killed and 432 wounded。 Many
children were among the killed and injured as the result of a bomb which
fell upon a Council school。 The raid was carried out in daylight； and the
bombs began to drop before any warning could be given。 Later； an
effective and comprehensive system of warnings was devised； and when
people had acquired the habit of taking shelter； instead of rushing out into
the street to see the aerial combats； the casualties began to diminish。
It is worthy of record that the possible danger to schools had been
anticipated； and for some weeks previously the children had taken part in
〃Air Raid Drill〃。 When the raid came； the children behaved in the most
exemplary fashion。 They went through the manoeuvres as though it was
merely a rehearsal； and their bearing as well as the coolness of the teachers
obviated all danger from panic。 In this raid the enemy first made use of
aerial torpedoes。
Large loss of life； due to a building being struck； was also the feature
of the moonlight raid on September 4。 On this occasion enemy airmen
found a mark on the Royal Naval barracks at Sheerness。 The barracks
were fitted with hammocks for sleeping； and no less than 108 bluejackets
lost their lives； the number of wounded amounting to 92。 Although the raid
lasted nearly an hour and powerful searchlights were brought into play；
neither guns nor our airmen succeeded in causing any loss to the raiders。
Bombs were dropped at a number of other places； including Margate and
Southend； but without result。
No less than six raids took place on London before the end of the
month； but the greatest number of killed in any one of the raids was eleven；
while on September 28 the raiders were driven off before they could claim
any victims。 The establishment of a close barrage of aerial guns did much
to discourage the raiders； and gradually London； from being the most
vulnerable spot in the British Isles； began to enjoy comparative immunity
from attack。
Paris； too； during the Great War has had to suffer bombardment from
the air； but not nearly to the same extent as London。 The comparative
immunity of Paris from air raids is due partly to the prompt measures
which were taken to defend the capital。 The French did not wait； as did the
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British； until the populace was goaded to the last point of exasperation； but
quickly instituted the barrage system； in which we afterwards followed
their lead。 Moreover； the French were much more prompt in adopting
retaliatory tactics。 They hit back without having to wade through long
moral and philosophical disquisitions upon the ethics of 〃reprisals〃。 On
the other hand； it must be remembered that Paris； from the aerial
standpoint； is a much more difficult objective than London。 The enemy
airman has to cross the French lines； which； like his own； stretch for miles
in the rear。 Practically he is in hostile country all the time； and he has to
get back across the same dangerous air zones。 It is a far easier task to
dodge a few sea…planes over the wide seas en route to London。 And on
reaching the coast the airman has to evade or fight scattered local defences；
instead of penetrating the close barriers which confront him all the way to
Paris。
Since the first Zeppelin attack on Paris on March 21； 1915； when two
of the air…ships reached the suburbs； killing 23 persons and injuring 30；
there have been many raids and attempted raids； but mostly by single
machines。 The first air raid in force upon the French capital took place on
January 31； 1918； when a squadron of Gothas crossed the lines north of
Compiegne。 Two hospitals were hit； and the casualties from the raid
amounted to 20 killed and 50 wounded。
After the Italian set…back in the winter of 1917； the Venetian plain lay
open to aerial bombardment by the Germans； who had given substantial
military aid to their Austrian allies。 This was an opportunity not to be lost
by Germany； and Venice and other towns of the plain were subject to
systematic bombardment。
At the time of writing； Germany is beginning to suffer some of the