Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-22
GERMAN A|RMEN WITHIN
THIRTY MILES OF LONDON
Discovered by British Scout, Who
Pursues Invader Toward
Sen.
FINALLY ELUDES PUl
PURSUIT
Drops Bombs on Three Towns in Es-
sex, Causing Some Damage to
Property, but Not Injurfng Any
Person.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.1
LONDON, February 2l.-A German
aero raider, with bountiful supply
OF bombs. arrived within thirty miles
OF London In a daring single-handed
raid tonight before he was discovered
by British air scout He fed to-
ward the sea, dropping bombs on three
towns In Essex, and finally eluding
pursuit.
From the course taken by the raider
II Is believed that London was his
objective. and that tho bombs were in
tended to have been hurled upon tho
metropolis.
Three bombs were dropped on Brain
tree. Two OF them failed to explode.
The third did little damage.
Coggeshall was tho target for n sin
gle bomb. which dropped in garden.
and damaged cottage. but no person
WAS injured.
Al Colchester also only one projectile
was hurled by the raider. 1t struck
near the military barracks, and dam
aged several of the outbutldfnEs when
1t exploded. \ portion OF an adjacent
garden wall was blown out, and n
number of windows were smashed. The
bomb tore hole TWO yards square and
three feet deep.
REBJOHN FAMILY
HAS NARROW ESCAPE
Tho family Of Philip Reb1ohn, on
Butt Road, had n narrow escape. Tho
kitchen adjoining tho room in which
Mr.. and Mrs. Rebjohn were sitting was
OIL
the Rebjohn baby. sleeping in It's crib
In front room OF the house. was not
even awakened by the explosion.
Colchester WAS tho first to give the
alarm. The alarm was spread and the
special deputies were called out. Lights
were eNtinguished in most OF the
reighboring towns. and tho populations.
disregarding the warning OF the Home
Office. flocked TO the streets instead OF
seeking safety in their cellars.
Two aeroplanes were dimly dlscerned
flying seaward. One presented the
now w-familiar outlines OF Taube,
while behind it. pursuing at high speed.
was n British biplanc. The German was
well in the lead and. after letting go
his bomb he circled over the town
and then made OF in an easterly direc-
tion. toward Harwlch and seaward.
INVADER CHALLENGED
IN NICK OF TIME
The three towns attacked lie in n
direct line from west to east between
point about twenty miles north OF
London and tho sea. Braintree is
northeast of the metropolis. Apparent
ly the British air scout spicd tho In
vader somewhere about the western
boundary of Essex. Tho invader was
challenged just In time. for Mt the
speed at which he was nying-about
seventy miles an hour--he could have
arrived over the heart OF London in
about twenty minutes. But the Ger
man turned tail and fed as soon as the
British machine appeared Then the
chase started. To the residents OF the
towns which heard plainly, but only
with difficulty could see, the racers, tho
noise OF the propellers was ominous
and terrifying. From all reports the
chase lasted from $40 P. NJ. when the
machines were head over Braintrce. to
about . o'clock, when they passed out
to sea over Colchester.
a later report from the region OF
Harwlch told OF the passng--this time
to the westward--of single machine.
This Is thought to have been the Brit
Usher returning.