Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-04
BATH BOY DISCOVERS
.zEPS over LONDON
oath Times Oct. ss.)


Private William King. son Of Isaiah
King of l04 Academy ST.. WHO recent
ly Joined the British army in Liver
pool. has sent a letter home from Grove
Park. Lee. Kent. England. where he
is stationed in Co. c.. Bat. M. T. Reg
iment. A. S. c. It Is on 7. M. c. A.
paper which is headed For God, for
King and for Country" Mr.. King IL
20 years old and made trip to Liver
pool in the steamer Bahama AZ oiler.
and there enlisted. His letter follows:
Dear Father
Your letter read last night and
cannot tell you how glad was to hear
from home. / was on guard yesterday
on Post No. 3, two hours on and four
OF. 1t lasted for twenty-four hours.
Il was On last night from half past
eight until 1910. While walking my
post about $40. looked UP In the
sky and saw what I thought was q
star moving. but after watching more
closely discovered 1t was Zeppelin.
l at once called out the guard at the
same time ordering all lights out.
was the drst man in the camp to sec
the Yep and it came almost up to u
before they got their guns trained. and
we fired two or three rounds Of shrap-
mel before 1t went out Of sight.
Il was later of duty when word
passed that a motor was heard not far
off in the sky, but we could not see
anything. We listened, at the same
time getting our searchlights and guns
ready for action. When the noise was
directly over our heads we caught a
glimpse Of it going by star and at
the same time we trained our search
light on it the first crack and could see
it as plain as day and we at once
opened fire with our four Founders,
and, Dad, let me say hight here. wit
messed the sight Of a lifetime, a battle
in the air. When the Yep would drop
one Of her bombs, there was an awful
flash. lighting up everything, and then
you could see our shrapnel bursting
all around her. 1t was dificult to hit
the air craft as they travel very fast
and fly so high. The fight lasted about
ten minutes near our camp. but we
could see the other camps firing for a
long time as they kept putting search
lights on her and keeping her In sight.
Il am sending a paper with Q pic
ture showing the scene when the craft
was over our camp. Our camp lies
right in the right hand corner OF the
picture, and although you cannot see
it on account of the darkness. you can
get an idea how near l was to Mr.. Yep.
1t was certainly jolly exciting. and
would not have missed it for farm.
always thought would be afraid un-
der fire but ] can't say am. In fact,
l rather enjoyed it after 1t was all
over.
THE corporal of the guard asked
who gave the alarm and when he found
out, he came up to me and compli-
mented me on being faithful to my
duty, for during the first raid I stuck
to my post. l might say that there
were some that had to be sent back to
duty, but / have made up my mind
that they will not have a chance to
call the Yank coward. That is my
new name.
1--WE are expecting another raid to-
night or tomorrow night. and if il
comes, will tell you about it.
Don't worry about me, Dad, for
would rather go down doing my duty
than to come back and have them say
the Yank showed the white feather
Give my regards to all my friends and
tell them to write"
In postscript he adds, According
to all accounts, there were between
five and ten Zeps that took part In
the raid at different points along the
coast.
Don't worry. I have made all ar
engagements and if anything happens
to me you will be notified"