Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-10-07
DESCRIBES Air
RAID ON LONDON
Haddon Chambers Tells Of Re-
markabIe Theater Scene.
ONE ZEPPELIN NEARLY HIT.

ONE ZEPPELIN NEARLY HIT.
Fragments Of Shrapnsl Fell on Roof Of
Playhouse - Thrilling Spectacle as
Huge Flashes Of Light Searched Sky
For Raidine Air Craft-Boom Of Guno
Terrific.
have not yet seen Zeppelin. Many
Of my friends in London have been
more fortunate. and my valet. William
Hogg, had the experience of his life
the other night as you shall hear pres
emily, says Haddon Chambers. the
playwright, in wireless message to
the New York Times.
On the night of the great raid an
American friend. Mr. Marcosson. dined
with me Mt the Carlton. We disputed
during the dinner as to whether we
should walk the streets in the subdued
night afterward or visit the st. James
theater. MarcOSsOn. who was all for
the theater. carried the evening. and
we just missed seeing the Zeppelins
and gained seeing an English audience
under fire.
BY 1890 o'clock we were with Lady
Alexander in her box next tho stage.
The act opened with q scene between
two men played by Sir George Alexan.
der and another actor. It had only
been In progress q few minutes when
the guns began to boom most furious
ly. They sounded as II being fred in
the street outside. At first no one In
the house moved. but presently 4 Sec
ton Of the gallery arose and started
for the doors. Small blame to them.
as fragments of shrapnel actually fell
ON the roof above their heads.
Panic Quickly ouslisd.
Alexander stepped to the footlights
and said: Ladies and gentlemen,
should It become advisable to leave the
theater will tell you. Meanwhile It
is at least as safe here as outside"
There was a round Of applause. and
the gallery sat down. In no other part
Of tho house had there been a move
mcnt
Alexander then came to our side Of
the stage and said to me, "Haddon.
would you mind asking Helmsley to
come around to me when he is not
busy" Adopting his tone. l called out
from the box. Certainly will. old
chap" The house seemed tickled at
our intimate tone and laughed consid-
erably while the guns continued to
roar.
One Zeppelin Apparently Hit.
The statement Of my valet. William
Hogg. is as follows:
ION Wednesday went up to High
gate. just outside of London. to see my
wife. There had been u raid ON Tues
day night somewhere On the east coast.
50 naturally we talked about 1t and
wondered If we should ever see Yep
pelin. We were soon to have our wish
gratified.
I'VE went to bed about 1890. At
about quarter to II we were startled
by loud boom. said to my wife.
'Zeps.' We got to the window. and we
saw a wonderful sight
From where we were 1t seemed as
II the world was a theater and we were
in the best box. There. suspended in
horizontal position. outlined by a
wonderful dark blue sky studded with
stars. was an oblong object like huge
bar Of gold. That was the Yep. Huge
flashes Of light were searching the sky
for her companion, II she had any.
while one searchlight held her to view.
1.-THE boom of the guns was terrific.
and flashes Of the bursting shrapnel
shells located by the fash as they burst
was as wonderful a sight as you could
wish to see. One gun, which seemed
more powerful than the others. was
making fine practice. getting nearer
and nearer at each shot Then the gun
ners seemed to get the range. and a
shall burst right at the rear end of the
Yep, Immediately followed by a huge
cloud Of smoke, I yelled. My God.
she is hitr Immediately she began to
60 from the horizontal to the perpen-
dicular and In few minutes had pass
ed upward into a cloud and disap-
peared.
ut was all over in twenty minutes.
and it all seemed like a dream. had
Mr. Chambers little dog with me. and
he had got through the window on to
the roof and was barking at the Yep
for all he was worth. For some time
afterward we heard loud. whirring
noises. which we found out the next
day were caused by the aeroplanes try
ing to locate the Zep."