The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-25
EXPECTED THE ATTACK

London expected the attack OF last
night the Germans evidently having Sc
lected Saturday for their greatest eff
forts. But bright moon deferred any
attempts three weeks ago, when 10 raid
ers came over the sea.
The change from the unlucky IS to
IL last night brought. however worse
rather than better luck to the flying
squadron.
From the moment the first zeppelins
appeared it was evident that the raid
ers were of the new and large types
This has been borne out by the two
brought down.
One of the burning Zeppelins in fall
ing crashed through a row of trees in
Essex, two of which pierced the lattice
work of the envelope supports. The vii
lage fire engine was quickly on the
scene and began putting water on the
blazing wreck. Police consta bles and
volunteers removed the bodies as rap
idly as possible
Some of these were charred bevond
recognition, while others were still white
and recognizable. All appeared to be
young men, well clad and wearing the
remnants of stout leather coats and
shoes of rather poor quality, which is
taken here to indicate that good foot
wear is not plentiful in Germany. To-
day thousands of persons journeyed to
Essex to view the wrecks but the quick
Or ecautions prevented souvenir hunters
from making away with everything de-
tachable There were many sightseers
also viewing the damaged outskirts of
the city.
From the number of bombs dropped,
both explosive and incendiary, the au-
thorities wonder why the casualties were
rot greater. The Zeppelins seemed
abundantly supplied with ammunition.
| Householders along the thoroug hfares
heard the bomb explosions growing
| louder as the raiders with the speed
| of an express train, took their baptism
OF fire calmly as they passed and heaved
! a sigh of relief as the reports dimin-
| shed in the distance.
| The commander and 20 members of the
crew of the Zeppelin which was forced
! to land near an Essex coast town We're
arrested by the village constable as they
were marching along the road in the
| blackness of the night, according to the
latest eyewitness account.
81 am the commander of a German air.
ship that has just come down and these
are my crew." said the leader of the
men, when accosted by the constable.
Then the officer added
"Please allow me to go to the nearest
postoffice so that l may telephone some
one in London who will let my wife know
| am safe.
l Inc cOnStdDlS Teplleu lIdl the III
der was perfectly safe. At this juncture
special constables came up and the pris-
oners were marched to the nearest de-
tention camp, where it was found sew
eral of them were wounded. All the
men wore dark blue uniforms and life
saving waistcoats None of them bore
arms.
| The village constable. in telling later
| of the coming down of the Zeppelin,
said he heard the noise of the motors
overhead and next saw Zeppelin flying
| seward 300 feet up. Then, as If the COM
mander of the airship feared trouble on
| the water, he turned back inland, and
| in a few minutes "the airship f1oated
| like giant feather" landing in farm
er's orchard less than 80 feet from the
/ farmers cottage. Two loud explosions
! followed and then a flare of a. few Sec
onds' duration. The airship commander
marched the men to the farmers house
but the occupants of the house were toe
| frightened to answer the knock so the
| Germans took to the road, where the,
| encountered the constable. 1t Is believed
engine trouble forced the descent of the
| Zeppelin