The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-04-06
BATTLE LEWITHBIG ZEPPELIN
SHELLS FROM GUNS SEEN BURST
ING ALL AROUND.
One Effective Shot Made.-As Airship
Came Down 1t Was Surrounded
by British Patrol Boats.

London, April IAN eyewitness
of Zeppelin in flight and it's encoun-
ter with anti-aircraft guns during the
raid Friday night describes the scene
as a most thrilling one. The Zeppe-
lin, which appeared to be of a larger
type than that of previous visitors,
flew at a considerable height. The
glitter of it's surface as it passed
overhead attracted the attention of
hundreds who came out of doors to
gaze upward.
The searchlights Illuminated the
raider effectively, and shells from the
guns could be seen bursting all
around it. One gunner claimed that
he had secured hit, the Zeppelin
thereupon being seen to turn about
and proceed toward the coast, ap-
parently damaged.
. Dispatches from points on the
southeast, the east and the north
east coasts and in the eastern coun-
ties indicate that last nights Zeppe-
lin raid, or raids-for there we're ap-
parently separate ventures north and
south-were the most extensive yet
undertaken.
At Great Height.
The Zeppelins remained at much
greater height than during previous
visits, and consequently very few per-
sons saw them except when they were
picked out by the British search
lights. Their great height also had
the effect of preventing the accurate
selection of their targets and their
bombs dropped indiscriminately.
Some places were passed over with
out being attacked, while in other
instances a number of bombs fell
within a radius of couple of hum
dred yards. Information at hand in
dicates that the damage was chiefly
in the smaller towns.
The Zeppelins first made their
presence known by dropping bombs
shortly after 9 o'clock, and at sonSe
points the aerial bombardment was
still proceeding at 1870 o'clock this
morning.
The identity of the wrecked Zeppe-
lin was disclosed in the following Of
fetal statement:
"Fifty-four explosive and incend-
iary bombs were dropped over the
eastern counties and p over the
northeast coast. The L-15 was hit
near the tail by gun fire over the
eastern counties. She dropped Off
Kent.
"a machine gun, some ammunition
and a petrol tank were dropped by
this or another airship.'
Surrender of Crew.
The pilot OF a steamer which was
passing at the time Of the surrender
of the Zeppelin, which came down IN
the Thames estuary, says that the
airship was surrounded by British
patrol boats. The crew came down
one by one, said the pilot, holding up
their hands as a token of surrender.
A pilot who returned today from
a steamship which he guided out,
saws he saw a disabled Zeppelin. He
asserts the airship was broken IN
half and had a large dent in the
stern. He estimated it's length at
more than 100 feet.
A correspondent who saw a fight
between a Zeppelin and British gun
ners writes:
'All lights were put out in the
streets and all places Of entertain
ment were closed.
'Presently the booming Of guns
brought hundreds Of persons into the
streets. Just before 10 o'clock | saw
the searchlight pick UP Zeppelin.
One shell seemed to burst right under
the airship. The last | saw was a
cloud of smoke which seemed to be
discharged from the Zeppelin. Be-
hind this cloud the raider disappear
ed"
There was great enthusiasm in the
streets when the newsboys broke the
news to the public of the destruction
of the Zeppelin. The crew OF the de-
stroyed Zeppelin was taken to Chat
am.