The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-09-25
German Zeppelin Observers
Calculate England Suf-
fered Much
THE ATTACK EVEN
REACHED LONDON
Two Of the Great Airships'
Fell Victims to Anti
Air Craft Guns

Berlin, via London. Sept. 25--Exten-
sive fires were observed TO have been
caused by the Zeppelin bombardment of
London and the English midland counties
Saturday night, it was announced to-day
in the official report of the raid Two
Zeppelins were lost as the result of the
fire of anti.aircraft guns in London, the
statement adds
London, Sept 25.-Of the II big Yep
pelns which invaded the British Isles
Saturday night to deal death and de-
struction from the skies, two to-day lay
stark and black masses OF steel and alu-
minum in the little village of Mangold.
Essex county. They fell victims OF the
anti aircraft defenses OF London and out
! lying districts.
One came down flaming torch, as did
the Zeppelin L-2l destroyed three weeks
ago, while the second, disa bled by gun
fire, effected landing, which saved the
! lives OF the crew, who are now prisoners
in England. The crew OF the first raider
died in the flames of their own ship, but
they were not so terribly eharred as their
predecessors.
This latest raider to light her own
| funeral way on English soil collapsed and
was consumed much more quickly than
the L.2l 1t is possible. though, that
some of the men were still living when
the great vessel struck the ground. The
captains body was found some, distance
from the wreck.
The death and burning of the first Yep
pelin was witnessed by tens OF thousands
OF London residents, but the wounding
and descent of the second raider was a
matter of doubt until yesterdays official
statements were given out Few details
are available OF this second raiders con
dltion, but it is deliably reported that
the crew surrendered to special con
stables
Many who saw the shrapnel bursting
like sky rockets about the invader, which
subsequently caught FIRE, think there
must have been several direct hits. Many
aeroplanes were aloft and attacked the
Zeppelins from all sides.
The raiders took heavy toll OF lives
before their destruction, IS persons being
killed and 90 wounded in the metropoli-
tan district of London. Two persons
were killed. probably four, and II were
wounded in the provinces. The property
damage, while widely distributed, is con
fined for the most part to small sub
urban dwellings and shops, although one
railway station was damaged, some
empty cars being destroyed and part OF
the tracks torn up.
The roar of dropping bombs was heard
in many districts where the raiders were
invisible. 1t is not believed that more
than two or three invading Zeppelins
which crossed the east coast succeeded in
reachinpsthe environs of London and that
two of these paid the death penalty gives
the greatest satisfaction to the military
authorities. Apart from the loss in ma
teriaI. the casualties of the last two raids,
It is believed. will have a depressing ef-
feet on the morale of the Zeppelin crews
in the future.
The fact that the airships were
brought down we'll outside of London,
both Saturday night and Sept. 3, shows
the care with which the detenses have
been developed The efficiency in deal
ing with the raiders was further evi-
denced by the speed with which the
searchlights picked up the first raider
that appeared above the suburbs about
midnight. Suddenly searehlight beam
shot into the starlit sky. Three more
dazzling shafts followed, and within 10
seconds the whirring airships were
caught in the tolls and the guns began
sending up shrieking shrapnel shells.
For minute or two the raider kept |
its course; then wavered, turned partly |
away and suddenly dissolved apparently /
into thin air Evidently the Zeppelin
was beclouded in the smoke and the
lights lost her completely. In the mean.
time. however, bombs were dropping and /
red flares were visible as they hit the |
earth. Then the city was quiet for an
hour. the searchlights flashing only occa-
sionallv in the hunt for raiders.
All London within sound of the guns |
and bombs was out to see the spectacle I
and almost despaired of further excite /
ment when well to the eastward tiny |
glow appeared low in the sky. 1t looked /
first like the moon rising red in its last /
ouarter from behind cloud bank. From I
the city it appeared to hang stationary /
for minute or more, then glowing red !
der and redder. slowly turned to the per |
pendicular and streaked into the gloom !
of the smoky night ground mist.
To the watchers in Essex, however,
the spectacle of the flaming. falling Yep |
pelins had all the thrills of excitement |
which marked the end of the L-2l and |
they oheered the gunners and their for
tunate shots that brought the raiders to
earth.