The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-07
Probably % German Planes in
Attacking Squadron.
Fly Straight Across City Under
Heavy Gun Fire.
POPULACE IN FRENzIED PANIC
First Dropped Bombs on Thanet
Of Essex Coast.
Came in Broad Daylight and
Flew Low.

London, July Three German
aeroplanes which participated in The
raid on London We're brought down by
British machines as they were return
ing to their base, the admiralty an
nounced this afternoon.
Enemy aeroplanes returning from
the raid were met forty miles off the
east coast" the admiralty statement
said Two crashed into the sea and
a third fell flaming into the Scheldt
our machines returned safely.
/, Thirty-seven persons were killed in
the air raid and al injured, it was Of
ficiaIIy announced this afternoon
one enemy machine was brought
down by the Royal Flying corps
The German raiders came from the
north and left by way of the SOUTH
The glass in some of the streets OF the
city resembles that in the streets OF
New York and its suburbs following
the explosion on Black Tom island. in
the upper New York harbor, last July
The people in the capital are urging
quick reprisals be taken.
The west end and fashionable north
western residential suburbs had
superb view of the approach of the
visitors. From the further northern
fringes of the metropolis. the raiders
swept onward in fairly close formation
more than a score in number.
Swept to Low Level.
The squadron, which had been fly
ing high, then began swift toboggan
downwardS it's speed increased ire
mendously and the planes soon reach
ing A level evidently less than thou
sand yards in their swoop towards
~
Meanwhile from all directions, anti
aircraft batteries were working like
machine guns. Bursting strapnel dot
ted the air around the oncoming raid
ers. with snarling. vicious black puffs
of smoke, more numerous Jhan the
planes. 1t seemed impossible for the
raiders completely to escape from the
atmosphere of curtain ire surround
ing them. The raiders, however, pur-
sued their course, holding their cargo
of bombs until they had crossed the
suburban district and outlying parks
Fortunately a majority of the peo-
pie in the capital had just enough
warning of the raid to enable them to
seek safety in Easements.
Admiraltys First Account.
London, July damage was done
in the heart of Lonoon by the raid
which was one of the greatest, if not
the greatest ever attempted by the
Germans over the metropolis.
Late this morning it was impossible
to say what loss of life there had been.
For about quarter of an hour the
raiders dropped a steady rain OF
bombs.
In Broad Daylight.
London, July About twenty
enemy airplanes bombarded London
today according to an official state
ment by the war office.
The raid occurred at about g.?
o'clock this morning. Thousands of
persons crowded the streets, many of
them women and children. The po-
lice and soldiers had difficulty in
holding back the people. Many per-
sons were seen at windows. Anti
craft guns thruout the city and Brit
ish airplanes engaged the hostile craft
y and for a time the sound of exploding
bombs and the vicious reply of guns
was deafening. Straight over the city
flew the squadron of raiders, pursued
by bursting Shrapnel.
The sun was shining brightly but
the sky was overcast with haze such
as is favorable to raiders. Notwith-
standing the haze, however, the Ger
mans were plainly visible to the peo-
pie in the streets The raiders APP
peared most suddenly and few persons
realized that a raid was in progress
until the sound of bombs began to be
heard. The Germans were travelling
at tremendous speed. They appeared
to be at lower altitude than in the
last raid when they eXacted such (
heavy toll of life in London.
The following account of the raid
was given out:
Lord French reports that about
$3.50 O'Clock this morning hostile air
craft in considerable numbers, prob
ably in two parties, appeared over the
Isle of Thanet and the east coast of
Essex After dropping bombs on
Thanet the raiders proceeded in the
direction of London. Moving rough
" parallel to the north hank Of the
Thames they approached London
from the northeast. Then changing
their course they proceeded north and
west and crossed London from the
northwest 20 the southeast Rombs
(ContiI ued on Page Two.)