Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-14

he rode slowly around. Later the king
visited the hospitals.
The main result of today's raid. as in
ians. including many children No mill
tary damage was done. as there was no
military objective In the section visited.
1t was not a case of accurate dropping
of bombs when once the planes were
over the city. In the East End, for in
stance bomb could not have been drop
ped without doing damage. The bombs
cut wide circular path through the
eastern part of the city, and, while the
raid was short lived, a large number OF
explosives were dropped In rapid success
sion. The course the raiders took can
easily be traced by the damaged buildings
which in many cases are close together.
In some places n whole block Of
buildings is lacking every window, and
much. other damage was done. One
school in this district had lucky es-
cape. There are 1000 pupils in that
school. and Is minutes after the lit
tie ones returned to the building from
recess a bomb fell where hundreds OF
them had been gathered.
Over Business District
Three hostile airplanes appeared
over the busiest part of the downtown
section of London at half past eleven
this morning and worked rapid
transformation in the busy streets. The
sound of the explosions of bombs in
the East End and of anti-air craft
guns from places around the business
district gave the public warnings of
dangers. Vehicular traffic stopped in
stantly Omnibus drivers ordered all
the passengers to alight, and buses.
taXis, wagons and lorries were left
stranded in the streets until the dan
ger was past.
Shopkeepers and their patrons, bar
bers and their customers, bankers and
lawyers and their clients quietly and
promptly adjourned their business and
hurried to such places of safety as the
mental state of each particular person
demanded
Special 'constables appeared by the
hundred. as if by magic, in every nook
and corner of the narrow -laned down
town district and ordered pedestrians
within doors. 1t was difficult however.
to keep the populace under cover as
many of the people were more inter-
ested in getting a glimpse OF the bat
tie overhead than in escaping danger.
Crowds on Roof Tops
There was no way to keep the
crowds off the fiat roofs of the down
town buildings. where presumably the
danger of falling shrapnel was great
est. but where a superb view of the
raiders could be obtained.
From the roof Of The Associated
Press offices the airplanes could be
distinctly seen at height OF at least
two miles in the triangular formation
which is a familiar sight to any one
who has visited the Western front.
The trio were so high that they APP
peared like three shiny fakes OF snow
against the bright sky.
The anti-aircraft gunners were do
ing fairly creditable work in this FIRST
battle practice in many months. The
raiders apparently were a little too
high for the guns which, nevertheless.
were very useful in forcing the enemy
to keep at an altitude where II was i'm
possible to locate any detectives.
The flaky smoke from 80 or 40 shrap-
mel bursts, sent In repeated salvoes
from dozen or more eager guns. hung
long minutes in the sky, outlining the
three visitors in a frame of white
puffs. 1t was plain to see that the
snarling bursts were too close TO the
visitors for comfort, calling forth
frantic mass Of machine signals from
the squadron leader. directing his
brood to retreat quickly.
The little squadron's route over
Inndon viowAA from hnIou, u,~S
like great hairpin--a straight arrow
flight into the city, then a wide curve
and straight arrow flight out again.
The whole visit Of this trio occupied
less than five minutes and no other
raiders were visible from this ebssrva-
ton point.