Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-26
The Official Report

Was clear was given at about O'Clock
this morning
Tne Official Report
The following official report was Civ
en- out by Lord French, commander of
the homo defences:
"Airplare raid
The latest reports concerning last
nights airplane raid show that the
group Of raiders which approached
London was driven off by the fire of
snti-aircraft guns. Only one, or at the
most, two machines, Jenetrated the de-
lences. The casualties in all the raid
cd districts reported by the police up
10 the present are:
Killed. IL. injured. 10. The material
damage was not great
"Airship raid Enemy airships
crossed the Yorkshire and Lincoln
shire coasts between midnight and 8
A. NJ. There is no evidence of their
having penetrated to any distance in
lard. They we're driven off by gun
fire from various defended localities,
which they attempted to approach
Bombs were dropped at one coast
town. three women being slightly in
'ured. Little material damage was
caused"
Damage Very Slight
Viewed by daylight this morning, the
damage resulting from the visit Of the
German raiders to London last night
appeared TO be surprisingly slight. The
number CT bombs dropped in the Lon
don district was small and the prac-
teal results were almost negligible.
Chief damage visible this morning was
broken el.ss. In one spot where a
heavy bomb landed squarely in the
middle Of the street. hole four feet
deep was torn in the pavement. The
Concussion Of this bomb broke glass
over several acres. including windows
in neighboring hotels in which are
many Americans, Canadians and Aus
usEans. Only three persons were
killed by this explosion All of them
were standing in a doorway, watching
the explosion Of shrapnel overhead In
this district about half a dozen per-
sons were wounded, mostly by break
ing glass Wagonoads of glass were
swept up from the pavements and car
ried away early in the morning
Two or three other bombs which fell
In London caused even less damage.
Raiders Forced to Quit
II appears that the fierce battle
which the British airplanes and anti
aircraft artillery put up forced the
raiders to leave London without drop
ping any considerable part of their
cargo of explosives One of the Lon
don districts received several bombs
with rather less important results than
on the occasion of previous visits by
raiders. Two bombs fell in the Thames
near the bridge. throwing a column of
water so high that it splashed clear
over the walls.
The enemy remained over London at
q great height for the greater part of
two hours, and the raid appears to
have been on a pretentious scale, but
II was even more abortive than on pre-
Nious occasions.
Though the visitors arrived early in
the evening. Londoners have taken to
heart the advice of the authorities
shout seeking cover, ard this accounts
IN part Tor the small number of cas-
haiies. II is safe to say. however,
that at least three fourths and prsb-
ably four-ffths Of the casualties were
SUFFERED by persons who had failed u
take cover or persisted, out of curios.
ny in watching the overhead spectacle
from the inadequate shelter of bal
comics or doorWays.
suburban county Official named
Lapwood dropped dead from over-ex-
element during the raid.
The German Report