The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-07-12
GERMAN AIR RAID
OVER LONDON.
LARGE NUMBER KILLED AND m
JURED, BUT NO MILITARY
DAMAGE EFFECTED.

by squadron OF German alrplanes
was made Saturday morning between
9 and 10 o'clock, when the business
section of the city was most crowded.
Although the German contingent
was larger. more daring, more delib-
crate in its methods and descended
much lower than on the visit of June
l3, the number of killed and wound
ed was, according to the first official
roll, roughly, one-third the previous
casualty list. The destruction Of pro-
perty may have been greater.
The flight of the Germans over
London lasted about twenty minutes.
English airmen engaged them for sew
eral minutes over the metropolis, and
anti-aircraft guns were firing briskly.
dotting the sky with shrapnel putfs,
but without success so far as con-
cerned the destruction of any of the
twenty or more machines which con-
stituted the invading force.
The admiralty was able to report
later, however, that naval airmen
who followed them to sea brought
down three machines. A British
squadron sent up from Dunkirk to
intercept the returning raiders did
not intercept them because they had
taken q more northerly route. but
the British airmen met and Destroy
ed seven other German machines.
The morning was one of haze.
weather most favorable for crossing
the channel without being observed.
On their former visit. made in SINH
lar weather, the Germans kept high up
in the mist. but Saturday when they
neared their objectiyes, m' It of them
descended. Their formation was like
flock of wild geese as they ap-
preached and neither the British pur-
suers nor the guns were able to scat
ter them until they spread out be-
fore letting loose the bombs.
Among the places attacked was
one of the most metropolitan hospi-
tails, on which the Red Cross flag was
flying conspicuously, and the location
of which must have been known. The
hospital escaped entirely, although
several bombs fell close to it.
In one building a number of prom
inent business men had gathered for
a conference. Above their heads was
only plate glass. A bomb exploded
in the layatory, but did not even
break the glass. Not one of the men
was hurt.
The days experience showed that
persons in solidly constructed build
ings are comparatively safe, but the
windows of these buildings were
crowded with young clerks, deter
mined not to miss the spectacle at
whatever cost. and many sky-gazers
in this section were badly cut by fly
ing glass.
A thorough investigation of the
results of the battle by the staff cor
respondent of the Associated Press
show that noimilitary, munitions or
supply establishments were touched.
Apparently none were sought. since
the Germans undoubtedly knew their
locations. Five minutes after the ex-
plosions ceased the streets of the dis
trict attacked were jammed with
masses of humanity.
Fire engines, ambulances, patrol
wagons. motors with nurses and doc
tors seemed to spring from the earth.
The police were everywhere. Hun
dreds of.special civilian constables
were running to their stations, tying
on their arm bands as they ran.
Anger and determination seem to
be the dominating sentiment of the
populace. One certain result of the
raid will be the increased demand
for reprisals on German cities. Sew
eral members of Parliament have al
ready;announced their intention to