The Washington herald., 1917-06-14
Record Toll Exacted by
Fifteen German Planes
in Daylight Attack on.
City's East Side.
OBy IntcrnatIonaI Neyyr seryIce)

CBy International News SeryIee.)
London, June l3.-Londons East End
was picked out by a squadron of If
teen German airplanes at broad day
light today for an orgy Of death and
destruction. 1t lasted fifteen minutes
and exacted, it Is feared, a record toll
OF life.
Ninety-sIE were killed. late reports
tonight said. s3T were injured. Many
OF the dead are children. No military
damage was done, it was announc-
ed, though the area raided con-
tains some of the most elaborate de-
lenses Of England's capital fortresses.
The casualties as estimated tonight
were:
Killed: Ftty-hve men, sixteen
women, twenty-five children.
Injured: Two hundred and twenty
three men, IL women, twenty-tour
children
The most striking thing about the
-raid-the sixth in SIX weeks-was the
absolute coOlness with which the
worlds biggest city received the bomb
belChinS visitors. There was excite
ment, Dut It was the excitement OF
curiosity rather than of fear.
Throughout the city the now famil-
lar police alarm was sounded right
after the first bomb had crashed into
the East End. Since the very nrst
raid. early in the war 1t has been
drunmed into the 100000 men. wom-
en-, and children of London to make a
quick dash to the cellar at the sound
of this alarm Today, as on each
previous occasion, the vast majority
ran as fast as their feet could carry
them, to the roofs or other vantage
points In the area actually ratded
the alarm was needed, of course, but
there crash followed crash in such
quick succession and with such stag
-gsring effects that scores were struck
down by hot metal or buried beneath
debris before they could even form a
concrete thought OF refuge.
But the rest Of London watched the
raid as inteutly, as unconcernedly, as
though IL were some wondrous, peace
ful celestial phenomenon.
The sky was athrob with shooting,
sweeping. suffering aircraft. For
fifteen minutes the fifteen German ma
chimes kept up their bombardment.
They skirted the East End at a height
Of easily 1900 feet. But they were
not alone. Scores OF machines of the
Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval
Air Service ascended Immediately upon
the Germans appearance.
From the defense batteries OF East
End a steady stream OF rlre from the
anti-aircraft guns shot Skyward. At
least one Teuton raider was bagged.
Many spectacular duels of the air
were fought
, Meanwhile. below in the densely
populated section, which houses thou
sands OF Londop's poorest residents,
nen. women, and children who work
in the great .commerciaIN establish
ments and at the nearby docks, bombs
held d fEghtfpI feast. Whole tene-
neat houses crumbled Like chaR, bury
ing the dwellers under their burying
ruins As the missiles exploded they
scattered destruction. Fragments kill
I'd indiscriminately young and old,
Right through the roof into the
class rooms Of a school crashed ons
bomb. Ten children were killed; hfty
injured.
Exploding. the missiles spurted fire
in all directions. Several warehouses
were set atire.
One OF the first bombs hit an in
coming train. killing seven and wound
ing seventeen persons.
Among Americans in London great
excitement was caused by the rrmOr
that Vice Admiral Sims. commander
of the Ameri naval forces in Eu-
roPean waters. had been killed or
injured. II later proved false and
had been started by the news that
the vice adTnlraI car happened TO
be in the district raided. II was not
hit. however The chauffeur was the
only occupant.
King George, accompanied by Lord
Derby. visited the raided area and
consoled the wounded and relatives
OF the dead.
Two official statements were is
sued Immediately after the raid. They
developed later to have been incom-
plete. The first news Of the destruC-
five character Of the attack was given
7 in Parliament.
Lord Derby reported II in the house
OF lords and Bonar Law in the COM
mons. The war minister added to his
brief statement that he feared the
casualty figures would be exceeded
when full details had been learned.