The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-05
AERIAL RAIDERS
BOMB. LONDON
BY MOONLIGHT
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(Continued from Page IL
The Chatham district for the first
time experienced an air attack on
Monday night when enc or more
bombs fell on a section of the royal
naval barracks. killing lot blue
jackets outright and wounding Sc
others. Four bombs in all fell about
the barracks but two were harmless.
The barracks were fitted with Sleep
ing hammocks and a majority of the
men were asleep at the time.
The first indication OF the presence
of the raiders was the sound of the
engines overhead. Notices had been
published earlier in the evening, now.
ever, that anti-aircraft practice
would be carried out that night, and
when the guns began firing it was as
sumed that the practice was in full
swing. Then came the unexpected.
Loud explosions were heard in one
part of the district and then in
another. The explosions then ceased,
but after few minutes were heard
again, and judging by the sounds it
seemed that the air raiders had
circled the town. In all, about II
bombs were dropped and the raiders
are thought to have been over the
district nearly an hour. Searchlights
sought the raiders, but they failed to
locate them because of the haze.
Immediately following the explo-
sions in the barracks rescue parties
were organized and the wounded were
removed to hospitals, one of which
came very near to being target for
a bomb.
Discipline prevailed completely
over, any natural tendency toward
alarm in the barracks. All survivors
were instantly at their quarters and
the greatest GOODNESS was shown. A
naval man, who was in the barracks
at the time gave the following ac-
count of the raid:
Most of us were asleep in our
hammocks in the dormitory, which
was in the large drill hall. We had
no warning Of any kind. Two clocks,
which were blown into the adjoining
parade ground, stopped at 11:12
o'clock, showing the hour of the ex-
plosions. I have been in some scraps
but I didn't dream that ANYTHING SO
sudden could happen.
Before we knew what was hap
pening the roof was lifted off the
shop, blown into the air and fell in a
thousand pieces among the men. It
was flying glass, which. was thick and
heavy, that did the damage We were
dashed out of our hammocks to the
floor and all mixed up in broken
glass. The men on each side of me
were both killed"
Another man asleep in a different
part of the dormitory said he did mot
wait to put on his shoes and did not
know that he was walking on broken
glass until long afterward. when he
found that his feet were bleeding.
Still another man with a piece of
glass in his head did not know it, the
shock of the explosion being so great,
and a man was blown across the pa
rade ground and lighted on his feet
and declared he did not feel ANYTHING
worse for his experience.
Some of the injured died during the
night and the survivors complained
bitterly about their companions being
killed without an opportunity to strike
back. l
A remarkably feature of the raid
was that a comparatively few persons
in the bombed areas were aware that
there had been an attack until they
arose the following morning. One
bomb struck a small cottage, one of
a row. The tenant and his daughter.
who went into the garden to see swhat
was happening. escaped injury, but
the wife remained in the house and
was killed..
HAS Germany got her great air
offensive ready before ours ~ is a
question asked by morning paper
apropos of the invasion of England on
three successive nights and Field
Marshal Raig's overnight report OF
aggressive enemy aircraft. Another
paper, which assumes and frequently
warns of Germany's intention to in
wade England with aircraft in very
large fleets, says:
fThe enemy seems to be getting on
rather fast with his invasion plans.
The German air craft came, bombed,
and departed. Our guns fired, and our
air craft went up, but without result,
according to the latest official reports.
This is the ninth serious raid this
summer and of 127 mahchfnes that
have crossed our coast, Germany only
admits the loss of seven"
The paper refers to the growing
casualty list and the relative immuni-
ty of the invaders and adds.
at cannot be said that we are get
ting on with oursshvasion plans faster
than the enemy" ~