Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-31
IS KILLED IN AIR
RAID ON ENGLAND
Germans Break All Records for
Bombardments from
Arplanes.

A TOWN ON THE SOUTHEAST
COAST OF ENGLAND. May 81, (via
London) .-Seventy.six persons were
killed and l74 injured Friday after
noon by q German airplane raid which
spent most Of its force upon this place.
At $3.50 p. m. the people were warned
OF the approach Of danger by peculiar
humming noise from the sky. The hrst
visible warning was q white. shining
airplane. high in the air. There was
bright sunshine. but a slight mist over
not be seen distinctly. Following II
came a form alton Of ave airplanes, and
after these others.
At tho airplanes passed from west
to east they dropped bombs. several Of
which fell in gardens. One crashed
into a tennis court without doing any
damage. Most OF the victims were in
the shopping thoroughfare. which was
thronged when a bomb was dropped
on It. They we're residents of all
classes-inoffensive civilians, men get
ting on in years. women with little
ones. They and their homes suffered
by this wanton attack on an unpro-
tected town. OF military damage there
was absolutely none. One bomb killed
a man and two horses It was after
this that a missile crashed into the
business center. through which many
tradespeople were passing, bringing
death and much damage.
Three women customers in a grocer's
shop were hurt by q bomb falling on
the building. which was considerably
damaged. Another struck a builders
yard. but did not cause any mischief.
Some distance away a house was
wrecked by q bomb, but there were no
casualties. Another bomb fractured
the walls Of a school. but no one was
injured.
The raiding airplanes were over the
town for a very short time--a matter OF
minutes only. After discharging their
bombs they headed seaward. British
airplanes following In hot pursuit. II
was a thrilling sight as the chase con-
tinued for miles out to sea, with con
tinuous firing, but the raiders appar-
emily got clear away. Fronting by their
substantial start
There were many remarkable escapes
Among the large number OF people who
had been attracted out Of doors by the
delightful weather Of an ideal summer
day there were some who missed the de-
vastating force OF the bombs by the mar.
rowest margin. In every paret OF this
Eyewitnesses agree that the hostile air.
craft proceeded in even formation. a scout
apparently leading the way. One line OF
five and another airplane. were seen tc
cross over the town. covering huge
area Of sky.
ABOUT 80 BOMBS DROPPED.
An apparently moderate estimate Of tn.
number Of bombs dropped now places the
total at 50 or more.
British airplanes went promptly aftel
the raiders. and one OF the latter's ma
chimes was seen to swerve badly. bu
| whether It was brought down is at pres
ent unknown.
| Many stories Of miraculous escapes ART
told among people living on the line taker
by the raiders. Some bombs fell in small
gardens and exploded without injurini
any Of the occupants Of the adjacen
houses. and in one case the family fount
pieces Of shrapnel buried in the ceiling
| although no one had been injured. SOM
bombs failed to explode.
| Reports have reached here that tn
raiding aircraft passed over three or fou
other towns. and that considerable mate
rial damage was done there also and ;
number Of persons injured. In one towi
six bombs were dropped in an area Of 20
yards. but only slight damage resulted.
| At one Of the towns three bombs wer
dropped. One burst before 1t touched tn
ground. and most Of the windows in tn
street were broken. The other two bomb
fell in a new residential district on tn
outskirts Of the town, one In a field. ant
the other in a garden. One Of the wonel
killed was struck on the head Will
| in a passage Of her house.