New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-07
rs PLANES
RaidLondon;
2 Captured
Crews Taken Alive-Only
Six Aeros Reach
the City
IStof Correspondence


LONDON. Dec. London was awsk-
ened carly this morning by the rumble
Of distant gurfre and the people we're
routed from their warm beds and
driven half clad 20 icy Easements when
twenty-five Gothas joined in one Of the
most determined, aud at the same time
ono OF the least successful, attacks
ever made on the capital.
In the metropolitan area three per-
sons were killed and ten injured; in
OUTLYING districts bombs killed seven
more persons and injured twenty-one'
according 20 announcement in the
House Of Commons by the Chancellor
Of the Exchequer. The actual damage
inflicted on the city and its environs
was small and the Germans paid for
their doubtful successes with the de-
struction Of at least two aeroplanes
and damaging Of several others.
Raid Comes as Surprise
The raid. the Grst in a month, came
as q surprise. the Dig machines appear
ing several hours later than ever be-
fore. A. o'clock, in clear, cold
weather. with the moon half way down
toward the horizon. five groups Of
Gothas crossed the. ESSEX and Kent
coasts and drove inland, attacking the
heart. Of London from the northeast.
the cast and the southwest, amid per
feet hurricane Of sunfre.
All previous barrages were put to
shame by the leaden wall which the
British anti-aircraft guns raised
around the city the minute the raiders
approached. For an hour the lombard
ment continued. and the improvement
in the eunners' firing soon became evil
dent. when two enemy machines were
brought down by direct hits, their
three occupants being captured alive
Six Filters Pierce Barrage
Six machines penetrated the barrsge
and few over the city, II was an
pounced tonight by Lord French, head
Of tn, home forces, but no bombs were
droppcn in the centre Of London ana
few i'm the suburbs. ASIDE from inc
lsteness OF the hour. the feature OF the
raid was the employment by the Ger
mans Of incendiary bombs IN place o.
the high explosives heretofore used
Both these innovations proved Of bene-
it to the population.
The lateness Of the hour prevented
many persons from foolshly risking
their lives By venturing outside to
watch the show. while the use OF in
cendiary bombs resulted in the loss of
fewer lives. and such fires as were kin
died by them were quickly eXtin-
ruishod.
Lord French's Report
The text of the report BY Lord French
is as follows:
"a raid bv about twenty-five enemy
airplanes took place carly this morn
ING. The first group OF raiders came in
over Kent at $50 a. m. and dropped
bombs in sarious places on ana near
the coast. The second group made land
shortly after o. m. various machines
proceeding M the Thames and some dis
lance into Kent Both the above groups
appear 10 have carried out preliminary
attacks with the object OF drawing gun
fire and eXhausting the defences, for 1t
was not until an hour later that the
most serious attack developed.
Between 4 and $50 &. m two groups
Of enemy machines crossed the Essex
coast and three groups the Kent coast
proceeding toward London on converg-
.ng courses
Five Attacks Planned
"Thcir tactical plan seems 70 have
been TO deliver FIVE simultaneous at
tacks ON the capital from the northeast
east and southwest The whole OF one
r,oup however. was turned back by
cunfrc. and the others. not more than
i've or Sis machines penetrated INTO
"0ne or two explosive and large
rumber of incendiary bombs were
dropped in various districts about
4. m.
Two raiders fell victims TO our de.
fences. in each case the entire crew OF
three men being captured alive.
"A number Of fires occurred IN Lon
don. but all were speedily got under
control By the Metropolitan Fire Bri-
godc go,
"Thc casualties are believed light,
but full police reports have not yet
been received.
a number e our own airplsnes
went up. They all landed safely"
This is the first German air raid
over England in more than a month.
The last previous raid occurred on the
night al October 81, being made By
about thirty airrlanes in seven groups.
Eight persons were killed end twenty
two injured.
Rad weather conditions probably
have been responsible for the pause
IN the German operations.
An official British report on aviation
last night said two raids were carried
cut ever Germany on Wednesday by
British airplanes, the first which had
been possible fer more than month,
owing 70 incessant bad weather.