New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-02
Only Three of Raiding Ger
man Craft Reach Heart
of the City
Attack in Relays
Land Guns and Defending
Fliers Force Retreat
Coast Towns Bombed

LONDON. Nov. Light persons
were killed and twenty-one others m
jured in me German air raid on Lon
don last night. which was apparently
the most elaborate attempt Of the war
20 "lay the capital IN ruins.' Accord
ing 70 an Official statement issued to-
dav. thirty aeroplanes. in seven groups.
took part in the attack. Only three OF
them penetrated to the heart of the
city. the rest being turned back oy
the barrage Of the anti-aircraft bat
teries and the fire Of the British AVA
tors. The material damage done was
slight.
The attempts Of the Germans 70
reach the metropolitan area lasted
from fO:40 until long after midnight
Two machine. succeeded in working
their wav through the defences and
dropped bombs on the southeastern
district or the city. damaging tene-
ment houses. but inficting few casual
tic- 4 third Gotha, apparently sepa-
rated from the other enemy aircraft
attacked the southwestern part OF Lon
don. Other aircraft individually at
lacked other localities on the eastern
and southeastern coasts.
Attacked in Relays
During some periods the firing IN
Iordon seemed the most intense ever
experienced during air raids. The at
mospheric conditions prevented the
raiders from being seen. but the sound
Of their engines could be plainly heard.
There were several Intervals of silence
IN the firing, but they merely meant
that one relay had been driven or, and
real relief lid not come until nearly
o'clock in tie morning. when the
Bow Scouts sounded al clear on
their busles.
The official announcement in part
follows:
determined and repeated attacks
we're made upon London last niG75 -
groups OF hostile aircraft. The Nrit
group Of raiders crossed the hen'Ii"
coast at about 1890 .. m. and pro
ceeded toward London over Kent. !hey
die not penetrate far inland no. eVer,
but turned in An essterly direction an
dropped bombs az various places II
and near the coast.
Aided by Clouds
Meanwhile two more groups O. idlu-
ers we're steering toward London alonR
The south bank Of the Thames. Inc
~ vas half 20 three-quartcr. COW
ered with thin. low clouds. which rer-
deed extremely difficult obserVation
OF the enemy machines. None l1e rs
their attitude was correctly caltu.aee-
and they were broken up by oAFr4-s
fire on the southeastern outsK'r-. o.
The metropolitan area Al ABOUT II''Y
r. m. where some bombs were dropped
The fourth group or maon me-
which came along the Thames estuary
vas turned back about halfway 10 Lon
10, Vearwhile the fifth group crossed
the Essex coast q about y 10 d. M
and steered toward London ~ Wy T.,
a. north bank OF the Thames. some
- these raiders were turned PACK Oy
tho outer Gefences. but ore or NOR
penetrated into southeast London
where bombs were dropped.
..The sixth group followed along me
same course about a quarter OF an
iorr later. Some Of these machines
noce.-ated into the southeast outskirts
81 London. where some bombs we're
dronped. Meanwhile one or more enc
49, machine dropped bombs in the
sontbwestern outskirts Of London. Inc
seventh group. which approached along
Tho south bank o. the Thames, was
By gInhre before reaching
the outer London cefences.
Kentish Coast Attacked
an addition. individual raiders az
.scked The Kentish coast between mid
Ticbt and 1880 o'clock. Reports lndl-
cate that each group consisted OF three
or four machines. the total number OF
raiders engaged being about thirty. Or
This total only about three machines
succeeded in actually penetrating into
the heart Of London. The raiders were
barassed by our gunfire during the
whole OF their fight and were also
attacked by our aircraft
The text Of Lord French's state
ment on casualties says:
--latest police reports state that the