New-York tribune., 1918-02-18
One Filler Reaches London,
and Single Bomb Buries
Officer and Family
Huge Teuton plane
Crashes Into Sea
English Aviators Force Foe
to Retreat From the
Kent Coast

LONDON, Feb. 17.-Only one of the
six German airplanes which made an
attack on London last night succeeded
in reaching the capital, it was an
nounccd officially.
This raider dropped one bomb in the
southwest district, which caused four
casualties An aerial raid on Dover
was rcpclled by British pilots, who en-
gagged the Germans over the Kent coast.
One large raider is reported to have
crashed into the sea-
One Bomb Dropped on City
The official statement says:
about six enemy airplancs ap-
preached the mouth of tho Thames
about 9:a5 o'clock last night and car
ricd out an attack against London. All
were turned back save one machine,
which penetrated the capital along the
line of tho river and dropped n single
bomb in tho southwest district about
10 o'clock.
'This bomb demolished a house and
buried an invalided officer and his wife
and two children. Several other bombs
wcro dropped by the raider in the east
ern outskirts on its way in, but no scri-
Gus casualties or damages have been
reported
'An attack which was delivered
against Dover about t0:d5 o'clock was
driven off. some bombs being dropped
in the open country.
"Several of our pilots engaged the
enemy. One of them fought an action
over the Kent coast, and shortly after
ward large enemy machine was seen
from the shore to crash into the sea
Police reports Of the casualties and
damage have not Yet been received, but
apparently they were light
Raid Not Unexpected
With the advent Of the new moon
last nights air raid was not unexpcct-
ed. Police whistles warned the peo.
pie, and, except for stray omnibuscs
ly deserted. Everybody had taken
cover when a barrage in the outer
defenccs was started. Less gunhre
was heard in the metropolitan distric,
than on previous raids. but in the dis
tance it was quite heavy.
That the Germans are finding il
more difficult each time they try tc
reach the capital is indicated by the
fact that only one raider succeeded
last night in penetrating the defences
1t is pointed out that his experience
was not a pleasant one, as he was
forced to drop most of his bombs OF
the way in TO tighten his machine ant
to dodge the anti-aircraft guns anC
pursuing British airmen.
Compared with their other raids, this
perhaps was the mildest yet. although
, the night was ideal for flying. there
being moonlight and starlight auc
| little wind.
AS the new moon period is only
starting, Londoners expect more ex
cltement IN the next seven or eight
nights, but all agree that the most ex
citement will be kept for the enemy
himself. whose chances for killing {
lew ombatants and demolishine
a few houses are becoming much les.
than Is MS own personal danger.
Barrage Hard to Pass
The difficulty to which the invader,
are subjected in attempting to reacl
| London IS shown by the report of Al
incident in the direction OF the Thame
estuary, where a Gotha vanly ATTEMPT
ed to break through the barrage. Tn,
enemy machine was caught in a circl,
of fire which it could not elude unit
the moonlight waned. Meantime tn,
aviator was forced continually to circl
and dip and do other hair-raisin,
stunts.
When he extricated himself from
the circle of fire he disappeared sea
ward amid a parting shower of shran
mel. =