Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-08
AIRPLANES RAID
LONDON; DAMAGE
HQUITE HEAVY
Warning Comes as Theaters
Are Being Emptied
For the Night
SEVERAL HOMES RUINED
First Attempt to Bomb Eng
lish City Without Aid
of Moonlight
SEVERAL HOMES RUINED
Bv Associated Pyess


London, March S.-Eleyen
persons were killed and 40 9TH
ers were injured in last nights
airplane raid upon London, ac-
cording to the latest police re-
ports, says an official announce
ment to-day. 1t Is feared that
in addition six bodies are in
the ruins of houses wrecked.
The text of the official announce
ment says:
Last nights air raid appears tc
have been carried out by seven OF
eight enemy airplanes. of which two
reached London. The first two
raiders approached the Isle Of
Thanet at about 1856 a. m. and pro
ceeded up the Thames esthuary
Both were turned back before reach
ing London.
Crossed Coast at 11.2O p. NJ.
Meanwhile the third raider came
across the Essex coast at 11.20' p
m. and steered west. At Has D
m. it was reported over East Lon
don. A few minutes later it dropped
bombs on the southwestern anC
northwestern districts. At 11.5O D
come in across Essex, dropped
bombs to the north of London anC
then proceeded south across the capi.
tai, dropping its remaining bomb,
on the northern district between
1920 and 1890 a. m. The remain.
ing enemy machines, all of which
came across the Essex coast, were
turned back before they reached
London.
"A certain amount of damage was
caused to residential property ir
London. Several houses have beer
demolished"
Several Houses Demolished
The greatest damage in Londor
was. inflicted in the northwestern
section, where four bombs demol
ished several houses. All the dam
age and casualties in this distric
were confined to two parallel streets
although as usual windows wer,
broken for a radius of severa
blocks. A single raider appeared
over this area. Hundreds of per
sons were just preparing to deser
their homes, most of which ar,
three-story buildings, for the NOR,
substantial shelter of the two nearb!
subways when the bombs began t.
fall.
Bomb Made Square Hit
The first bomb made q square hi
on a three-story dwelling of concret,
and brick, crashing through TIVE
floors before it exploded. While tn,
police, special constables and volun
teer rescuers were busy there thre,
more bombs fell nearby in quicl
succession, Ambulances arrived
speedily and, Notwithstanding tn,
confusion, the rescuers worked eff
fectively under the anti-aircraft bar
rage. For twenty minutes after tn,
bombing of this district the barrag,
was continued.
The raid demonstrated that Ger
| man aviators no longer depend upol
! moonlight. 1t was the first tim
raid over London when there was II,
moon. The stars We're out, however
| and there was little wind.
Londoners were taken by surpris
when the warning signals wer
sounded. The theaters were jus
closing. The streets soon were clear
ed. The warning to avoid DANCE
from shrapnel generally was needed
every one taking cover. For a tim
the gun fire was heavy.
A bomb !hich fell in a northern
suburb destroyed two houses anC
damaged the windows of every resi-
dence in the street. Doors were
wrenched from the hinges and chin
neys collapsed.
Not far away a dance was in pro,
gress. 1t was not interrupted. al.
though the roar of the guns almos
drowned out the music.
There was a remarkable display
of northern lights last night and il
is believed by many that this fur
nished conditions under which the
air raiders could work more effect.
lively than under clear, star-lit sky