The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-04-30
end TERROR BY
ZEPPELIN RAIDS
Explosive Bullets Fired by British
Airmen Conquer Hun
Airships.
HAD GYM Way FOR WHILE
Until Invention of New Weapon Ger.
man Gas Bags Roamed About
Over England. at Will,
Weather Permitting.

London.-Brltain conquered the
Zeppellns with explosive bullets. I'm
til the invention of this weapon Yep
pellns roamed about over England at
will, weather permitting. The first
air raid upon London was by Yep
pelins. This was May 81, 1915, and
until the explosive bullet came Into
defense work the Germans came over
In their rigid gas bags as their pleas.
ure dictated. The British had no
ZeppelIns then for counter-attack and
the airplanes they possessed were
helpless, because they could not fly
high enough quickly enough.
On one occasion when Zeppellns
were above the city British aviatOrs.
as usual, went up to engage them.
But the British flyers could only at.
tain $1,000 feet altitude. There they
sat, looking up at the monsters far
above them, the machine guns Of the
airplanes being us useless as toy PTS
tolls. That Is The real reason why
Britain built fast, high-cllmbing air,
planes. She had to Guido the Zepps.
She won, soon having alrplanes that
could reach 20,00O feet or more, above
which distance zeppelins could not
work effectively. These high-cIimbing
fighting planes, together with the ex-
plosive and incendary bullets, nude
England too hot for the airing of a
Zepp.
Lead Zeppelin Raids.
The leader of the Zeppelin raids on
London was Commander Peer
Strasser, who had unbounded hatred
for England. He had an iron nerve
and in Germany was regarded as an
authority on air raids against Eng
land. He met his death on August 4.
last year, in the Huns largest Yep
pelln, off the English coast. An cx-
plosive bullet ended his journey.
To keep out of range of ordinary
anti-aircraft FIRE the Germans en-
larged their Zeppelins from 100000. to
about 2,500,000 cubic feet, thus in
creasing ascent abilities. But this
was quickly countered by improved de-
Tense methods in Britain. The Zepps
carried about $500 pounds of bombs
each.
The first time the Zeppelins visited
London the people took 1t as great
joke, floclling to the housetops to see
the incendiary bombs that were
dropped. Only six persons were killed
In the initial raid, although 80 incen-
diary bombs were heaved overheard.
The men in the later type of Yep
Dellns were provided with parachutes.
The captain and navigating personnel
were supposed to jump from the for
ward gondola and the crew, generally
about twenty men, from the engine
md midship cabins. In the face of
disaster, however, there is no record
Of any member of a Zeppelin crew
having saved himself by this means,
either because the machine became too
quickly enveloped in flames or fell too
rapidly for the parachute to open out.
The Zeppelins usually set out from
Germany in the morning and timed
heir arrival off the English coast
about dusk. The fate of Strasser's
ship was sealed because he arrived
90 early, being spotted above the
horizon by British lookout.
Penetrate Heart Of England.
There evidently was no concerted |
action among the Zeppelin raiders,
zach acting more or less independ- I
,ntly. They selected targets upon
which they could unload their bombs
if possible, and then
lee. They often penetrated into the
leart of England.
Six Zeppellns were brought down in
england, the first by Lieut.. Leefe
Robson at Cuney. He was awarded
he Victoria Cross. The incendiary
machine gun bullets which he used
lad been issued for the first time only
he day before the raid, September
|, 1915, The second Zeppelin was
rought dewh m flames at Great Bur
fed. Out OF 10 zeppelins which raid
d England October 10, 1917, the Ger
mans lost four One DESCENDED al
lost intact near Mersea island, at
he northeast corner of Essex. An
ther was brought down in flames
ear Potter's Bar. and two other Yep.
eliB were forced to land, but the
rews destroyed their ships.
After Germany saw the futllity of
ending Zeppelins against explosive
ullets (and Zeppelins could not be
rejected against that device) she in
.ituted Gotha raids.
But Britain beat her at her own
anne.
Beware Of Stocking Bank.