Shropshire Routes to Roots

2. Zeppelin attacks

Zeppelin attacks

From the beginning of the War the Zeppelin airships were only used for obtaining information about the enemy by flying over the enemy lines. Once it became clear to the German army that the war would not be won quickly, the German Admiralty began to pressurise the Kaiser for permission to use the Zeppelins to attack Britain. He reluctantly agreed and on the 19th January 1915 the Germans carried out the first Zeppelin raid on Britain. The first bombs hit Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn, killing 2 people and injuring 16.

London raids

Due to the success of the bombing the Admiralty then pressurised the Kaiser to allow them to bomb London. He only gave into this pressure after a series of attacks on German cities by the French. The first raid on London took place on the 31st May 1915, killing seven and injuring thirty five. The most successful raid on London took place on the 8th September 1915. The raid caused more than half a million pounds of damage. Most of the damage was caused by one Zeppelin, the L13, which managed to hit the centre of London.

There were a further 19 raids in 1915, killing 181 people and injuring 455. The airship raids continued in 1916 with a further 23 raids, killing 293 people and injuring 691. In 1917-1918 there were only 11 Zeppelin raids against Britain. The final Zeppelin raid happened on the 5th August 1918.

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