Shropshire Routes to Roots

Zeppelin raids: The first Zeppelin raid on London

Man, Woman, Boy, and Infant Killed
INCENDIARY BOMBS CAUSE MANY FIRES

In reference to the Zeppelin raid on certain outlying districts of London, the following further official statement was issued on Tuesday evening:
In amplification of the information which appears in this mornings papers, the following particulars of last night's Zeppelin raid in the metropolitan area are now available for publication.
Late last night about ninety bombs, mostly of an incendiary character, were dropped from hostile aircraft in various localities not far distant from each other. A number of fires (of which only three were large enough to require the service of fire engines), broke out. All the fires were promptly and effectively dealt with: only one of these fires necessitated a district call. The fires were all caused by the incendiary bombs referred to. No public building was injured, but a number of private premises were damaged by fire or water. The number of casualties were small. So far as at present ascertained one infant, one boy, one man, and one woman were killed, and another woman is so seriously injured that her life is despaired of. A few other private citizens were seriously injured. The precise numbers are not yet ascertained.
Adequate police arrangements, including the calling out of the special constables, enabled the situation to be kept thoroughly in hand throughout.

The following notice was issued by the Press Bureau early on Tuesday morning:
The press are specially reminded that no statement whatever must be published dealing with the places in the neighbourhood of London reached by aircraft or the course supposed to be taken by them, or any statement or diagrams which might indicate the ground or route covered by them. The Admiralty Communication gives all the news which can properly be published.
These instructions are given in order to secure the public safety, and the present intimation may itself be published by the Press as explaining the absence of more detailed reports.

[Shropshire Archive reference: Shrewsbury Chronicle, 4 June 1915]