ZEPPELIN’S FATE IN EAST ANGLIA

AN EAST ANGLIAN TOWN, SUNDAY.

To judge by the distance from which the destruction of this morning’s Zeppelin could be seen, the fight must have been witnessed by at least a quarter of the county’s population. It was about twenty minutes to three when, apparently, a number of bombs were dropped. This was within a few miles of an important town. The anti-aircraft guns at once came into action, and for fully half an hour there was heard the continuous sound of bursting shrapnel, accompanied by flashes. At ten minutes past three there was something of a lull. Then the watchers were startled by cyclists tearing along the roads shouting, “She’s coming over!” Presently a long dark mass was seen drifting across the sky from south-east to north-west, and a minute later star lights were observed. The next moment the black object burst into flames, while cheer after cheer went up from men, women, and children. The Zeppelin came down a few miles from the coast. She was at first winged by the anti-aircraft guns, and then given the coup de grace by an aeroplane. She descended in a field of green corn, away from any habitation, and was utterly destroyed. Our airman landed safely. A police inspector, describing what occurred, said the Zeppelin was flying at a very great height, and its outline could be barely distinguished, even with the aid of the searchlights. In spite of this the guns pounded away, and a few shots seemed to reach the airship, which wobbled badly, as if damaged. The coast batteries continued to fire heavily on the raider, while a number of aeroplanes manoeuvred so as to cut off her retreat. “Suddenly,” said the inspector, “the firing ceased, and almost immediately I caught sight of a British machine climbing close to the airship. The searchlights lit up the sky, and it was possible to follow the raider’s movements. She twisted and turned, as if making a desperate attempt to beat the aeroplane off, and in the stillness of the night very rapid firing could be heard up aloft. This came from the machine guns of the Zeppelin. I saw her making a last effort to get out of reach, and she headed again for the coast.”