Zeppelins strike on the east coast
Alarm sounds in Stirling as airships attack in 1916
An air raid warning was sounded in Stirling as German zeppelins attacked the east coast of Scotland.
The alert and the response locally was discussed at a meeting of Stirling Town Council.
It was shortly before midnight on April 2, 1916, that the zeppelins dropped about 20 incendiary and explosive bombs on Leith and Edinburgh.
One of the devices fell into the waters off Leith Docks and sank two small rowing boats while another damaged a quayside wall nearby.
In Edinburgh, incendiaries fell on the roofs of a tenements in Commercial Street and Church Street and St Thomas’ Church manse in Mill Lane. And a bomb destroyed a whisky bond of Innes & Grieve.
Although the warning was sounded in Stirling, the town was not attacked.
Steps taken during the alert in Stirling were outlined to councillors who thanked special constables and members of the fire brigade and ambulance corp for their prompt response.
Additional precautions were discussed and agreed. These included recommendations to householders that they ensure all windows are properly covered and, during an air raid warning, lights which can be seen from outside should be put out.
Furthermore, during air raid warnings all vehicles, including bikes, would be stopped by police and special constables and their lights extinguished.
There was concern about whether the town’s gas supply should be turned off in the event of a raid.
The Town Clerk contacted 20 English boroughs who had experience of air raids and all but one replied that they did not turn off the gas as they thought it would be dangerous to do so.
The only exception was a town who said they only turned off the gas “with great hesitancy” – and there had been one or two narrow escapes from accident.
In view of the information, it was decided not to turn off the gas in Stirling in the event of an air raid but to reduce its pressure instead.
Chief Constable Nicol added, however, they might have to turn off the gas if a bomb was dropped on a street.
He also thought householders should be advised to turn the gas off at the meter each night as a precaution.
Councillors also decided to stick with their practice of using special constables and police to warn people in their districts of an impending raid.
It had been suggested that a warning hooter should be sounded but this was rejected as it was felt it might be heard by the zeppelin crews.