Zeppelin raid 15 June 1915

[plstrong]

I have written an account of the Zeppelin raid of 15 June 1915 (NE coast of UK), commencing with the death of my great-uncle at Palmers Engine Works (Jarrow) during the bombing.

See: http://www.strong-fa...4.html#zeppelin

I have made an exhaustive search of published references and newspapers, but have not consulted primary sources in the Public Record Office and the War Office. I have relied on authors such as Joseph Morris (1925), who said: "By the courtesy of the Air Ministry I was given access to official records and in particular to an excellent series of Air Raid Reports which were drawn up during the war by the War Office concurrently with the raids… consulted the official British and German war histories… acknowledge the help from the Historical Branch of the Air Ministry."

Has anyone searched the primary sources referring to this raid? It would be great to get copies of the original police and War Office reports etc etc. I live in Australia, thus such searches are not possible for me.

A brief summary of the raid now follows:

The L10 Zeppelin with Commander Hirsch made landfall just north of Blyth near the Wansbeck River, and then turned south towards the Tyne. Hirsch firstly bombed the North Eastern Marine Engineering works at Willington Quay, Wallsend. His observers reported that on the left there were blast furnaces, a winding river and many industrial plants. He relied on his observers since the newly trialled radio navigation was not effective. The Commander perceived he was under fire from shore batteries, and probably immediately crossed the river, bombed the Hebburn colliery, lined up the lights of the Palmers' blast furnaces and their Engineering Works for a straight bombing run. Perhaps the two reports which an inquest witness later reported, were actually bombs on the blast furnaces? This witness then said that half a minute later there were 14 reports…. perhaps the 7 explosive bombs and 5 incendiaries which were said to have been dropped on Palmers engineering construction department, killing 16 workmen. Hirsch then continued on an arc across the river to bomb the chemical plants at Howdon near Willington Quay (Cookson's Antimony Works and Pochin's Chemical Works). The L10 went out to sea via South Shields, leaving a scenic railway ablaze near the Harton colliery staithes (coal loading piers).

Philip Strong

(from Australia)

[Piorun]

Good work, Phil. Sorry I can't add to your knowledge. Thank you for adding to mine. Antony

[Aspern]

Hi Philip

That is a very impressive, in-depth piece of work.

The research I have been doing has all been centred on the London raids so I have no detail on the 15 June raid on the north-east, certainly nothing that can add anything to what you have already.

However, I would like to help if I can, so next time I go to the National Archives I'll take a look at the files there and see what they can add to your quest.

Regards

Ian

[plstrong]

Dear Ian,

Thanks very much for your kind comments and your offer to look at the PRO files, especially since you would know exactly where to look.

All very much appreciated.

Regards,

Phil

[plstrong]

Thanks Antony, for your kind comment. Phil

Good work, Phil. Sorry I can't add to your knowledge. Thank you for adding to mine. Antony

[plstrong]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for obtaining copies of documents from the PRO files. A great act of kindness, which allowed me to write what is approaching a final version of events in the Zeppelin raid. See:

http://www.strong-fa...4.html#zeppelin

Best regards,

Phil

___________________

Hi Philip

That is a very impressive, in-depth piece of work.

The research I have been doing has all been centred on the London raids so I have no detail on the 15 June raid on the north-east, certainly nothing that can add anything to what you have already.

However, I would like to help if I can, so next time I go to the National Archives I'll take a look at the files there and see what they can add to your quest.

Regards

Ian

[RAF_Louvert]

.

Philip, that is an outstanding piece of research Sir, well done! I am currently on the road but will be home this evening and, if you like, I can check the Zeppelin raid maps in Raleigh and Jones "The War in the Air", as they may well show the full route of the air ships on that particular date, (I did not see this source noted in your work, but it's possible I missed it). Let me know Philip, and again, very well done.

Cheers!

Lou

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[Woburn Paul]

Hi Phil

One small bit did get through past the censor and into The Times, on 17th June. Don't think it adds much to the great digging you have done, but I thought you might like it anyway.

Paul

[Hett65]

Phil

The policeman who was killed was PC 73 Robert Telford who was born at Hexham. He had attested for service on 31.5.1915 with the Northumberland Fusiliers and was waiting to be called up when he was killed. At the inquest on the 16 people killed in the raid, the local Superintendent produced a discharged bomb at he inquest. (info from local paper)

John

[plstrong]

Thanks to Lou, Paul and John for your responsesn above. I tried to include all quotes, but the Forum software wouldn't let me.

Lou...I have not seen Raleigh & Jones or their maps... it would be great if you could compare them with my material and let me know. I have reproduced the "Map of airship raids on Tyneside on 14 Apr 1915 & 15 Jun 1915". Source: (Capt) Joseph Morris. German Air Raids on Britain 1914 to 1918. Sampson Low, Marston & Co Ltd; 1925; facing p38. ... on my website at:

http://www.strong-fa...ly/lane_45.html

and then a close up at:

http://www.strong-fa...ly/lane_46.html

.... this was possible since this book is well out of copyright. Then I was able to access the National Archives material from which Morris' (and Raleigh & Jones?) maps were derived. This of course put me into copyright problems since I could not reproduce copies of the PRO maps... and thus I derived my own diagrams, which were not as polished as Morris, but more exact.

Paul.. thanks for the Times article. It was the same official article which appeared in the provincial newspapers. Strict censorship of the Press was imposed on May 31 1915 following a series of Zeppelin attacks on London. The Admiralty said: "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 proposed to be taken by them, or any statement or diagram which might indicate the ground covered by them. The Admiralty communiqué is all the news which can be properly be published."

Jphn... I have sighted the South Shields Gazette, Jarrow Express and Tyneside Advertiser and The Illustrated Chronicle Frid 18 June 1915. The South Shields Gazette included the production of the discharged bomb, and the Illustrated Chronicle gave much fuller details of PC Telfer's Inquest. It looks as if you have to keep digging in all the various press accounts in hope of the extra snippet which the other papers did not include. It looks as if you have done additional research on PC Telfer apart from the inques reports. I would be interested in learning more.

Thanks to all,

Philip Strong

(from sunny Australia)

[Hett65]

Phil

Information on PC Telford forwarded, use it as you so wish.

John

[RAF_Louvert]

.

Philip,

Here is a full-sized scan I've put together for you of the highly detailed Ordnance Survey map of 1930 showing the Zeppelin raid for 15 June, 1915:

You will want to credit the following source: "The War in the Air: Being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force", by Sir Walter A. Raleigh and Henry A. Jones, (published 1922-1937).

This is the massive 15-year work that contains seven volumes plus two map cases, and is considered by many to be THE source on the subject of the RFC/RNAS/RAF in WWI. Also, it is now in the public domain, so there should be no copyright issues using the scan I have provided.

Hope this helps you out Sir.

Cheers!

Lou

.

[RAF_Louvert]

.

Also Philip, here is the text from Volume 3 that accompanies the above map:

Cheers!

Lou

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[plstrong]

John

Thanks very much for the story plus graphics. A sad event for PC Telford's 78 year old mother.

Have you contacted the North East War Memorials Project (NEWMP) with your information?

I am sure they would be more than interested.

Many thanks,

Phil

Phil

Information on PC Telford forwarded, use it as you so wish.

John

[plstrong]

Lou,

Many thanks for the half inch to the mile map of the Zeppelin raid... the best summary map of the entire raid I have seen.

Also thanks for the pages from "The War in the Air: Being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force", by Sir Walter A. Raleigh and Henry A. Jones, (published 1922-1937). This has been quoted word for word elsewhere... I will check who quoted it... probably without attribution.

I was focussing on the Tyneside events and I was fortunate with the National Archives maps of the raid. I was fortunate they were about 6": mile (estimate from image). These maps named all streets, showed outlines of houses etc. The photos Ian Collins obtained were in colour, and showed the route of the zeppelin and located the bombs dropped.... red for high explosive, green for incendiary. The higher resolution of the maps allowed more exact placement of the bomb sites,,, in line with the accompanying reports.

Best regards,

Phil

.

Also Philip, here is the text from Volume 3 that accompanies the above map:

Cheers!

Lou

.

[stephen p nunn]

Great bit of research Philip - well done. We had a raid on Maldon a few weeks earlier - on 15/16 April 1915 (L6).

Best regards.

SPN

Maldon

[LindaH]

Hi

I have an anecdote from my Grandmother Margaret Victoria Short (1906-1991) who was brought up in Hebburn. She recalled her father (William, a ship builder) calling to her mother (Hannah) to come out and see the Zeppelin. Her mother went out and stood looking around, hands on hips, asking "Where is it?" Her father pointed straight up and replied "There". Well, as my Grandmother told it, her mother looked up and saw the great thing above her and she screamed "Oh, my bairns! Come here hinneys" and she tried to gather all her children to her (my grandmother aged 9 was the eldest) as if she could protect them. My Grandmother never forgot the day she saw a Zeppelin. Another story she told (perhaps from the same raid, I'm now not sure) was when a bomb fell on the windows in the street were broken except for theirs as her mother had been washing the floors so had all the doors and windows open to let the air through.

Fascinating research. Thank you,

Linda

[joseph]

Hi Philip,

I have researched the Zeppelin Raids on Hull, some of the best and most graphic accounts including photos, came from the local papers after censorship finished in 1919.

The Police reports of the incidents proved to be a valuable source for accuracy.

A local worthy Mr Turner documented the raids to pressure the powers that be into giving us more anti aircraft cover. This did get a positive response, and the wooden guns were replaced by real ones.

Regards Charles