Zeppelin Raid - South London - 13th October 1915

[Neil Mackenzie]

While doing research on the roll of honour for my old school I have come across 3 brothers, Roy, Brien and Gordon Currie all killed in a Zeppelin Air Raid.

In the archives of the local paper (Croydon Advertiser and Surrey County Reporter) I have come across a report on an inquest which mentions 3 brothers being killed in a raid on 13 October 1915 - along with 53 other people (I think the total number of fatalities was 59 with some people presumably dying of wounds after the newspaper article was printed). Although it does not give their names I think I am reasonably safe in assuming it is referring to the Currie brothers. The article also gives their ages as 10, 14 and 15 but I do not know which brother is which age.

Does anyone have any info on this raid, such as the Zepplins involved) or can confirm/correct my assumptions?

I have copied below the relevant portion of the newspaper article (dated 23rd October 1915) on their inquest:-

"The three boys killed in one house were in bed asleep when a bomb fell upon the building and the housekeeper, brought straight from hospital to give evidence had to stop more than once in the course of the harrowing tale overcome with the thoughts of the tragedy....... She told the jury "I was fast asleep when I heard an awful explosion which awoke me. I seemed to spring from the top of the bed to the bottom. Then I groped my way to the door which I found was on the floor. I stayed there because the side wall had fallen in on the stairs and landing. I called out to the fatehr asking if he was all reight. He replied 'I'm all right but I can't move.' Then next I called for the boys, only the elder one answered , he said 'Do get help'. I shouted to the lady next door......the wall was out and I could see into her house....I said 'Our staircase is cut off, will you get help'.....

A captain of the RAMC said he left home after the bombs had exploded. He heard a woman's voice coming from this house. She told him she was not hurt and he advised her to stop where she was. The father was first got out and carried to a neighbour's house, and the fire brigade was called.....The fire brigade men rescued the boys and the housekeeper.

Medical evidence showed that the second boy was dead when he reached the hospital. He had a very severe scalp wound, his right foot was torn half away and he had a large wound on his left foot. The eldest boy was suffering from many wounds on the back and left hip, and on the right thigh were two large wounds. A piece of blanket or mattress had been driven through one wound and a piece of shrapnel was found in the body. He had wounds on both arms and his chest and was suffering from shock and collapse. The youngest boy, who was dead when the rescuers reached him, had the back of his head smashed , the bones being in small pieces. On the right side of the body was a wound over a foot long through which the ribs protruded. Another large wound was on the right thigh which was fractured. The right leg below the knee was smashed and the left foot was fractured. There were numerous wounds and cuts all over the body and face."

[Dickie]

Neil, 'Croydon and the Great War' has two or three pages dedicated to it as well as two photos of ruined houses (one in Beech House road - THE house?). Do you have this book?

[Neil Mackenzie]

Dickie.

Thanks for the info. I don't have the book - it is a bit pricey from memory - but I can look at it next time I am at the archive.

[centurion]

The German Navy Zepps involved were L11 (von Buttlar), L13 (Mathy), L14 (Bocker), L15 (Breithaupt)and L16 (Peterson). British casualties 71 dead, 128 injured.

[Wdragon]

The German Navy Zepps involved were L11 (von Buttlar), L13 (Mathy), L14 (Bocker), L15 (Breithaupt)and L16 (Peterson). British casualties 71 dead, 128 injured.

Zeppelins of World War One has the raid being started by five ships based in Hage and Nordholz under the overall command of Mathy. It claims that four were forced to turn back before reaching London. L-15 commanded by Breithaupt dropped all the bombs on the capital that night

Regards

David

[Neil Mackenzie]

Thanks everyone.

I have read somewhere that Breithaupt dropped all his bombs on the City (near the Bank of England). This means it must have been one of the others responsible for the deaths in Croydon that presumably unloaded its bombs on deciding to turn back as it was approaching London.

Any more info gratefully received.

Neil

[centurion]

Zeppelins of World War One has the raid being started by five ships based in Hage and Nordholz under the overall command of Mathy. It claims that four were forced to turn back before reaching London. L-15 commanded by Breithaupt dropped all the bombs on the capital that night

Regards

David

Sorry but this is a slight over simplification

L11 Jettisoned its bombs near Coltsham after being fired on

L13 became lost and first bombed near Guildford (in mistake for Hampton) but did reach London and bombed Woolwich

L14 also became lost and dropped bombs at Shorncliffe, Tunbridge Wells and Croydon but had used all its bombs by the time it flew over central London

L15 Bombed London between the Strand and Limehouse

L16 Reached the outskirts of London but mistook the River Lea for the Thames, turned the wrong way and bombed Hertford in mistake for East London.

Not the best example of German navigation. As it happened the air defence was equally inept launching its aircraft too early so they were having to land when the best chance for interception occured.

[Dickie]

On Elmers End Green, down the road from Addiscombe/Croydon, there was a gun in place. Anyone have any idea what type of gun this is most likely to have been?

there was also a gun in Gonville Road (Thornton Heath) as well as searchlights in Purley and Aurelia Rd (Croydon).

The Zep raid caused Croydon to revamp it's approach, and reaction, to air raids.

[Neil Mackenzie]

Many thanks - sorry for the slow reply only just noticed this extra info.

Neil

[Esskay]

3 brothers, Roy, Brien and Gordon Currie all killed in a Zeppelin Air Raid.

The article also gives their ages as 10, 14 and 15 but I do not know which brother is which age.

Hi Neil - did you sort the brothers out - courtesy of 1901 census and FreeBMD it looks like:

Gordon was the eldest - 1 on 1901 census and birth registered - Leeds - 1st qtr 1900

Roy was the middle one - 3 mths on 1901 census and birth registered - Croydon - 1st qtr 1901

Brian (spelt with a rather than e) was the youngest - birth registered - Croydon - 2nd qtr 1905

Cheers

Sue

[Neil Mackenzie]

Sue.

On Monday I received copies of the school magazine (The Mid-Whitgiftian) for December 1915 which contains various snippets of information that confirms what you have provided. Gordon (the eldest) died of his wounds on 15 October. Brien (with an 'e' according to the magazine so probably the census taker assumed it was spelt with an 'a') was the youngest. This means that Roy must have been the middle one.

Thank you for taking the trouble to look this up and providing the confirmatory info.

Neil

[sandymae]

We have just returned from a week in Cannock Chase area, visiting the old site of RAF Hednesford etc.

There is a CWGC cemetery and a German Cemetery nearby, both WWI and WWII memorials.

Attached is a photo of the Zeppelin memorial in German Cemetery.

Sandra

[NigelS]

L13 became lost and first bombed near Guildford (in mistake for Hampton) but did reach London and bombed Woolwich

.....Not the best example of German navigation. As it happened the air defence was equally inept launching its aircraft too early so they were having to land when the best chance for interception occured.

Although L13 may have got lost (I'm assuming that this has been ascertained from official German records) it appears that it may not have been so far adrift, at least in terms of finding suitable targets!:

taken from Chilworth Gunpowder Mills ( http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/industry_5_gunpowder.htm )

First World War Attack

Additional hazards to mill operations were introduced by the First World War. The factory was provided with anti-aircraft guns by early 1915, and St Martha’s Church was heavily camouflaged with branches to prevent the building being used by enemy pilots as a landmark for navigation. The worst scare of the war was when in 1915 a German Zeppelin dropped 12 bombs in the St Catherine’s area of Guildford not far away whilst the pilot was looking for the gunpowder works. Damage was effected to property but the only casualties were a swan on the river, and 17 chickens.

Chilworth is near Guildford, Surrey

From the book Changing Woking 1900-1929 (Pg 49 1915)

On October 13th the local volunteer fire brigade were put on alert Zeppelins had been seen over Weybridge heading in this direction and flashes and explosions were heard from the direction of Guildford. The Zeppelins were presumably heading for Vickers at Brooklands or Martinsydes at Maybury.

Meanwhile the black-out resulting from the Zeppelin raids had caused no end of trouble for the Gas Company. There was a shortage of coal anyway for the production of gas, but with the lights all dimmed from October onwards the streets were in almost total darkness. The result was that several lamp standards were damaged by vehicles crashing into them.

The aircraft factories of Vickers, Brooklands (Weybridge) & Martinsydes, Maybury (Woking) were both adjacent to the main line of what was then the L&SWR from Waterloo to Southampton & Portsmouth. (Guildford is the next but one station after Woking, once the Portsmouth route has split from the Southampton line at Woking; apologies if you're already familiar with this!). The railway tracks would, of course, have been a good navigational aid.

[Kath]

This may be of interest:

Kath.

[Neil Mackenzie]

Thanks Kath.

Neil

[snavek]

Arch Whitehouse 'The Zeppelin Fighters' account (condensed):-

".........Inclement weather kept the airships in their sheds until October 13 when it was considered that conditions were reasonable enough to risk another venture against London.

Airships LZ.11, LZ.13, LZ.14, LZ.15, and LZ.16 were assigned to this mission, three from Nordholz and two from Hage. They assembled in the afternoon and were soon above a solid overcast at 2600 feet. From Ameland they headed for the coast of Norfolk with the intention of flying from Haisbrough(sic) to Cambridge and attacking London from the north. Mathy, who was in command, spread his airships for safety and took the lead to London.

Von Buttlar aboard LZ.11 (got lost over Norfolk, dropped his bombs on some inland villages and then went home), on his return to Nordholz reported that he had flown up the Thames and bombed West Ham and some docks at Woolwich. He returned to base safely.

Joachim Breithaupt in LZ.15 was over Britain for the first time, (mistaking Broxbourne for Tottenham, he jettisoned two tanks of fuel and rid himself of most of his water ballast, enabling him to rise to 8500 feet. He then ordered top speed and headed for the city. The airship was clearly seen crossing the Thames as she was picked up almost immediately by two searchlights. (With AA shrapnel bursting around him and aircraft below him he dropped ballast to gain altitude and quickly headed for home. Fog and shortage of fuel stopped him from landing at Nordholz and he eventually had to ditch in moorland about 3 miles away).

Airship LZ.13, Heinrich Mathy, (dropped bombs on an AA unit NW of Hatfield on his way to his target, the waterworks at Hampton, he missed a bend in the Thames, followed the River Wey, mistook the village of Shalford for Hampton and bombed it. He then bombed Woolwich Arsenal by mistake, thinking he was over Victoria Docks. She got back to her base the next morning after a close call with Dutch guns on the island of Vlieland ).

LZ.14, Alois Bocker, steered a course for Woolwich, veered off to the left crossing the Thames at the Isle of Sheppey and reached the sea at Hythe, which he mistook for the mouth of the Thames. Thinking he was over Woolwich Dockyard he dropped 9 bombs on an army camp overlooking the Channel, killing 15 soldiers and wounding 11. He eventually found his way to Croydon where he dropped the rest of his bombs on private houses. Her landing at Nordholz was delayed for 5 hours because of fog.

LZ.16, Werner Peterson, (after technical troubles over the North Sea reached London in time to see LZ.15 lit up by the searchlights. He reported that he's dropped his bombs on factories and railyards in Stratford, East Ham and West Ham. Unfortunately for the people of Hertford he'd got it wrong, 18 bombs and 30 incendiaries plastered the town and surrounding countryside killing 9 and injuring 15. They also got back to base safely).

The 13 October raid is said to have killed 71 people and injured 128, one of the deadliest raids of the war.

Keith

[Neil Mackenzie]

Keith.

Many thanks - very interesting. They seem to have had serious navigation problems!

Neil