The Raid

This was a raid carried out by military airships rather than naval ones.

The LZ81 dropped 8 HE bombs on the steamer Argus in Deal Harbour without doing any damage. It was then seen off Walmer where the AA guns fired on it but it headed back over the channel.

The next airship was either the LZ 95 or the LZ97. It cane in near West Mersea and headed over Essex. 47 incendiaries were dropped between Fyfield and Ongar with little damage done. It carried on and dropped more bombs near Hainault Farm Aerodrome. More bombs were dropped at Newbury Park before turning towards Ilford but came under heavy fire at Seven Kings from AA guns and aeroplanes. It dropped bombs on Chadwell Heath and went towards Romford but it took a route that meant it went over the guns at Brentwood and Billericay.

There is also some confusion over the next airship, it was either L93 or 95 but its more likely it was 95. It came in over the Orwell and dropped a bomb near Landguard Fort before crossing the river to Harwich. Bombs were dropped but didn’t explode. It then went further up the river and dropped bombs on the Royal Naval Training Barracks at Shotley. The next bomb was at Parkstone Quay but it landed in the mud and sunk. It then went back out to see

The LZ88 or ZXII came in over Kent, were it stopped turning off its engines and floating near Sturry. It then headed to Canterbury where is also seemed to be drifting before dropping some incendiary’s. It moved on to St Nicholas at Wade where a bomb was dropped on the Vicarage garden. Bombs were dropped at Minnes Bay doing no damage.