Tomorrow night will be exactly 100 years that Germany's zeppelin raids on Britain began. On 19 January 1915, Britain became one of the very first countries in history to be bombed in an air raid (the first bombing of a city from the air was on the night of 24–25 August 1914, when eight bombs were dropped from a German airship onto the Belgian city of Antwerp).
Heralding a new era of warfare, the first two targets of the two German zeppelins - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk on England's east coast - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind.
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage (a lot more in today's money) to the towns and surrounding villages.
Military historian Steve Smith said it marked a change in the face of conflict, with the Zeppelin air raids going on to claim 435 British lives in the First World War. The British did, however, manage to shoot some of the zeppelins down.
The Kaiser had banned the bombing of London because he didn't want to harm his grandmother, Queen Victoria.
The bombings served as a forewarning of what was to come during the Blitz in the Second World War, he said.
Germany's first ever aerial blitz on UK: Zeppelin raids began a hundred years ago tonight with bomb mission which killed four
First ever Zeppelin attack on Britain was launched 100 years ago tonight
Two German airships headed for Humberside but were blown off course
Instead they bombed King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, killing four
16 others were injured as houses and businesses were destroyed
Zeppelin bombings killed at least 435 Brits during the First World War
Bombings forced UK to improve air defences which proved vital in the Blitz
By Ollie Gillman for MailOnline
18 January 2015
Daily Mail
Germany launched its first ever aerial blitz on Britain exactly 100 years ago tonight when two Zeppelins were sent on a bombing mission which killed four.
On the nights of January 19 and 20, 1915, two of the airships were heading for Humberside but were blown further down the east coast by strong gusts.
Heralding a new era of warfare, their first two targets - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind.
The Germans launched their first ever blitz on Britain exactly 100 years ago during World War I as Zeppelins attacked the east coast
The two Zeppelins were aiming to bomb industrial targets in Humberside but ended up being blown down towards Norfolk, where they attacked King's Lynn (pictured) and Great Yarmouth
Devastation: Four were killed in the bombings which also caused damage in surrounding villages
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage to the towns and surrounding villages.
Military historian Steve Smith said it marked a change in the face of conflict, with the Zeppelin air raids going on to claim 435 British lives in the First World War
The bombings served as a forewarning of what was to come during the Blitz in the Second World War, he said.
Speaking of the attacks a century ago, Mr Smith said: 'Both pilots found themselves completely lost.
'The first realised he was over Norfolk and used landmarks such as Happisburgh lighthouse to skilfully navigate his way down the coast to Great Yarmouth, which was a valid strategic target.
'His first bomb fell in a field but a further 10 hit targets in the town.
Blitz: Edward Ellis stands outside the remains of his home after the bombs fell on Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Heralding a new era of warfare, their first two targets - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth (pictured) - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind
Superintendent Charles Hunt, of King's Lynn Borough Police, examines an incendiary bomb dropped on 63 Cresswell Street in King's Lynn following the bombing raid
'The other still thought he was over the Humber and dropped bombs on pretty much random targets like the towns of Sheringham and Hunstanton along the north Norfolk coast.
'It was only by chance that he happened upon King's Lynn where he claimed two lives and caused a significant amount of damage.
'He then tried to navigate back over land and ended up above Norwich but fortunately by that point, he had run out of bombs.'
The Kaiser had banned the bombing of London because of the potential of harming the Royal family, to whom he was related (he was Queen Victoria's grandson), but sanctioned attacks on industrial targets.
There had been previous attempts at raids on the UK using rickety biplanes, Mr Smith added, but these were largely unsuccessful.
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage to the towns and surrounding villages
As the attacks became more frequent, Britain's defences improved with many Zeppelins shot down, such as this one near London in 1916
A Zeppelin burns in the night sky as fighter pilots from the Royal Flying Corps bring it down
One such attack resulted in a bomb landing in the sea off the Kent coast and another blew a gardener, who amazingly survived, out of a tree in Dover while was removing Christmas decorations.
Previous successful raids on Belgium and Paris meant the British Government knew what was coming.
Mr Smith added: 'In many ways the early Zeppelin raids did us a favour.
'We improved black-out procedures and held back planes from the Western Front to defend our own shores.
'Many of the techniques used to defend us during the First World War were later imitated during the Blitz.'
A parliamentary inquiry was held into the UK's defences and led to the creation of the nation's first fighter direction system - which proved vital in the Battle of Britain.
By the end of the war, an estimated £1.4million worth of damage was caused to the UK - but it was nowhere near the widespread impact the Germans had hoped for.
'People were obviously wary but it didn't cause widespread panic,' Mr Smith said.
'It served more as a warning which galvanised the British public to be vigilant.'
In another twist of fate the last raid of the war also happened off Norfolk when Peter Strasser, chief commander of the Germany Imperial Navy Zeppelins, and his crew were shot down on August 5 1918 during a night raid.
How the Mail helped those bombed by Zeppelins during the First World War
Heralding a new era of warfare, the first two targets of the two German zeppelins - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk on England's east coast - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind.
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage (a lot more in today's money) to the towns and surrounding villages.
Military historian Steve Smith said it marked a change in the face of conflict, with the Zeppelin air raids going on to claim 435 British lives in the First World War. The British did, however, manage to shoot some of the zeppelins down.
The Kaiser had banned the bombing of London because he didn't want to harm his grandmother, Queen Victoria.
The bombings served as a forewarning of what was to come during the Blitz in the Second World War, he said.
Germany's first ever aerial blitz on UK: Zeppelin raids began a hundred years ago tonight with bomb mission which killed four
First ever Zeppelin attack on Britain was launched 100 years ago tonight
Two German airships headed for Humberside but were blown off course
Instead they bombed King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, killing four
16 others were injured as houses and businesses were destroyed
Zeppelin bombings killed at least 435 Brits during the First World War
Bombings forced UK to improve air defences which proved vital in the Blitz
By Ollie Gillman for MailOnline
18 January 2015
Daily Mail
Germany launched its first ever aerial blitz on Britain exactly 100 years ago tonight when two Zeppelins were sent on a bombing mission which killed four.
On the nights of January 19 and 20, 1915, two of the airships were heading for Humberside but were blown further down the east coast by strong gusts.
Heralding a new era of warfare, their first two targets - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind.
The Germans launched their first ever blitz on Britain exactly 100 years ago during World War I as Zeppelins attacked the east coast
The two Zeppelins were aiming to bomb industrial targets in Humberside but ended up being blown down towards Norfolk, where they attacked King's Lynn (pictured) and Great Yarmouth
Devastation: Four were killed in the bombings which also caused damage in surrounding villages
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage to the towns and surrounding villages.
Military historian Steve Smith said it marked a change in the face of conflict, with the Zeppelin air raids going on to claim 435 British lives in the First World War
The bombings served as a forewarning of what was to come during the Blitz in the Second World War, he said.
Speaking of the attacks a century ago, Mr Smith said: 'Both pilots found themselves completely lost.
'The first realised he was over Norfolk and used landmarks such as Happisburgh lighthouse to skilfully navigate his way down the coast to Great Yarmouth, which was a valid strategic target.
'His first bomb fell in a field but a further 10 hit targets in the town.
Blitz: Edward Ellis stands outside the remains of his home after the bombs fell on Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Heralding a new era of warfare, their first two targets - King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth (pictured) - were chosen purely by the direction of the wind
Superintendent Charles Hunt, of King's Lynn Borough Police, examines an incendiary bomb dropped on 63 Cresswell Street in King's Lynn following the bombing raid
'The other still thought he was over the Humber and dropped bombs on pretty much random targets like the towns of Sheringham and Hunstanton along the north Norfolk coast.
'It was only by chance that he happened upon King's Lynn where he claimed two lives and caused a significant amount of damage.
'He then tried to navigate back over land and ended up above Norwich but fortunately by that point, he had run out of bombs.'
The Kaiser had banned the bombing of London because of the potential of harming the Royal family, to whom he was related (he was Queen Victoria's grandson), but sanctioned attacks on industrial targets.
There had been previous attempts at raids on the UK using rickety biplanes, Mr Smith added, but these were largely unsuccessful.
The bombing raid killed four, injured 16 and caused more than £7,000 worth of damage to the towns and surrounding villages
As the attacks became more frequent, Britain's defences improved with many Zeppelins shot down, such as this one near London in 1916
A Zeppelin burns in the night sky as fighter pilots from the Royal Flying Corps bring it down
One such attack resulted in a bomb landing in the sea off the Kent coast and another blew a gardener, who amazingly survived, out of a tree in Dover while was removing Christmas decorations.
Previous successful raids on Belgium and Paris meant the British Government knew what was coming.
Mr Smith added: 'In many ways the early Zeppelin raids did us a favour.
'We improved black-out procedures and held back planes from the Western Front to defend our own shores.
'Many of the techniques used to defend us during the First World War were later imitated during the Blitz.'
A parliamentary inquiry was held into the UK's defences and led to the creation of the nation's first fighter direction system - which proved vital in the Battle of Britain.
By the end of the war, an estimated £1.4million worth of damage was caused to the UK - but it was nowhere near the widespread impact the Germans had hoped for.
'People were obviously wary but it didn't cause widespread panic,' Mr Smith said.
'It served more as a warning which galvanised the British public to be vigilant.'
In another twist of fate the last raid of the war also happened off Norfolk when Peter Strasser, chief commander of the Germany Imperial Navy Zeppelins, and his crew were shot down on August 5 1918 during a night raid.
How the Mail helped those bombed by Zeppelins during the First World War
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