Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Hi guys

On the night of 30 April/1 May 1915, a Zeppelin dropped bombs on Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds. Does anyone know which craft was responsible and
where can be found reports of the raids?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Brian,

Probaly the night of April 29/30th when Hpt. Erich Lennartz in LZ38 dropped both I.B,s and H.E,s over Bury St Edmunds. No one on the ground was killed and little damage was reported. Most of my books cover the later Gotha raids, but there was a book covering the Air Defence of Great Britain in WW1 published in the 1970's I think by Putman that goes into raids in great detail. The book 'Zeppelin' by Raymond Laurence Rimmel ISBN 0 85177 239 0 Maritime press 1984 also covers the raids and losses,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Thanks Brian

I believe there were casualties on the ground and certainly some major damage to at least a couple of buildings in the town centre were badly damaged (I have a photo showing this).

Anyway, thanks for the information and I will follow this up.

Cheers
Brian of Bury St Edmunds!

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Brian,

The book Zeppelin shows this was the first raid by an Army airship, LZ38 was based at Brussels-Evere came in over the coast by Felixstowe, flew over Ipswich to Bury St. Edmunds where it dropped 40 IB's and 3 HE's whish destroyed four houses. In all LZ38 dropped 66 IB's and 10 HE's destroying a total of 6 houses but causing no casualties. It was LZ38 who dropped the 'Kill or Cure' note over Canvey Island on the 10/11th May raid.
Another book is 'Fire Over England' ISBN 0-436-08900-9 published by Leo Cooper in 1982,

All the Best

Brian

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Thanks again Brian

I have managed to order a number of books on the subject of the Zeppelin raids from my local library, including one called 'Zeppelins over Suffolk'! I had never heard of the title and it should fill my needs!

Cheers
Brian

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

I have the Putnam book: "The Air Defence of Britain 1914–1918" by Christopher Cole and E.F. Cheeseman (1984, ISBN 0-370-30538-8))

They don't list an attack on 30 April/1 May but rather on 29/30 April and to quote page 51: "Results: No casualties, £9,010 damage"

Re: Zeppelin raid 30 April/1 May 1915
 

Belated thanks Nick

I'll check that.

Cheers
Brian