January 29, 1916

[Martin Antonenko]

1916: The first aerial bombs fall on Paris ...!


On January 29, 1916, the first aerial bombs in history fell on the French capital Paris!


They are dropped from the German naval airship "LZ-79" ...:



For the attack, the Germans assert "retaliation" for alleged French attacks on German cities ...

Half a dozen buildings are destroyed ...







... and there is some damage in the streets ...:







36 people are killed, 190 are injured ...:





But the French are shooting back!

The German airship is being chased by French pilots on its way back to Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance ...



... and also shot at with artillery from the ground. LZ-79 gets quite a few hits in the shell!



The carrying gas gradually escapes through the holes - and the "Zeppelin" has to make an emergency landing on Belgian territory - the perforated shell is clearly to see ...:



Fortunately for the crew (but not for the occupied!) Belgium is occupied by German troops ....

Since aerial bombs on civilians and unfortified cities were not "normal" at the time, but something completely new - and barbaric "- the public burial of those killed becomes an act of state ...:



Martin

 

[grasshopper]

Nice..

 

[Nap]

Hi Martin

Another fact of history I have learnt

Cheers

Nap

 

[Mirofsoft]

Didn't knew that ..
Thanks

 

[grasshopper]

Right from August 1914 airships bombed cities- initially Liege- by the time of 29th January, Paris had been hit several times. The war involving those piloting them and those bringing them down was certainly dangerous for both...but ultimately development of better shells was deathknell. Altho in WWII were still employed to some extent...

 

[Airkid]

They had been over England before 1916. By the end of 1916 the zeppelins had stopped raiding the south of England due to a well-organised air defence and major losses. The IGAS moved to raiding using large twin-engined aircraft (Gotha, AEG etc), initially in daylight but later at night, again due to losses. It was mainly London and the South East that received their attention, due to their limited range fully loaded. A good read on the subject is "The First Blitz" by Neil Hanson.

Phil