The Bodensee Zeppelin after the war in 1919.

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The Zeppelin

It was the first time in history that Britain had come under threat from the sky. Giant German airships carried out 52 raids on Britain during World War 1, killing more than 500. People were terrified of them! To stay safe, no lights could be used after sunset and loud noises were also banned.

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The German Army and Navy both saw the potential that airships had for reconnaissance. They were used almost from the opening of the war for getting information by flying over enemy lines far above gunnery range. As it became clear that the war would be long and drawn out, Zeppelins were sent to bomb British cities. Their route was over the North Sea from their bases on the north west German coast. The early raids caused lots of damage and many civilian casualties.

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At first, as these documents show, British defences were totally inadequate to deal with the Zeppelin threat. However, by 1916 a range of anti-airship defence measures were introduced. Many more guns were deployed, and searchlights. Fighter aircraft were also sent against them. British defences learnt to pick up their radio messages, so had warning of their approach, and a central communications headquarters was set up. It was realised that Zeppelins were extremely vulnerable to explosive shells, which set light to the hydrogen, often in spectacular fashion. Zeppelin raids were called off in 1917, by which time 77 out of the 115 German Zeppelins had been shot down or totally disabled. Raids by heavier than air bombers continued, however. By the end of the war over 1500 British citizens had been killed in air raids.

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The vulnerability of Zeppelins to explosive shells, and their relatively slow speed, led to rapid development of heavier-than-air machines. By 1918 both sides were using large numbers of aeroplanes, not just for reconnaissance, but as fighter air support and as bombers. Air war, and the threat it brought to the lives of civilians, had become part of 20th century warfare.

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Source: The National Archives

L53 - LZ100 - 19 reconnaissance missions; 4 attacks on England, dropping 11,930 kg (26,300 lb) of bombs. Intercepted and destroyed by a Sopwith Camel flown by Lt Culley RAF, who took off from a lighter towed by the destroyer HMS Redoubt, on 11 August 1918. LZ 100 was the last zeppelin destroyed in the war.

Did you know?

The Art Deco spire of the Empire State Building was originally designed to serve as a

mooring mast for Zeppelins and other airships, although it was found that high winds

made this impossible and the plan was abandoned.

Source: Wikipedia