War in the Air - Bombing Civilian Targets (1) Flashcards
What was ‘strategic bombing’ and how was this used?
- Strategic bombing of factories and transport links hoped this would degrade the enemy’s fighting ability and morale
- Attacks on Britain by German Zeppelin airships led to demands that British retaliate
- The British were not equipped for strategic bombing yet, no Zeppelins or heavy bombers were present
What did aviation writer C.G Grey say in a letter to the Air Board?
- Suggested the ‘invasion of Germany from the air’
- This chimed with popular mood and the Air Board was confident that they would produce surplus aircraft for such an offensive
What did Haig believe about bombing the civilian population?
- He was heavily opposed to it
- He believed ‘terrorising the civilian population’ was no way to win a war
What was formed in 1917 to fight Germany and what were they equipped with?
- No.41 Wing
- New HP 0/100 and 0/400 bombers and the DH4 light bomber
What did the Air Ministry create in June 1918?
- Independent Air Force
- This was a new bombing force
What did Trechard feel the effect of German bombing was on Britain?
- Was more psychological than physical
- Br official history of the war stated the moral effect to material effect of bombing was 20 to 1
How did Britain try to make more bombing raids than the Germans?
- The Germans managed two Gotha raids and one Zeppelin raid per month
- Britain aimed for two per day
What was the situation with the War Office in September 1914?
- They had made little preparation for home defence against air attack
- It expected any air threat would come from German airships which might carry out reconnaissance flights against naval forces and bases
What were Zeppelins, how did their purpose change?
- Zeppelins were the largest aircraft of the time, over 500ft long
- Initially were going to be used for reconnaissance, but in 1915 Kaiser authorised to use them for bombing of Britain
When was the first air raid on London?
31st May 1915
- Zeppelin LZ 38’s bombs killed 7 and injured 14 people
How many Zeppelin raids were there in total on Britain + amount of bombs dropped + casualties?
- 51
- 200 tons of bombs
- 557 killed over 1,300 injured
Where did newspapers report anxiety amongst people about Zeppelin raids?
- In undefended towns such as Yarmouth
- Zeppelins were nicknamed ‘baby killers’
- There was rumours of German sympathisers using lights to guide them and secrets of Zeppelin air bases in remote areas, e.g Lake District
How was the Daily Telegraph both outraged and dismissive?
- It reassured readers that the airships were usually lost, ad that German reports of success were utterly inaccurate
- Press reports deemed the damage as ‘not very serious’
- However they also emphasised how this was a sign of German barbarity
When did the RFC take over home defence from the RNAS?
- December 1915
- Deployed 11 squadrons against German raiders
- This had mixed results as the aeroplanes were not able to climb fast or high
- Once they intercepted however the Zeppelins were easy targets
What was RNAS pilot R.A.J. Warneford remembered for?
- Night of 6-7 June 1915 he dropped a bomb on Zeppelin LZ-37 over France
What was RFC Lt Leefe Robinson remembered for?
- 2nd September 1916 shot down Schütte-Lanz airship SL XI over Hertfordshire using incendiary bullets
Why were the authorities unsure about the use of air raid warning?
- A fear of causing panic
- ‘police officials’ in the Daily Telegraph objected to audible warnings and deemed them inadvisable
- They believed that the shock of air raid alarms, might cause people to die of heart failure or fright or even go mad
- People already flocked in packs to see Zeppelins passing, air raid warnings were thought to have led to general chaos
What air raid warning measures were taken place and why did Straford-upon-Avon adopt these?
- Restrictions on lighting in shops and trams, and a semi-blackout at night across England
- Gas and electricity supplies were cut off during raids
- Stratford-upon-Avon extinguished town lights as they believed its fame cause of Shakespeare would make it a target
When were bombs dropped near Victoria Station?
- 28th November 1916
- German LVG C11 aircraft dropped six bombs near Victoria Station whilst trying to hit the admiralty building
What did the Germans develop in 1917 that made them plan a more serious air offensive?
- Their new Gotha heavy bomber
What was the worst raid in London caused by the new Gotha heavy bomber?
- 13th June 1917
- Londons worst air raid killing 162 including 18 children at a school in Poplar
What was the difference between Gothas and Zeppelins?
- Gothas were smaller and harder to intercept and shoot down
- Gothas also flew in greater numbers whereas zeppelins usually flew singly
How did Haig respond to the Gotha raids of 1917?
- Released two RFC Squadrons but wanted them back asap
What happened on the 4th July 1917 that made Sir John French a ‘bag of nerves’?
- 24 Gothas flew in across the North Sea and over East Anglia
- 100 British planes had failed to intercept them
- Sir John French was anxious that if London was subject to attacks it could be a disaster
What did General Smuts’ committee help create and who was appointed the air defence chief ?
- General Ashmore was the air defence chief
- Created LADA (London Defence Area)
- This was three extra air squadrons and an eastern barrier of AA guns
- This was designed to reassure public opinion
What workers were reluctant to come in 1917 and why?
- Woowich’s Royal Arsenal workers
- Stopped turning up due to Gotha Raids
Where were people in east London taking cover from Gotha raids?
- 300,000 reported taking cover in the tube
- 500,000 in basement and cellars
Why were German air raids causing more alarms from September 1917 onwards?
- Germans changed from day raids to night raids
- They sent even larger aircraft, the Giant R-types which could drop 1,000lb bombs (largest in the war)
- Germans developed a new incendiary bomb in 1918, causing a threat of uncontrollable fires
Did the Germans ever use their incendiary bombs?
- No
- The German gov decided against it as it would invite reprisals and jeopardise any peace settlement
