Vehicle    From 1900 

Zeppelin airships

Categories: Armed Forces, Aviation

Invented by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in 1900. London was first targeted with airships in May 1915 and initially found defence very difficult. Searchlights and incendiary ammunition helped to defeat the Zeppelins and the last raid was in August 1918. Londonist has a great post about the Zeppelin raids over London, with a map! And Flickering Lamps has a good post on airships over London in war and peace.

But to get a really good idea of how they were used (the bombs, the water ballast, the observer basket) you have to see the 1930 film Hell's Angels. Forget the plot and the acting, just watch the stunning aerial scenes. Howard Hughes produced it so money was no object.

2018: Londonist have a post about the first Zeppelin raid on London, 31 May 1915, with maps showing the damage sites.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Zeppelin airships

Commemorated ati

Camberwell WW1 victims - Chumleigh Gardens

This memorial commemorates all 22 Camberwell citizens killed in WW1. We don't...

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First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 1

First bomb of World War One, dropped on London by Zeppelin LZ 38 fell on this...

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First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 2

First bomb of World War One, to be dropped on London by Zeppelin LZ38, fell o...

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First Zeppelin bomb of WW1 - incorrect

This plaque was, according to the Council, a mistake and was removed by Hackney.

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Zeppelin

We are familiar with the "pensioner crosses road" syndrome in local newspaper...

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Other Subjects

C. E. Cross

C. E. Cross

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Aircraftman 2nd Class John Pryor

Aircraftman 2nd Class John Pryor

John Pryor was the elder child of John Richard Henry Pryor (1901-1984) and Elizabeth Lydia Pryor née Thomason (1899-2006). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1926 in the Islington regis...

Person, Armed Forces, Ireland

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Sir William Stanley

Sir William Stanley

Soldier who fought in the Wars of the Roses.  Born Lancashire.  Originally a Yorkist, he switched sides and in 1485 fought at Bosworth Field for Tudor Henry VII, for which he was appointed Lord Cha...

Person, Armed Forces, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
J. P. Roughan

J. P. Roughan

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
A. Poole

A. Poole

Employed at the Holloway bus/tram garage - Pemberton Gardens. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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Alexander Berkman

Alexander Berkman

Leading anarchist known for his political activism and writing.  Born Russia, emigrated to America.  Lover and life-long friend of Emma Goldman.  The pair were deported to Russia for their anarchis...

Person, Politics & Administration, France, Russia, USA

1 memorial
Elizabeth Cadbury

Elizabeth Cadbury

Philanthropist. Born Elizabeth Mary Taylor at 3 Elm Place, Peckham Rye. She and her husband George Cadbury developed the Bournville village near Birmingham. In 1909 she opened the Woodland Hospital...

Person, Philanthropy

1 memorial