Vehicle From 1900

Zeppelin airships

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...

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 1

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

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 2

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

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1 - incorrect

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

Zeppelin

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

Show all 7

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Other Subjects

H. Moore

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1

1 memorial

E. Smith, Snr.

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

Fighter Command

Famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, fending off the German air attack on Britain.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial

Sir Francis Beaufort

Admiral and hydrographer (map making for sailors). Developed the Beaufort Scale (for winds) in 1805. Born Co. Meath, Ireland. He kept journals, written in code, and these reveal that, as a widower ...

Person, Armed Forces, Science, Ireland

1 memorial

W. H. Edgcomb

Resident of Willesden who volunteered and died in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900.

Person, Armed Forces, South Africa

War dead, Other war

1 memorial