ZEPPELINS
ZEPPELINS OVER KETTLESTONE
Throughout the war, the Rector writes that zeppelins were heard in Kettlestone.
Jan 19th 1915 bombs dropped from German aircraft on NW Norfolk Dersingham, Beeston Sheringham Yarmouth and Lynn much damage and some loss of life
8th Sep 1915 A zeppelin passes over Kettlestone The sound of bombs plainly heard in the direction of Dereham. Terrible damage from hostile aircraft at Dereham
21st Sep 1915 War risks insurance- Rectory and glebe buildings chancel etc fully insured. Church fully insured against enemy aircraft
31st Jan 1916 Air raid within a few miles of Kettlestone. Houses shaken by the bombs from the zeppelins.
April 24th 1916 3 zeppelins passed over the parish distinctly heard by many .Thank god no bombs
July 24th 1916 Zeppelins again in the district – almost every night. Bombs falling as near as Bale and Swanton Novers and other places a little further off
Sep 2/3rd 1916 Two if not three zeppelins about for hours. Search lights brilliant and some guns heard. Nearest bombs during this raid dropped at Syderstone and Melton Constable. The great zeppelin was brought down by Lt Robinson of Royal Flying Corps in his airplane some10 000 or 12 000 feet from the ground. Awarded the VC for this deed of conspicuous valour. One other zeppelin was badly damaged and crew badly wounded by shrapnel
24th May 1917 Another Zeppelin raid - 4 air ships in the early hours of this morning about 4-5 o’clock. Raynham and Wellingham bombed. One man was killed and several casualties to cattle etc much damage. All startled by the loud reports of the bombs and houses shaken etc.
German Zeppelin LZ 77, which raided eastern England in 1915 and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Revigny in France on 21 February 1916.
JANUARY 19TH 1915
Map showing the path taken by 2 zeppelins [L3 and L4]
The two airships crossed the coast of Norfolk between Cromer and Great Yarmouth at about 8.30pm. At this point they parted company. Airship L4 continued a westerly course and headed over Cromer before dropping a bomb on the seaside resort of Sheringham. This bomb was the first to be dropped by air on British soil. Having failed to explode, a local resident picked it up and put it in a bucket.
A few minutes later, a second bomb was dropped in Sheringham; although this did explode, it caused no damage.
The time was now 8.45pm, and airship L4 turned out to sea in a vain attempt to locate Hull .
While the L4 was causing havoc at Sheringham, airship L3, turned south and headed towards Great Yarmouth.
On its way towards the town, the L3 dropped a number of flares and incendiary bombs. The first three bombs fell either in fields or did minimal damage, but the fourth bomb caused considerable damage to many properties. Some buildings were so badly damaged that they were later demolished. Local shoemaker Samuel Smith, 53, was killed along with 72 year-old Martha Taylor. These were the first ever civilian deaths from an air raid in the UK.
The attack on Great Yarmouth lasted little more than ten minutes, and well before 9pm the air raid was over and L3 turned out to sea to commence the return flight to Germany.
Meanwhile the L4 had failed to locate Hull. Turning back towards the shoreline, the L4 came down to low altitude and re-crossed the coast at about 9.50pm near the village of Thornham and headed south. Bombs were dropped on the village church at Snettisham. This action blew out windows in the church but caused no casualties. The airship continued southwards, past the King’s estate at Sandringham and headed towards King’s Lynn, where a number of bombs were dropped causing a great deal of damage.
SEPTEMBER 8TH 1915- ZEPPELIN OVER KETTLESTONE
Zeppelin L.14 came inland over Blakeney at about 8.10pm and was heading for London but encountered engine problems. Instead, the airship headed for Norwich, but it was a little off course and approached East Dereham, passing over Kettlestone on its journey.
At about 8.45pm L.14 began dropping bombs which fell close to a camp of the 2/1st City of London Yeomanry in the grounds of Bylaugh Hall, about four and a half miles north-east of East Dereham. The only casualty was a cow.
L.14 arrived over East Dereham at about 8.55pm, dropping 15 high explosives and 16 incendiary bombs on the town. There was extensive damage and four people were killed.
L.14 dropped nine more high explosive bombs on Scarning, to the west of East Dereham, which caused no damage. She then headed back to the coast, crossing out to sea shortly before 10.00pm.