The Home Front
Zeppelin Raids over Edinburgh
Kindly donated by Tom Dill
On 4 April, 1916, The Scotsman reported the previous Saturday’s Zeppelin raid and the effect of the explosions.
The Zeppelin dropped a number of explosive bombs, doing considerable damage to working class dwellings and causing several deaths. The invader, flying at a great height, approached the town from an inland direction, and dropped bombs in rapid succession in a line. The visit had been anticipated and trams had been stopped and the electric lights were extinguished. The loud detonations awakened the inhabitants, many of whom went into the streets. An empty tramcar was blown to fragments, and a tramway inspector was killed. Close by a hotel was much damaged. Many small shops and other buildings suffered, and considerable damage was done to working class dwellings, several of which were completely wrecked. One house collapsed, but the inmates escaped injury. In another case a bomb fell in a bed, but did not explode. A well-known Magistrate, the leader of the local Labour party, was killed in the street. The Zeppelin went off to sea, the visit lasting only a few minutes. It is reported that sixteen persons were killed and thirty injured. The victims include a baby and several little children. There were three small fires which were speedily extinguished, No panic occurred; and yesterday crowds thronged the streets inspecting the damaged buildings.
Due to War Office reporting restrictions, the city of Edinburgh could not be named. This prevented the enemy from identifying successful raids.