Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/59/1 - September 1916 - Part 13

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Sept 30. 1916.  111. High St. Brentwood.   The Zeppelin Raid

Vivid Description in a letter to my brother from my cousin Mrs 

E.H. Burgess. C.E.W B.

Dearest Jock : I have been longing to tell you of our great event -

I should say events - as judging by your short letter this morning, - written by

left hand, poor boy! - you evidently only know but little of the happenings.

And they are indeed great. Also I feel so personally mixed up in

both Zeps, that I almost need to ask for deliverance from "fat head"!

Reason why. I saw the first one leaving over Warley way from London

trying to get out of our searchies & couldn't, & F. [[?]] sat on the shop

leads out of Ted's windows gazing at the old sky devil pounding along

& looking horribly immense, because so perilously near tons: & just as

she got apparently over Ingrave, though she looked as if she was

just over The Common, she was caught like a rat in a trap &

brought down in flames. Ten minutes before this event, another

has taken place - just under different circumstances. Both these Zeps

had been doing their dirty work over poor London, & were flying home,

& the other one passed over Blackmore, & was fired on by the gunners

of K. hatch (the same who crippled the one sunk in the Thames)

& they shot off one of the forward lefting propellers, which was

picked up afterwards. This disabled the old gasbag very heavily.

She couldn't go very fast nor could she ascend; she travelled

along only about 200 feet above land across Essex, till she got

to Tollesbury (just opposite West Mersea) passed over their guns which

never fired a shot, went slowly across the water straight for Mersea

island. When she was within 300 yards of Jack's house, (he & his

wife were watching her & expecting to be smashed up as she was

making a beeline direct for his home) she suddenly swung round

& went straight across the narrow belt of water to Copt Hall

Marshes. They saw her make for one old home by the wee church

 

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and there she came to Earth! There of all places in England!!

She lies in our big front field, which the road skirts just before you turn

in at our gates. In my craziest dreams, I have never imagined

anything so wildly improbable, nor have the inhabitants of Lit. Wigboro

either. It is beyond everything in history for them. There is a little cottage

at the corner of the road, you may remember it; & close to the gate of

New Hall Farm. The Zep overshot her mark a trifle & landed a portion

of her foremost bulk across the road into the opposite field, & not 30 feet

away from the cottage door! The chief portion, & the hinder part, lie in

our old field. The noise of her engines woke the whole village. The 

man & wife who live in the wee cottage fled in their night gear to

New Hall Yard, the woman rushed further on into our Grove of trees, &

the man hid behind a stack in the yard & peeped. he saw all the crew leap

out & get very busy placing fires all round the master - it is 750 feet

long! & one of the last made newest type, the engines being dated last Aug)

Then they knocked at his door, he supposed, to warn them what was going to 

happen, but of course nobody answered. o then they set fire to it &

there was a dreadful explosion. Flames went up quite 150 feet into

the air, Jack writes, and died down in quite 10 minutes & then Jack

saw the glow in the sky from our Zep burning up here! & guessed what

was happening. Well, the crew of 21 & the commander then started to

walk down the village - & not a creature dared show himself, the poor

simple souls were nearly terrified to death. When they got on to the Peldon road

they fell in with a "special" & asked him if they were right for Colchester or

a police station, as they wished to give themselves up! (Isn't it funny?) He

conducted them to Peldon, 1 1/2 miles, & there handed them over to the local

bobby, who just telephoned from the post office to West Mersea Camp where

there are 2000 soldiers, & then marched them off towards Mersea. They had

got as far as Mersea St road before they met the soldiers! These took them

to West Hall barn, searched them & kept them till motors arrived from 

Colchester next day & conveyed them away. The commander told the officer

in charge that he had lost a propeller & much gas, & dared not attempt

the North Sea, as he knew he should never get cross in that flight; this

officer told Jack all about it. Next day Jack rowed across & walked

to the spot. He says it was amazing to see this great beast sprawling there

aeroplanes all about our fields, hovering above like "vultures over a carcass" 

 

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& hundreds & hundreds of people pouring through the tiny village to

see the sight. Strong lines of soldiers were all around, but Jack sat down on

a hillock & fished out his opera glasses & studied it thoroughly. He said her back

is broken in 5 places, and the great framework is in parts fairly intact & her

engines quite perfect. She is, in fact, a prize: rather big for a museum

perhaps, & may demand a building made on purpose to hold her great bones.

But now for our event. On Sat 2nd we knew a raid was done, but I didn't tell

Jed so he slept till 12 that night - I didnt sleep at all the whole night. At 12

guns began to bang about, and searchlights blazed all over the whole

sky, far & near. Florence could hear Lefes hovering over London way chiefly

& bombs bursting & we know awful things must be taking place. After listening

& watching for an hour, I went to bed, as I felt chilly, I lay so that i could see out

of my window over Upminster way, & the guns were still at it. Suddenly

I saw a far away unmistakeable shape, which hove in sight just

about 1 oclock. I was out like a shot, & quietly called F. to come & watch, &

told Ted there was one in sight but miles away, so he didnt stir.  F. hopped

out on to the shop leads & sat there in her dressing gown & & sat on the window

sill in mine, our eyes glued on that evil thing, getting visibly bigger every second. it was

very enormous when our two searchlights took it on from the Upminster ones, & it never

let it go. it kept it crossed, thus [sketch of crossed search lights] : as it went along the cross kept it fast

there, never rearing a fraction away from the airship. When it appeared to be

over the common, our two guns there suddenly blazed out, & we saw a [[?]]

shell burst at one end of it, & it shook & quivered all over - It was hit, & 

from scores of throats in our street went up the shout "She's hit" - & such

a cheer! Then instantly the lights of an aeroplane flashed out close to the

Zep - a red & white lights, most brilliant & only momentarily. It was the order 

to ceasefire & the guns were at once silent. Then we saw [[?great]] shells

banged at her from the aero. rapidly, & immediately a big rose red flame

broke out at one end. & she hung for a second in the sky, then tilted

up into the perpendicular, & then flames burst out all over the thing

 

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& the shape was lost in a great burning mass of beautiful rose red

flames & rosily-tinted smoke. There she slowly began to descend, getting a little

quicker as she went, smaller masses of burning stuff falling away from the main

mass, which gave me an awful feeling of sickness, for I fancied they were the

poor roasted bodies falling out. The whole sky was lit up like an immense

glowing sunset - most beautiful to see - & the burning Zep was the grandest

& most horrible sight I have ever witnessed. I never wish to see another, though

I'd like to burn the lot, without the poor crews. When she crashed to Earth

not on the Common! but at Billericay, she burnt for 4 or 5 minutes & then the

glow slowly died away. When the first flame broke out the cheers were

simply tremendous all over the town. Trains in the station screamed their

whistles & it was a pandemonium of joy - savage joy too. One could hear the

note of savage triumph above all the noise quite clearly. And the crowd began

to run up this street like mad things, thinking the Zep was much nearer than

it was. It was fired at 1.10. At 2x a.m. the cars began to pour down from

London direction - in one unceasing stream and the noise was awful. They

never ceased for 1 minute from then till dark on Sunday night, & it became

nerve-wracking even to me. I had to shut Ted's windows, he couldnt bear it. 

It was a lovely night & a lovely day of sunshine followed [[?]] & it was a sight to watch

our street, with this maelstrom of traffic going on. Every imaginable vehicle, from huge

cars to tiny bikes, poured along -- the churches I'm told were nearly empty - everyone

was off to Billericay. later on, they streamed off to Little [[?borough]]!

When our Zep came down in flames, practically the first on the scene were

Bob & Arthur & Billy Onenwell. Bob saw all the poor bodies being hauled out of

the wreckage & that blood thirsty [[?]] Billy told Jessie Burgess that "the bodies

were top hole"! He gloried in them! The commander had hung on by his hands

till he dropped - his fingers were all burnt off - & he fell yards away from the

wreck - dead of course. The others were all in it - not so badly burned as 

the Cuffley lot, as they hadn't come from so great a distance.

The damage done in London, chiefly at Brixton, Streatham & Bow is appalling.

Streatham Hill Station doesnt even exist. It is very dreadful. Tom wrote to me of it

& I heard more details from one piano tuner on Thursday. He is quite unnerved by it.

I am glad to say, I felt no actual fear, nor even a shiver. Ted didnt get up, as

the whole thing was too quickly over, & we had no idea it was going to be burnt

for all the shells we saw bursting about it as it went along, did not

quite reach it & we felt sure it was too high. But our guns hit it easily. 

Of course if bombs began to patter down on our town, I might be scared in

spite of my determination not to be - I can't say. Florence wasn't frightened but

fearfully excited. Poor Ted has been very nervous ever since. And they came again

on Sunday night & Monday - & attacked the Midlands - I dont know where.

They dropped bombs on Southampton & Portsmouth, but not much harm & more [[?]]

 

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off. It isnt nice to think they are attacking the South Coast now. Our defences

are vastly better now, but it remains for the aeroplanes to do the main work & the

battle is to find the old pigs when they hide in their own smoke clouds.

Huge naval motor lorries passed through here on Monday loaded up with the

remains of old Count Zeppelin's wicked invention & were cheered madly.  They threw

little bits of aluminum out to people as they passed. I have a bit given me

by a workman who lives next door to Bob's chauffeur. He later brought home a

great pocketful & gave some to this man. We dont yet know who the

airman is who gave the Zep its coup de grace. Some say two airmen

claim it - & the gunners certainly got in the first hit. That was quite plainly

seen by all. There were 30 aeroplanes up round here, anyway, that night.

Next day there must have been 130 flying over to visit the remains!

Had Chas been able to come for that weekend as he had intended, he could

have seen it all. I was sorry he did not. Practically every one saw it

No one could sleep with all that frightful bombing going on. The rest

of the week has been quiet - I have had broken nights, for Ted would wake 

me saying he could hear guns, when there were none at all. During all

this week in daytime the gun-testing has been tremendous. Much louder than

ever before & going on all day. Ted hasn't enjoyed that. We must be making

[[?monsters]] now. Jessie went to see the Somme films yesterday. Says the guns are

simply gigantic & shells much bigger than herself. The films come here 

for 3 days on Monday: but I shall not be able to see them as F. is away on

her holiday and I cant leave the house. I have been in all this week rain

headachesome & stuffy...._______

Did you receive the parcel of books all right, Jock dear? You did not say.

I have had such a lovely letter from Miss Mae Coll - she says she will

be in Brentwood oneday to see her nephew, so we shall meet.  I shall love

seeing her. No time yet to make friend with the nephew - till F. returns.

I'm so glad to hear about your pamphlet & shall love to have it

& will do as you wish about letting your friends read it. I think it so 

 

 

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a nice thing to do for Mrs Besant & theosophy generally. Dear old

fellow, I'm with you in it all. More I can hardly say. I cant

write much more - Ted is grumbling at the length of this!

Miss Dawson has asked me to find out from you if you know anything

of her nephew B.W. Dawson, private, no. 1909, 27th Battn. D. Company

Australian Imperial Force - just wounded somewhere in this Somme

battle. He might be in your hospital. She begged me to ask you to

find him if you could. She cant get news of him.

I've just let [[Flanlhaus?]] for 5 weeks after being vacant 7 weeks to

such a nice young Scotch Captain, friend of Dagmar's - oh the joy

to feel a little money coming in again - I'd got awfully low. And

some of the food prices are going up again - a sovereign now only

buys 13/- worth of stuff - and it is very difficult all round. 

Do you know poor old Mr. & Mrs. Tower have just lost their only other son

Hugh? He was in the Flying Corps I believe.

Dear little Miss Gaviett has been to see me - thank you, Jock,

for all her nice near to me. She is coming again. We had a nice

chat cut short by Ted's ringing for me - He cant bear to be left long.

He seems very unwell today & complains much of his head hurting

him & he looks so white, poor old fellow. Still, I've seen him

often like this. It is rather a responsibility at night with F. away

but I shall get through no doubt.

Dear old Herbie has written to the secretary of the Hale V. G. D, who

sends off his parcels, today he hasn't received any of our letters nor

parcels or clothes - his letter was dated Sep 3. But  he received two days

after, cards from the crew saying they had received theirs so we hope tt may

have got is directly, after he wrote. He says the authorities are kind

to him but food is very poor: mostly cabbage soup & potato bread, & it

upsets his inside & he cant sleep well.  Poor dear boy! how I hate him

being made uncomfortable like this. He gets some butter & milk sent

him from a friend in Norway - that's one comfort. I hope to hear

more shortly & will let you know. I'm still reading Olcotts

delightful diary - when I have time! Am very busy &

pretty tired, in & all right. How I'd love to see you come bounding 

up the stairs, dearest ol boy! Good bye - I think of you often

our best love to you. Ever yours Kit.

I've written a

full acc. of the

Zeps to Bess & told

her to send it on to

Lucy.

 

 

Brewer,

4th Lance. Fusiliers

 

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