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Zeppelins, Gothas & 'Giants'

The Story of Britain's First Blitz

1914-1918

My fascination with the German air raids on Britain in the First World War led to countless weeks of research at the UK's National Archives in London exploring the Air Ministry: Air Historical Branch: Papers (Series 1) (AIR 1), and those of the War Office: Military Headquarters: Correspondence and Papers, First World War series (WO 158). These sources offer an extraordinary insight into the effect of these air raids on Britain in WW1 and I have used the raw information to create this website.

This website offers an account of all 103 German air raids on Britain in WW1. I have also used this information to create a Raid Index listing the names of all places bombed, alongside the date of the raid, to make it easier for visitors to track down the story of the raids in their own areas. This is the first time an Index of this type has been created and can be accessed from the 'Raid Index' tab. The Index clearly demonstrates the random nature of German bombing in WW1 at a time when aerial navigation was in its infancy.

Because of the huge amount of work I have undertaken to create this website I would appreciate it if you get in touch with me first via the 'Contact' tab if you wish to use any of my text for purposes other than private research as I retain the copyright.

Ian Castle FRHistS

Can You Help?

This website was four years in the making, as I ventured back and forth to the National Archives in Kew, London, collecting the information I needed to tell the story of the German air raids on Britain in the First World War - the First Blitz. The website has proved far more popular than I had imagined and has been recognised by the British Records Association. I hope it is providing answers to the questions many people have about the history of where they live and of their families who lived through this extraordinary time.

To achieve this, inevitably I have had to invest a fair amount of money and continue to do so to keep the website available and online.

If you have found the website useful, interesting or helpful, would you be happy to make a small donation towards the upkeep of the website? Even just a £1 (or a dollar) would help offset these running costs, although if you’d like to give more….

If you can help just click on the button below and make a donation through PayPal.

Many thanks for considering this.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Books by Ian Castle

All can be ordered from your local bookshop or via online outlets

Zeppelin Onslaught - The Forgotten Blitz 1914-1915.

The first book in my 'Forgotten Blitz' trilogy, weaving together official reports from Britain and Germany with newspaper coverage and eye-witness accounts to tell the story of the first year of German air raids on Britain in unprecendented detail, considering both the experiences of those in the air as well as those on the ground.

The second book, 'Zeppelin Inferno', telling the story of the 1916 raids is due for publication in April 2022.

Zeppelin Inferno -

The Forgotten Blitz 1916.

The latest book in my 'Forgotten Blitz' trilogy, continuing the story into 1916, or it can just as easily be read alone. While Germany hoped to continue to press its air attacks, Britain was gradually developing an effective system to oppose them, leading to spectacular results in the autumn months. Crammed with eye-witness accounts - this is the complete story of the 1916 raids on Britain.

Media

Talks Booked for 2024

Mon. 8th April - 7.30pm - Dorking Local History Group, Crossways Community Baptist Church, Junction Road, RH4 3HB - 'The Sky Was Lurid With Flames' - Germany's First World War Bomber Campaign aginst London

Fri. 12th April - 7.30pm - Western Front Assoc. (Sussex - Branch - Lewes) - 'A Fine Feat of Arms' (or Great Tales of Derring Do!) - The Zeppelin Base Raids - Autumn 1914

Thu. 15th August - 7.30pm - Herts at War - Welwyn Civic Centre, Welwyn, Herts. - 'The Sky Was Lurid With Flames' - Germany's First World War Bomber Campaign aginst London

Talks Given in 2023

Wed. 19th April - 7.45pm - Western Front Assoc. (Surrey Branch - Cobham) - ' Wild Hawk Hunting ' - The extraordinary story of Rex Warneford, RNAS, VC

Fri. 12th May - 7.30pm - Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness, Kent - 'It was something horrible' - The story of Germany's First World War air raids on Sheppey

Sun. 23rd July - 11.00am - 'Propwash', Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Essex - A Tale of Two Aircraft - Stow Maries Bombing Double-Act

Thu. 17th August - 7.30pm - Herts at War - Welwyn Civic Centre, Welwyn, Herts. - The Zeppelin Onslaught - Britain's Forgotten Blitz

Mon. 4th September 7.45pm - Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society - East Croydon Reformed Church - The Night the Zeppelin Came - Croydon and the Zeppelin War

Wed. 20th September - 8.00pm - Sussex Military History Society - Lewes, Sussex - The Forgotten Blitz and the Defeat of the Zeppelins

Fri. 13th October - 7.30pm - Western Front Assoc. (Sussex Branch - Lewes) - The Sky was Lurid with Flame - Germany's First World War Bomber Offensive against London

Wed. 18th October - 1.45pm - Oxted & District Probus - Target Croydon - The Zeppelin raid of 13 October 1915

Tue. 7th Nov. - 2.00pm - Crowborough u3a - Crowborough, E.Sussex - The Forgotten Blitz and the Defeat of the Zeppelins

Transmission card created by Windfall Films

I have been involved in three television documentaries looking at different aspects of the First World War air raids. Attack of the Zeppelins, made by Windfall Films, was shown in the UK on Channel 4 and was also shown in Australia on SBS. In the US the film appeared on Nova as Zeppelin Terror Attack.

As part of the BBC's World War One at Home initiative I appeared in Zeppelin Terror and also featured in an episode of Defenders of the Sky shown on The History Channel.

More recently (May 2022) I featured in Jay Blades - No Place Like Home, a new documentary series made for Channel 5, during which I discussed a Zeppelin raid on Stoke Newington, in a street where Jay Blades once lived.

PODCAST

I have recorded an episode for popular historian Dan Snow's History Hit podcast series called The First Blitz.

TALKS

I am always interested in giving talks on various aspects connected to the German air raids on Britain during the First World War. Whether on the Zeppelin raids or the Gotha/'Giant' raids, I have talks to cover the subject. I am also able to tailor my talks so they reflect raids in local areas. If you'd like more information please get in touch via the 'Contact' button.

Talks Booked for 2024

Fri. 12th April - 7.30pm - Western Front Assoc. (Sussex - Branch - Lewes) - 'A Fine Feat of Arms' (or Great Tales of Derring Do!) - The Zeppelin Base Raids - Autumn 1914

Tue. 7th May - 2.00pm - Crowborough u3a - Crowborough, E.Sussex - 'The Sky Was Lurid With Flames' - Germany's First World War Bomber Campaign aginst London

Thu. 15th August - 7.30pm - Herts at War - Welwyn Civic Centre, Welwyn, Herts. - 'The Sky Was Lurid With Flames' - Germany's First World War Bomber Campaign aginst London

Wed. 18th September - 7.45pm - Western Front Assoc. (Surrey Branch - Cobham) - The Zeppelin Menace - Threat & Reality

Tue. 5th November - 2.00pm - Crowborough u3a - Crowborough, E.Sussex - 'A Fine Feat of Arms' (or Great Tales of Derring Do!) - The Zeppelin Base Raids - Autumn 1914

Mon. 18th November - 10.00am - Fetcham u3a (Industrial Heritage Group) - Fetcham Village Hall, Surrey - 'The Sky Was Lurid With Flames' - Germany's First World Bomber Campaign against London

Sat. 23rd November - 10.00am - Frontline: England - a focused WW1 seminar - Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Essex - Gotha Terror - The story of Germany's WW1 bomber offensive against London

https://www.stowmaries.org.uk/events