Impression sketch
of people crowding streets to see Zeppelins - by Jamie
Based on an
original image that can be seen at: http://www.london24.com/entertainment/wwi_video_pictures_zeppelin_bombs_fall_on_east_london_1_3708297
[Accessed: 12 February 2016]
An official
representative of the Police
Made reply to all non-specific men,
Of the dangers of
warning the public,
For any imminent
zeppelin attack.
Word was issued
by London's police
To the press,
having safety of people
Paramount - how
might the capitals
Population of
7,000,000 be warned?
Breaking their
argument into statistics;
The likelihood of
people being killed
In Zeppelin raids may possibly be high,
But specific
totals could not be estimated.
The other element
of such situations
Amid the
population was their weakness;
Patients every
night, paused between
Life and death in
London Hospitals.
And what
percentage within London,
Lived with weak
hearts? - most prone
To die from
excitement of warnings.
Then there were
women and children -
These vulnerable
groups at home
Alone, would have
no one to prompt
Them on any
occasion of a raid alarm;
Not just London
but province towns.
Should every
siren be sounded from
Car horns,
steamer hooters, church
Bells or fire
engines; what cacophony
Would result on
all such weak people?
An official
viewpoint of local authority
Would be large
numbers quickly dying
From complete
fright - while many
Otherwise sane
people would go mad.
Judgments made
from past raids
Led to belief it
was not worth risks,
To warn a town's
populace - their
Results taken from human nature.
Police regulations
had become
Based on the reactions
of people,
Who on learning
of a zeppelin
In skies, all
flock outside to see.
Therefore came
the argument
That if any
alarms were raised,
Great numbers
would take risk
To rush out onto roads in suicide.
Amid such
accumulation of people
If a bomb fell
among them, many
Hundreds of
people would surely
Be killed, out in
vulnerable streets.
The official
guidance was to remain
Within a building
- time and again
This safety
advice had been given -
Lack of warning
would avoid panic.
The further
argument against, was
Great clamor of
noises, would surely
Guide the
approaching enemy craft,
To allow them to
know targets below.
To shelter in
buildings is a matter
Of education - as
was use of lighting;
With people used
to moving in dark,
Perplexity lay in
alternate lit nights.
Proof came by
another correspondent
Writing in the
Star, over confused states
In using sirens
or horns - as happened
At High Wycombe, 11 February 1916.
In that evening
of High Wycombe,
Silence was
shattered by a sudden
Sounds of sirens to last 30 minutes,
Made by factories
within the town.
Driven by the recent
press activities,
In debates over
adequate warnings
For Zeppelin raids,
the few lights were
Cut out and nervy
people ran to cellars.
Beyond immediate
area the noise
Spread to reach
Aylesbury, while
Realisation in
High Wycombe was
This noise had just been a fire alarm.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. London
Police And Air-Raid Warning - Many Objections - Fear Of Panic and A Mistaken
Signal - High Wycombe Incident. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 12 February 1916. P.9.
Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12149082/Daily-Telegraph-February-12-1916.html
[Accessed: 12 February 2016].
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