Zeppelin LZ48 (L15)

Zeppelin LZ48 (L15) was a P Class Military Zeppelin which had its first flight on the 9th of September 1915. It flew 8 reconnaissance missions and 3 attacks on England dropping a total of 5,780 kg (12,740 lb) of bombs. It was damaged by ground fire from Dartford AA battery during a raid on London on the 1st of April 1916 and came down at Kentish Knock Deep in the Thames estuary. One crew member was killed and the other 17 were taken prisoner.
John Doran

13th October 1915 Zeppelin raid on London 13th October 1915.
After three more raids were scattered by the weather a five-Zeppelin raid which became known as the "Theatreland Raid" was launched by the Navy on 13 October. Arriving over the Norfolk coast around 1830 the Zeppelins encountered new ground defences installed since the September raid under the guidance of Sir Percy Scott. These new gun sites proved ineffective, although the airship commanders commented on the improved defences of the city. A 13-pounder near Broxbourne was put out of action by three bombs dropped from L 15, which continued to London and began bombing over Charing Cross, the first bombs striking the Lyceum Theatre and the corner of Exeter and Wellington Streets, killing 17 and injuring 20.
Further bombs were dropped on Holborn: as the airship neared Moorgate it was engaged by a new 75 mm gun sited at the Honourable Artillery Company grounds in Finsbury. L 15 quickly recognised this new threat and jettisoned ballast, dropped only three more bombs (one landing on Aldgate High Street causing much damage) before departing, having suffered some engine damage from the shells. L 13 dropped some bombs around Guildford and later others near Woolwich. L 14 dropped bombs on Otterpool Army Camp near Folkestone, killing 14 soldiers and injuring 12, and later bombed Tonbridge and East Croydon. Both the other Zeppelins, L 16 and L 11 were even further off course, L 16 dropped up to 50 bombs on Hertford and L 11 scattered a few bombs over Norfolk before heading home. In total, 71 people were killed and 128 injured.
Zeppelin L14, commanded by Alois Bocker, had made its way to the south-west until the airship reached the English Channel. Turning back inland near Hythe, the airship crew spotted Otterpool and Westenhanger Camps, which at that time were occupied mainly by three Brigades of the Canadian 2nd Division. Five bombs were dropped in quick succession, the first exploding harmlessly in a hedge, but three of the others did what was intended, one struck the guard tent and killed the occupants instantly, another fell among the tents of the men's lines, and another struck the stables. Five more bombs were dropped as the Zeppelin moved off towards Westenhanger Camp, but fortunately for the Canadians at this site the bombs all fell within the nearby race-track enclosure. Thirteen Canadian soldiers were killed in the attack or died immediately after, with two of the most seriously wounded dying in the following days, raising the total number of dead to fifteen. Departing from the devastated military camp, Bocker headed further inland and disposed of L14's remaining ordnance over Tunbridge and Croydon, causing further casualties when houses near to a railway junction at Croydon were damaged. The Zeppelin then made its way back to the Continent, having inflicted a severe blow against what was, after all, only a military 'target of opportunity'.
This was the last raid of 1915, as bad weather coincided with the new moon in both November and December 1915 and continued into January 1916.
There were a total 20 raids in 1915, in which 37 tons of bombs were dropped, killing 181 people and injuring 455.
John Doran

31st Mar 1916 Town Bombed

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Those known to have served with
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during the Great War 1914-1918.