Vehicle    From 1900 

Zeppelin airships

Categories: Armed Forces, Aviation

Invented by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in 1900. London was first targeted with airships in May 1915 and initially found defence very difficult. Searchlights and incendiary ammunition helped to defeat the Zeppelins and the last raid was in August 1918. Londonist has a great post about the Zeppelin raids over London, with a map! And Flickering Lamps has a good post on airships over London in war and peace.

But to get a really good idea of how they were used (the bombs, the water ballast, the observer basket) you have to see the 1930 film Hell's Angels. Forget the plot and the acting, just watch the stunning aerial scenes. Howard Hughes produced it so money was no object.

2018: Londonist have a post about the first Zeppelin raid on London, 31 May 1915, with maps showing the damage sites.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Zeppelin airships

Commemorated ati

Camberwell WW1 victims - Chumleigh Gardens

This memorial commemorates all 22 Camberwell citizens killed in WW1. We don't...

Read More

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 1

First bomb of World War One, dropped on London by Zeppelin LZ 38 fell on this...

Read More

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1, correct - 2

First bomb of World War One, to be dropped on London by Zeppelin LZ38, fell o...

Read More

First Zeppelin bomb of WW1 - incorrect

This plaque was, according to the Council, a mistake and was removed by Hackney.

Read More

Zeppelin

We are familiar with the "pensioner crosses road" syndrome in local newspaper...

Read More

Show all 7

Other Subjects

Victor Crutchley, VC

Victor Crutchley, VC

Sailor. Born Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley in Chelsea. His mother had been a maid of honour to Queen Victoria and he was her godson. He enlisted in the navy in 1906 and was promoted to lieuten...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
E. Rhodes

E. Rhodes

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Job Drain

Job Drain

Soldier. Born Job Henry Charles Drain in Barking, Essex. In World War I, he was a driver in the 37th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. On 26 August 1914 at Le Cateau, France, he and another driver sa...

Person, Armed Forces, France

3 memorials
E. G. Noyce

E. G. Noyce

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Serjeant Arthur Sidney Redgell

Serjeant Arthur Sidney Redgell

He was born as Alfred Sidney Redgell the eldest of the three children of Alfred Harper Redgell (1860-1910) and Harriet Annie Redgell née Jones (1866-1892). His birth was registered in the 2nd quart...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial