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Air raids

A series of postcards depicting the night a German airship was first shot down over Britain in World War One
Image caption,
Postcards celebrating the night a German airship was shot down.

Britain was attacked from the sky for the first time, early in 1915.

No one expected air raids, so when German airships first flew over Britain, people weren't ready.

As the war went on, whistles would sound the alarm and people learnt to run for cover in London Underground stations or at home in cellars.

A series of postcards depicting the night a German airship was first shot down over Britain in World War One
Image caption,
Postcards celebrating the night a German airship was shot down.
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Watch: A London air raid

Watch and listen to one boy鈥檚 account of a London air raid in 1916 during World War One.

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German airships and aeroplanes

A German Zeppelin airship in flight above an air field
Image caption,
Calm weather made it easier for Zeppelin crews to hit their targets.
  • German airships were called Zeppelins. Large bags filled with hydrogen gas enabled them to float.

  • The crew controlled the engines from a compartment underneath. They dropped bombs on factories and military bases.

  • The Gotha bomber could travel a long way and fly higher than British aircrafts. Gotha attacks were devastating.

  • Later Germany developed an even bigger, more dangerous bomber called The Giant.

  • German air raids were was one of the reasons the Royal Air Force was formed in April 1918.

A German Zeppelin airship in flight above an air field
Image caption,
Calm weather made it easier for Zeppelin crews to hit their targets.
A German Gotha bomber flying over fields during World War One
Image caption,
Most aircraft in this era were biplanes. This meant they had two sets of wings.
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Watch: Attacks by sea

Watch our video to learn what happened to a small British town when it was attacked by Germany from the sea.

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How did people stay safe?

A boy scout sounding the alarm during World War One.
Image caption,
Boy Scouts watched from hills and coasts to raise the alarm if airships were seen.
  • Streetlights were dimmed so enemy pilots would struggle to see their targets.

  • Whistles blew to raise the alarm.

  • Searchlights helped gunners to spot airships or planes, and shoot them when they were close.

  • Policemen shouted warnings as they cycled round the streets wearing a sign saying "take cover".

  • In London, thousands gathered on Underground platforms, under bridges and railway arches, or even under the stairs at home.

A boy scout sounding the alarm during World War One.
Image caption,
Boy Scouts watched from hills and coasts to raise the alarm if airships were seen.
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What happened after the air raids?

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 5, A group of men stand around a bomb damaged street the day after an air raid during World War One, Everyone was shocked when the Germans attacked from the air Before the war, wealthy people could fly between cities by airship. People in Britain had seen pictures of airships but no one imagined they might be used to drop bombs.

By the end of the war, almost 1,500 British citizens had been killed in air raids, and over 3,400 had been injured.

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Activities

Activity 1: Quiz 鈥 Air raids during World War One

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Activity 2: History Explorer game

Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about World War One.

History Explorer: Secrets through time

History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History

History Explorer: Secrets through time
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Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
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