…e, of course, of the Sheerness Incident. There, too, people near a defence installation saw something strange in the air over Britain which they only later associated with the military aircraft of an unfriendly power which was in the habit of sending them on long-range flights. Which brings me to my point: in 1913, media reports about the Sheerness Incident, initially, created the expectation that Zeppelin overflights were something which people m…
…aired closed short tears from edges (clearly shown in photos). A few minor instances of printer overpainting in the letters. Possible light stain or mild abrasion to image area. Generally in fine condition. Produced by the Friends’ Peace Committee, Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 and the Northern Friends’ Peace Board, Spring Bank, Rawdon, Nr. Leeds, England, and printed by H.W. & V. Ltd., London. I doubt that it’s as late as 1938, as claime…
…thing going on here. A veritable Scareship Age, in fact, 1892-1918. Later instances could be adduced (the Scandinavian ghost flyer of 1932-4, the Battle of Los Angeles in 1942, the Scandinavian and Greek ghost rockets of 1946) but clearly, activity peaked during the years of flight’s infancy. Many of these episodes can be correlated with wars or war scares. For example, the South African sightings of 1899 took place after Boer officials were warn…
…ver. But they are not coming to England.’ ‘How do you know that?’ I asked, instantly interested. The round-faced man, a typical Prussian, only smiled mysteriously behind his glasses, and refused to satisfy my curiosity.2 Le Queux, of course, was able to verify that there were indeed five German aeroplanes near Dunkirk that night, and further that information was reaching the German spies in London on a nightly basis. And if more evidence was requi…
…de, as they were wanted in connection with a Zeppelin raid. One or two men instantly rose and left. A little later it transpired that the ‘Zeps.’ had got far as Dover, and had been turned back, but in London at least five of the enemy aircraft were believed to have hovered over Hornchurch, in Essex — which is no great distance, as the crow flies, from the sewerage works at Barking. It has since been said that long cigar-shaped clouds were apparent…
…kely, but against which we are obliged to guard—to use a Zeppelin in these instances is almost impossible. This gigantic engine could not be taken there, or, if it could be, it would be with the utmost difficulty, and the provision of hydrogen for it would be an almost impossible problem. We therefore decided that the Army should have small dirigibles, which could be packed up in boxes, put on motor lorries, or on ships, and sent wherever they are…
…autions (ARP). According to Raghavan, In the hill station of Shillong, for instance, the preparations for ARP in April 1941 led people to believe that the town would be targeted. Hence, the influx of workers in spring from other parts of Assam was ‘less than usual despite the large number of temporary visitors’. A call for volunteers for ARP in Cawnpore led to an exodus of 4,000 people in one week. Similarly, efforts to recruit Air Raid Wardens in…
…, the body painted white and the planes black, was seen at GRAFTON on 26th instant flying in a north-easterly direction. A number of the sightings previously discussed appear here: Nyang (no. 4), Terrigal (no. 5), Macarthur (no. 7), Maffra (no. 11), Toora (no. 15), Bunbury (no. 17), Cape Leeuwin (no. 18), Christmas Hills (no. 19) and Ballarat West (no. 23). The last of these took place on 20 April, so the remaining 18 reports date from the last we…
…ndings which the truth of these reports would presuppose; but not a single instance of a landing has been established […] Further, no traces of the organisation which would be necessary to maintain aircraft in order have been discovered. So, ‘it is improbable that all the reports are true’. The conclusion drawn from this is not that all of the reports are of no consequence and should be disregarded, however; what needs to happen now is ‘to winnow…
…presumably were familiar with the usual natural phenomena seen at sea, all instantly agreeing that this was not natural. That may be why, despite the very late date of this sighting, the Navy nonetheless took it seriously. The Navy Office sent Fearnley a telegram ordering him to interview Wilson when Koolonga docked at Newcastle (at NAA: MP1049/1, 1918/066, page 531) and another forwarding a message from Cape Willoughby lighthouse (at NAA: MP1049/…
