Does anyone know where I can find detailed eyewitness accounts of the last bombing raid on London (May 1918) or failing that, accounts of those of 1917. Any earlier won't do because of the ages of my characters (although I suppose I could fudge it and use earlier ones but I don't really want to cheat historically). The stuff I can find on the net is very sketchy.

Thanks

Naomi

Erm, the last bombing raids on London was the second world war, not the first.

There are lots of military history books, and specifically some detailing the major cities that got bombed in both wars. Check out the Military History Section in your local bookshop or library.

Katerina

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Oh, I think I read this wrong, I thought you were looking for information on the last ever bombing raids in London, which would have been WWII, but you want the last bombing from WWI.

Same answer though, most shops have a good Military History Section.

I googled zeppelin bombing, and got this, and lots more - don't know if that's enough detail

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWzeppelinraids.htm

Naomi, you could try emailing the Imperial War Museum, or the Museum of London. They should be able to tell you the titles of books which you can then get through inter-library loan, if you don't want to buy them. And the National Sound Archive will have eyewitness accounts, if you can get there.

Also, try Wikipedia - you sometimes have to do a bit of link-following

Emma

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quite thought - is Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth in London during the Zeppelin raids? Can't remember.

Thanks both of you. Emma - the Imperial War Museum/Museum of London sound good. I'll try those and the National Sound Archives. I tried Wikipedia but couldn't find anything really detailed. Maybe I didn't persist along enough links. I'll try again.

Many thanks

Naomi

Has the Imperial War Museum got a website?

It has and it's here. Maybe someone from there could help.

Nik.

Thanks Nik. Think I might go there and see if I can talk to someone

Naomi

No probs - just spoke to my friend who's big on WW1 history and recommended getting hold of a copy of THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR by John Keegan; and looking up Gothas (a plane they used to bomb with in WW1).

Nik.

He's just phoned me with another (better, he says) book:

THE WAR IN THE AIR 1914-45 by Williamson Murray.

N

Many thanks Nik. I will get hold of both of these. Sorry not to respond earlier. Have been away from my computer.

Naomi

Hi Naomi,

Just to mention, in case you haven't already come across them, the IWM have a Dept of Documents of primary source material which you can arrange to go and look at - eg journals, diary entries, letters etc. I remember reading several eye witness accounts of, eg zeppelin raids. I don't whether they'd have exactly what you're looking for, but you can search/browse the documents on their website, then send in an order form of what you want to look at. You can't take it away, but you can spend all day in a little room scribbling notes - and you can photocopy things, although it's expensive, about 33p a page, I think.

Good luck,
Poppy

Thanks Poppy
This might be just what I need.

Naomi