FIRST BOMBING OF WWI

hi; does anyone know who, when and where was the first bombing mission of WWI performed?

Many thanks
Miguel

[Darryl]

Hello,

The first abortive attempt was by the Z VI on 5th or 6th of August 1914, an attempted attack on the Liege Fortress. The Zep descended through cloud to 5200Ft, was shot full of holes and turned back, crash landing later. It carried 8 heavy artillery shells. The French followed a few days later (14th) with an unsuccessful attack on the airship hangar at Metz.

The first successful attack I have is by a German aircraft which dropped four bombs on Paris on 30th August. (along with hundreds of propoganda pamphlets).

Zeppelins bombed Antwerp (2/9) and Warsaw (24/9)

The Germans formed a special unit under Siegert and Dunkirk was bombed constantly starting 24th December until 28/29th January. After which the unit was sent to the Eastern Front. (presumably NOT for failure!!*G*)

regards

Darryl

thank you for your comments; how about bombing by heavier-than- air aircraft, which was the first?

best regards
Miguel

[rammjaeger]

Miguel,

I think we don´t know the tru answer to your question but we can try to find the first KNOWN bombing attack in WWI.

The first bombing mission against Paris (30th August1914) was flown by Lt. von Ruville (pilot) and Lt. von Knobelsdorf (observer) but it was not the first bombing mission in WWI. For example Lieutenant Césari and Corporal Prudhommeaux of the Aviation Militaire, flying a Bleriot XI, bombed the German airship sheds at Metz-Frescaty on 14th August 1914 - claims "The GUINESS BOOK OF AIR WARFARE".

Miguel,

Another early bombardment seems to have been by the French on Mullheim on the 23rd august 1914.
The first German bomb in Great Britains soil was 'received' at Dover on the 24th december 1914 'delivered' by Lt Karl Caspar and on X-mas two followed, I think near Cliffe, Kent.

Hannes,

Do you anything on a bomb and leaflet dropping between 28 and 31 august 1914 on Paris by Lt. Ferdinand von Hiddessen, pilots cert 47 of 17/1/1911, especially when this exactly happened or was it together with the other crew mentioned on the 30th ?

VBR

Johan

As I was looking through the aircrafts, I found something directly connected, the first successful British bomb run was made on Oct 9th 1914, the plane was the Sopwith Tabloid, only one of the craft made it through, but destoryed the Zepplin Z-9 at Cologne. The pilot dropped two 200 pound bombs at the shed, destroying it on the ground

[rammjaeger]

Johan,

I have some sources refering to von Hidessen but will need some time to find these sources or reports again. There was a kind of competition or "Race for Paris" and von Hidessen was not the only candidate for being the first over Paris. I think I was reading also the short text of a leaflet dropped during a bombing raid over Paris. I will dig in my sources, please be patient.

The bomb of the British pilot Marix killed the mechanic Unteroffizier Friedrich Bock who was standing on the roof of the Zep-hangar. Than the bomb penetrated the roof and flammed the Zeppelin Z IX. The second British pilot did not find the other Zeppelin (it was the "Sachsen" = "Saxony") in Cologne - says my British source. But German paper reports from this time say the airplane was already near by the hangar but driven-off by defensive fire. German sources underline also the early British tries to fly ground support in 1914.

[Soderbaum]

Hannes

From which German unit come Lt von Ruville - Lt von Knobelsdorf..?

Johan

From which unit come Karl Caspar..?

curios
Gunnar

[rammjaeger]

Gunnar,

Lt von Ruville and Lt. von Knobelsdorff (with double "f" is the right spelling)were from FFA 30.

British sources say Caspar´s bombing of British soil is questionable. His attack could not be verified with British sources. I think he was from FFA 9.

Gunnar,

Karl Casper got the 77th pilots certificate of the German series. I know he was flying a Taube and dropped one bomb.
The same day von Arnauld de la Perriere and Roll flew to Dover and Sheerness, a British source mentions that they flew an Albatros seaplane.

These events, also the one following, are mentioned in the book The German Air raids on Great Britain of Captain Joseph Morris and sources are reliying on Germans and British. It was published by Sampson Low in 1925.
For the seaplane it was partially the KTB Marinekorps Flandern of Adm. von Schroder himself

Three days before an unknown German pilot seems to have dropped two bombs in the sea near the Admiralty pier at Dover.