The first air raid of the year on London took place last night. The last raid occurred on December 18, so that the capital had been free from the unwelcome attentions of enemy airmen for just on six weeks. The December raid, as The Times then observed, took the public somewhat by surprise. The same cannot be said for last night’s raid. On the contrary, the surprise has rather been that we have been left alone for so long a time. The last raid occurred when the moon was quite young, with a slight mist hanging over the river. The present raid, on the other hand, almost coincided with the full moon which fell on Sunday, and the atmosphere was perfectly clear. It was, too, considerably colder last night than it had been for some time past.
Again, the December raid began at an early hour. The warning came just as business people were preparing to go home, with the result that large numbers were kept in town for several hours. The warning last night came later, so the majority of people had reached their homes. The consequence was that much fewer people were to be seen congregating for shelter than on the previous occasion.
In other respects last night’s raid followed much the same course as its predecessor. As soon as the police warning was given the public made for the shelters, which are now well known to them, and congregated without panic or disorder in the tubes, subways, and basements of large buildings, which serve on such occasions for protection. Nobody, of course, cares for these raids, and the consequent interruption of arrangements which they involve, but on the whole the crowds last night were quite good-natured, and accepted the situation with philosophic calm.
The two or three enemy machines which succeeded in penetrating the defences were attacked by British aeroplanes. One enemy machine was attacked by our airmen, and the rapid exchange of machine-gun fire was heard while flashes of guns could be seen. The raider appeared to break off the contest, and was subjected to a severe bombardment from the anti-aircraft guns. Eye-witnesses declare that the enemy craft seemed to be in difficulties and was forced to descend to a comparatively low altitude.