History Daily – "The First Zeppelin Raid on Britain"

Episode 1298 | Released January 19, 2026 | Host: Lindsey Graham

Episode Overview

This episode of History Daily transports listeners to January 19, 1915, recounting the first Zeppelin raid on Britain during World War I. Host Lindsey Graham vividly describes the terror experienced by civilians in Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn as German airships—Zeppelins—ushered in a new era of aerial warfare and civilian targeting. The episode tracks the escalation of Zeppelin attacks, the British response, pivotal individual stories on both sides, and ultimately, the technical and tactical innovations that ended the reign of the “baby killers.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The First Zeppelin Raid: A New Kind of Terror (01:07)

• Setting and Perspective:
  The episode opens with young Cliff Temple and his mother in the quiet town of Great Yarmouth, England. The tranquility is shattered by the ominous hum of an approaching Zeppelin.

  • "Cliff listens intently as the noise gets louder and louder... a giant aircraft, like a balloon, but longer and more sinister." (Lindsey Graham, 01:07)

• Civilian Experience:
  Civilians flood the streets, awestruck and terrified as the Zeppelin drops its bombs, marking the first time the British home front is attacked from the air.

  • The raid leaves four dead and signals the beginning of a terrifying new front—civilian populations are now direct targets.

• Historical Context:
  This event is the prelude to a protracted campaign of aerial bombing raids by Germany, using airships invented by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin.

Technical and Tactical Evolution in Air Combat (07:23)

• Early British Countermeasures:
  British pilots, among them the reckless and brave Sub-Lieutenant Reginald “Rex” Warnford, struggle to counter the Zeppelin threat.

  • Rex is “arrogant and outspoken,” traits that make him a natural, if unorthodox, pilot.
  • Pilots initially lack tactics and the technology necessary to bring down Zeppelins, which fly higher and are better armed.

• First Efforts to Destroy Zeppelins:

  • Rex Warnford’s pivotal engagement in June 1915: Flying solo, he climbs above a Zeppelin over Belgium and bombs it, surviving a crash landing behind enemy lines.
  • Quote: "Rex makes a promise to himself that the next time he flies a mission, he won't return to base until he's brought down a Zeppelin." (Lindsey Graham, 10:33)
  • Quote: "He turns and screams over the aircraft's engine, ‘Send my best to the Kaiser.’" (Lindsey Graham, 12:42)

• Aftermath:
  Despite Warnford’s success (awarded the Victoria Cross), Zeppelin raids intensify, culminating in devastating attacks on London.

The Zeppelin Offensive Peaks and the Tide Turns (16:34)

• Raids on London:
  Captain Lieutenant Heinrich Mathy becomes a national hero in Germany, leading a devastating raid on September 8, 1915.

  • The psychological toll on the British public is immense: “the ever-present threat of these silent airborne monsters, seemingly impervious to anti-aircraft guns and striking without warning, has helped cripple the morale of the British public.” (Lindsey Graham, 17:45)
  • 22 killed, including five children; damage to buildings, hospitals, and factories.

• British Innovations – The Buckingham Bullet:
  In late 1916, British engineers develop incendiary bullets capable of igniting the hydrogen in Zeppelins, finally leveling the playing field.

  • British pilot Leif Robinson becomes the first to shoot down a Zeppelin over British soil (September 1916).
  • “His heroic act demonstrates to the British public that Zeppelins are not invulnerable.” (Lindsey Graham, 20:10)

The Downfall of the Zeppelin and Its Commanders (23:08)

• Loss of German Morale and Technological Supremacy:
  As the British shoot down more Zeppelins, German public confidence falters even as Mathy insists the airship’s time is not over.

• The Final Raid and Death of Mathy:

  • October 1, 1916: Mathy attempts a raid on London, but is pursued and shot down by British planes using incendiary ammunition.
  • Facing death by burning, Mathy jumps from the doomed airship, dying upon impact.
  • “With flames singeing his skin, the captain has no other option… Heinrich wraps his scarf around his head, closes his eyes and jumps.” (Lindsey Graham, 25:33)

• Legacy and Aftermath:
  The Zeppelin campaign ends; out of 115 Zeppelins used, 77 are shot down. They killed over 500, mostly civilians. After the war, airships are briefly repurposed, but are largely remembered as “the terror of the British public.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "The quiet evening is shattered by deafening explosions. Cliff reaches for his mother, who scoops the boy into her arms." (Lindsey Graham, 02:08)
• "Since the first raid back in January, several more attacks... have caused extensive damage and left the people of Britain in a state of fear." (Lindsey Graham, 16:54)
• "Lt. Leif Robinson will be awarded the Victoria Cross for becoming the first person to shoot down a German airship over British soil." (Lindsey Graham, 20:24)
• "Of the 115 German Zeppelins used to carry out bombing raids against Britain... 77 were shot down. But... they became the terror of the British public." (Lindsey Graham, 26:45)

Important Timestamps

• 01:07 – Vivid dramatization of the first Zeppelin raid on Great Yarmouth
• 07:23 – Introduction and profile of pilot Rex Warnford; initial British air combat efforts
• 10:33–12:42 – Rex Warnford’s daring attack on a Zeppelin and his dramatic escape
• 16:34 – Zeppelin L13’s deadly London raid led by Captain Lieutenant Heinrich Mathy
• 20:10 – Lt. Leif Robinson’s historic downing of a Zeppelin over British soil
• 23:08 – The fatal end of Mathy and the demise of the Zeppelin as a weapon of war
• 26:45 – Statistical wrap-up and reflection on the Zeppelin legacy

Episode Tone & Style

Lindsey Graham delivers the episode with cinematic storytelling and palpable tension, blending personal stories with broader historical trends. The tone is urgent, immersive, and sometimes poignant, particularly when considering the civilian impact of the raids and the fates of both the attackers and defenders. Graham’s language remains accessible, while rendering history both immediate and human.

Summary

This episode powerfully recounts how the Zeppelin raids fundamentally changed the nature of warfare in WWI, introducing terror, technological innovation, and new forms of heroism and tragedy for both attackers and victims. Through gripping character portraits and key moments, it captures not just military events, but the lived reality of those on the ground and in the sky.