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Zeppelin Raids on Edinburgh (Marchmont Crescent and Lauriston Place in Edinburgh) EH9 1HL, EH3 9EN

Edinburgh was attacked by two Zeppelin airships on the night of 2nd/3rd April 1916. Bombs, dropped by Zeppelin L14, fell in both Leith and in the city centre. According to police reports of the time, a total of 24 bombs were dropped, killing 13 people.

Among the properties damaged at the port of Leith were Innes and Grieve's whisky warehouse which was razed to the ground, causing a total of 拢44 000 worth of damage. Bombs also fell in the playground of George Watson's College and close by Edinburgh Castle.

At just after midnight, a second Zeppelin, L22, arrived over the Scottish capital. Despite dropping a further three explosives, no harm was caused.

One fighter plane took off from East Fortune airfield that night to meet the challenge of the Zeppelins. But as all light in the city had been dowsed because of the attack, the pilot failed to find his quarry. He was also severely injured when he crash-landed on his return to the airfield.

Image: Drawings done by the young Ian McLaren in dust on his bedroom door after the bomb blast. Courtesy of Hamish McLaren.

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