ABSTRACT
The appearance of the Zeppelins, the first serious aerial threat in English history, created grave concern within all sectors of British society, from royalty to governmental and military leaders to the masses in general. In the event, the forward defence policy was the only really effective aerial defence that England adopted in the early stages of the Zeppelin era. The forward defence policy attained the destruction of six Zeppelins in the first year of war while, in this same period, aerial defence in England achieved no credited ‘kills’ at all. By then the first Zeppelin raid on England had already occurred and the Admiralty was thus naturally giving more emphasis to this policy. Successful aerial defence is very dependent upon applied technology. Improvements in gunnery methods, planes and aerial weaponry directly affected England’s ability to defend herself.
