Flight-Commander William Leafe Robinson, V.C., was the first airman to bring down a German airship on British soil, and he enjoyed the distinction of being the first soldier to win the Victoria Cross in England. The raid during which his heroic act was performed was carried out by thirteen airships in the early part of September, 1916. The principal theatre of operations was the Eastern Counties, and the objectives seem to have been London and certain industrial centres in the Midlands. The new measures taken for the reduction or obscuration of light undoubtedly proved most efficacious, for the raiding squadrons, instead of steering a steady course, as in the raids of the spring and autumn of 1915, groped about in darkness, looking for a safe avenue of approach to their objectives. Three airships only were able to approach the outskirts of London. One of them appeared over the northern district at about 2.15 a.m., where she was at once picked up by searchlights and heavily engaged by anti-aircraft guns and aeroplanes. After a few minutes this airship was seen to burst into flames and to fall rapidly towards the earth. Not, however, till some hours had elapsed was the name of the hero of the hour made known. Meanwhile official reports were issued, the first simply announcing the raid, and the second stating that one airship had been brought down in flames near London. On Sunday, September 3, an official report stated that after careful inquiries it had been found that casualties and damage caused by the raid were quite disproportionate to the number of airships employed, the casualties being one man and one woman killed, eleven men and two children injured. No casualties occurred in the Metropolitan District, though some houses and outhouses were slightly damaged. Elsewhere the damage was very small, no military damage of any sort being done.