London Air Defence Area facts for kids

The London Air Defence Area (LADA) was a special group created during World War I. Its main job was to protect London from attacks by large German airships called Zeppelins. These airships were a new threat, and LADA was formed in September 1915 to deal with them.

The first person in charge of LADA was Admiral Sir Percy Scott. He was known for making big improvements in how naval guns were used. Later, in August 1917, Major-General Edward Ashmore took over as the commander.

LADA was one of the first groups to organize air defence over a very large area. To help coordinate attacks against enemy airships spread out over many miles, they created a clever system.

How LADA Tracked Airships

When people on the ground spotted an enemy airship, they would report its location. These reports were sent to a main office in the Horse Guards building in central London.

Inside this office, telephone operators would mark the airship's location on a huge map of the area. They used different colored markers. These colors matched the colors on a big clock face, which was divided into four sections. By looking at the colors, the operators could tell how old each report was. This helped them figure out where the airship was heading, so they could direct the defence forces to the right place.

This smart system was so good that it was used even after the war. Over time, it grew and covered the whole of the United Kingdom. This expanded system later became known as the Dowding system, which was very important during World War II.