Okay, now this gives me an idea for an ISOT which might be entertaining to read and/or write about...
16 August 1916
Above Mars-la-Tour, France
From his vantage in the observation deck of LZ46, Kapitänleutnant Kruger could see only in monochrome. White clouds above, with occasional gaps revealing a faint crescent of equally white moon. Black ground below, which the faintness of the moonlight could not really reach. Ahead and behind him, the faint silvery ghost-shapes of the other two zeppelins in his flotilla. Such were the joys of flying at night.
Damn the wind, Kruger thought. They were meant to be off to bomb London tonight, but the strong northwesterly winds had thrown all of their navigation completely off course. They were somewhere over France, he presumed. Thankfully three of their zeppelins had remained together. God only knew where the fourth had gone.
The golden illumination came out of nowhere. One moment there was only darkness ahead, then the sky turned to flame. A blaze of light which started as a single spot ahead of him, but which quickly spread around the heavens. Moments later, the flotilla was surrounded by golden flames.
"God in heaven!" he exclaimed, before gathering himself. What manner of storm was this? Electrical storms were hardly unknown, but nothing like this encircling sphere of fire. It felt wrong, oh so wrong. And for the faintest of moments, he thought that he heard a sound carry through the dome. He could have sworn that he heard the flapping of leathery wings... but he did not have time to consider it. Not when his zeppelin was flying straight into a wall of fire.
He hurried back down the ladder, and ran into the bridge. Fortunately, the crew had matters well in hand; he heard the orders to stop the engines even before he entered the bridge.
"Kaleu on the bridge!" someone shouted, but Kruger waved him to silence.
"What's happening?"
"Strangest God-damned storm I've ever seen, sir," Leutnant Grimm said. "Electrical, but like nothing else. Look at what it's done to the compass."
Kruger followed Grimm's extended finger, and saw that the compass was spinning in a circle...
16 August 1870
Above Mars-la-Tour, France
"Sir, General von Alvensleben has ordered that you gather your cavalry and silence the French artillery," the messenger said.
Major-General Friedrich Wilhelm Adalbert von Bredow looked across the field, to where the French guns were deployed. He thought of the story of the brave but misguided Englishmen of the Light Brigade who had charged the Russian guns at Balaclava, and he murmured, "It will cost what it will." Louder, he gave orders for the 12th Cavalry Brigade to organise itself for a charge.
The cavalry had scarcely begun to move before golden light filled the sky. Not sunlight, but a massive ball of flame in the heavens. It extended halfway from horizon to horizon, and looked to be centred directly over the French artillery positions.
von Bredow stared at the burning orb for a long moment before he collected himself. Then he realised that most of the nearby soldiers were staring at the same sight, and shouted, "Forget the flame! Assemble for the charge."
One of the nearby soldiers, clearly shaken enough by the sight to forget military protocol, said, "You want us to charge under that?"
"Of course. Germany expects that every man will do his duty."
Stiffened by his command, the 12th Cavalry Brigade formed up for the charge. But before von Bredow could give the order to advance, the orb of flame vanished from the sky. In its place appeared three silvery-metal objects, hanging in the air like balloons, but as long as battleships...