▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁Pl ans ▁to ▁black out ▁British ▁coast al ▁towns ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁war ▁were ▁drawn ▁up ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁by ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ▁in ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁First ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁Admir alty ; ▁these ▁plans ▁were ▁implemented ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁eight ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁had ▁entered ▁the ▁war . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Police ▁ordered ▁that ▁bright ▁exterior ▁lights ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁ex ting u ished ▁or ▁dim med ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁area ▁and ▁street ▁l amps ▁be ▁partially ▁painted ▁out ▁with ▁black ▁paint . ▁Else where , ▁the ▁matter ▁was ▁left ▁to ▁local ▁authorities . ▁Following ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁strateg ic ▁bomb ing ▁campaign ▁early ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁ordinary ▁people ▁in ▁towns ▁without ▁black outs ▁sometimes ▁took ▁the ▁law ▁into ▁their ▁own ▁hands , ▁sm ash ing ▁street ▁l amps ▁which ▁they ▁thought ▁might ▁attract ▁an ▁air ▁ra id . ▁Black out ▁restrictions ▁were ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁England ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁France , ▁a ▁black out ▁was ▁implemented ▁for ▁Paris ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁Ze ppel in ▁campaign ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁but ▁was ▁later ▁relax ed , ▁only ▁to ▁be ▁re int rodu ced ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁when ▁the ▁Germ