Impression sketch
of Zeppelin L15 Brought down in the Thames Estuary - by Jamie. From original
images that can be seen at: <http://www.illustratedfirstworldwar.com/item/a-raiding-zeppelin-brought-down-in-the-thames-estuary-the-l-15-iln0-1916-0408-0004-001/#>
[Accessed: 11 April 2016]
i
An ambitious plan had commenced
By end of day 31
March 1916 -
When five zeppelin
crafts edged
Across the sea, towards East
Counties of
England.
The five, as they
neared British
Shores, divided to
take various
Courses - airships
detached
To form two
squadrons;
Heading to targets.
Bombs from the
air numbered
Ninety - among
them to fall
On Ipswich - one zeppelin
Had to alter
course, with
Engine problems.
Kapitanleutnant
Martin Dietrich
In Zeppelin L22, in leaving
The Nordholz base, gave
His orders; 518-foot
craft
Headed to Grimsby.
Their presence
detected, attracted
Ground searchlights
and aims
Of anti aircraft guns
- despite
Shots, no real damage
Was done.
ii
L22 began to
unload payload
Of 25lb bombs, intended
For the Grimsby Docks
-
But ground was
hit,
In open country.
Without success
L22 moved
Out to sea, where
a flare lit
Pier prior to a return
try -
Three more bombs
fell
Across
Cleethorpes.
Within billets of
Baptist Church
Hall, Manchester
Reserves -
There for coastal
defences
Of River Humber -
were
To suffer a direct bomb.
Sea View Street
was hit first,
As another
destroyed local
Council officers -
the third
On Baptist Church
Hall;
27 men killed.
Four of the men
playing cards
In cellar were to
be rescued -
While another
four died
From wounds - a
total
Of 53 soldiers
injured.
iii
In vague reports of
newspapers,
stated attacks on
east coast -
While the Times
referred to
A village of no significance;
As L15 flew
elsewhere.
Kapitanleutnant
Joachim Brethaupt,
In Command of L15 airship, aimed
For London targets and reached
The Thames
estuary - when
Its presence was spotted.
A later dispute
formed claims over
Which ground crew
had made
Initial hit - from
two batteries
Of anti aircraft
crews -
Tilbury and
Purfleet.
Both ground-based
defences took
To raking sky
with gunfire - yet
L15 crew gave
idea to a hit
Made by a flyer, that had
Followed them.
Second Lieutenant
Alfred de Bathe,
Brandon, who was
to get DSO
For his assault
on the L15;
Yet the crew
claimed
He had lost
height.
iV
Lights searching
the dark sky,
Locked onto the
Zeppelin,
With shells
busting all
Round her - then
To strike tail.
Items were seen
thrown from the craft
To include
machinery and their gun -
London's Lord
Mayor's promise
Of money reward
to gun crews,
Prompted their
competition.
While source of
gunnery remained
Mystery, the L15
was struck - the
Crews attempt to
ditch weight
Was to fail, over
the sea
Of Thames Estuary.
Close to The
Kentish Knock lightship
The German
airship struck water -
One Zeppelin crew
member,
Willy Albrecht
drowned -
While 15 survived.
Time was 12.15 a.m.1
April 1916,
While the time
reported varied
As to events -
witnesses saw
Disturbances, gather about
Stricken Zeppelin.
V
Danish steamer Svantolm's
Captain
John Pell, had
heard noises of air
Bound shots -
later to see patrol
Boats about the wreckage
Of a huge Zeppelin.
From the boats
about the craft, one
German was seem
to emerge
From a cover, to
crawl out
Over envelope - hands
Held up in
surrender.
Other figures
followed to number -
All but one taken
ashore, to be
Marched without
boots,
To ambulances, with
Suggest injuries.
Kapitanleutnant
Joachim Brethaupt
Seen to be
dejected, insisted how
He be treated in
great respect -
But soon adopted
a more real
State of mind, as
he lined
Up with his crew.
Those about him
wore ordinary
Naval uniforms - while captain
Had a sealskin
coat against
The cold - a
rumour was an
Intention to
destroy craft.
Vi
Any man left
to blow the craft would
Be doomed - so by
drawing lots
A junior officer
was chosen -
But plan never
happened;
Salvage was
attempted.
Commander of the
Steam Trawler
Olivine,
Lieutenant Mackinstosh,
Said whilst
sinking, the craft
Floated on a
smooth sea;
At 3.30 a.m.
Seen as a burly
young fair-haired
Commander,
Brethaupt wore
'Pour le Marit' ribbon
for his
London bombing
raid from
Date, October 13 1915.
This officer also
wore Iron Cross -
Whilst the second
in command,
Ober Lieutenant
Kuhner, had
Once lived in
London -
Where his sister
lived.
Another photo of
the crew was
A thickset man, a
navigator
Of L15 - having
once lived
In America, the German
Spoke fluent English.
Spoke fluent English.
A salvage operation attempted
To pull L15 to
low waters,
Continued - to
recover
Salvageable parts,
And a body.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916.
Zeppelin Raids - Latest German Inventions. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 10 April 1916.
P.8. Col.8. Available at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12208865/Daily-Telegraph-April-15-1916.html> [Accessed: 18 April 2016].
Source: File: ZEPPELIN
RAIDS - ZEPPELIN L15 BROUGHT DOWN. Online. Available at: <http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91377020>
[Accessed 18 April 2016]
Source: File:
Zeppelin L.15. Online. Available at:
<sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1825.0> [Accessed 18 April
2016]
Mann, J., 2016.
100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 12 April
2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1Lincolnshire
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