Zeppelin Killer

With the increasing threat of attacks on mainland Britain by Zeppelin airships, efforts were made to stop these airships before they reached the English Channel or North Sea. The first successful destruction of a Zeppelin led to the immediate award of a V

On the evening of 6 June 1915, three Zeppelins, LZ37, LZ38 and LZ39 set off from their bases in Belgium. However, LZ38 developed engine trouble and returned to base, but the two others continued towards the English Channel before encountering heavy fog which forced them to turn back. The Admiralty, though, had intercepted messages transmitted by the Zeppelins and saw a chance to intercept them with aircraft based at Vuerne, Belgium, with No.1 Wing, RNAS; one of their duties to stop enemy airships reaching Britain or prevent them returning. Although one pilot had intercepted a Zeppelin on 17 May, he was unable to bring it down. He was Flight Sub-Lieutenant Reginald Alexander John Warneford. On that occasion, Warneford encountered LZ39 setting out for a raid on Britain and attacked it, but the airship was able to ascend out of range by jettisoning ballast. Now, Warneford had another chance to get a Zeppelin.

Ordered to take-off with Lieutenant Rose just after 01.00 hours on 7 June (both in single-seat Morane-Saulnier L fighters with six 20lb bombs each) Warneford in Morane 3253.

It was foggy, and Warneford lost sight of Rose but pressed on, catching a fleeting glimpse of LZ37 20 miles away. As his aircraft was considerably faster, he turned to fall in behind and above. the airship

One of the problems he faced was that whilst his machine was faster, the airship could rise rapidly. All the crew had to do was slip ballast and Warneford would be unable to get above them. He therefore decided he needed a different tactic:

“I came to the conclusion that the best thing I could do was to try and make him think I had chucked in the game and was going home.”

At around 02.25 hours the Zeppelin was about to land, the crew concentrating on landing. Warenford knew his best chance had come. He closed for the kill.

He released his first bomb 150 feet above the Zeppelin, followed by two more, and a massive explosion ripped the airship almost in two, the blazing LZ37 falling on a convent near Ghent. However, Warneford then had to land in enemy territory to effect a fuel pipe repair before starting the engine and returning safely.

Warneford became the first pilot in history to bring down an airship and was awarded an immediate Victoria Cross. Sadly, he did not live to receive the award.

On 17 June 1915, Warneford received the award of Légion d’honneur, and after a celebratory lunch he travelled to Buc to ferry an aircraft to the RNAS at Veurne. After a short test flight, he flew a second flight carrying an American journalist as passenger. During a climb to 200 feet, one of the wings collapsed, killing both men.

(Photo: the late Peter G Foote) ■ An artist’s impression by Ralph Gillies-Cole of ‘Rex’ Warneford’s Victoria Cross action when he destroyed Zeppelin L37 on 7 June 1915.

(Courtesy of Edward Hands) ■ On 17 June 1915, Warneford died of injuries sustained in an aircraft accident near Paris. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.

(US Library of Congress) ■ SubLieutenant Reginald Alexander John ‘Rex’ Warneford VC.