In the years for the First World War and during that war several countries for instance Germany and Italy used airships or zeppelins for civilian and military purposes. Several airships were lost due to worse weather conditions, accidents or during the war. Just like the army experimented also the German navy with airships. In 1913 she lost within two months two airships namely the L I and the L II. Several Dutch newspapers reported both disasters extensive. For this note I only used some local newspapers published in the province Zealand and not more regional newspapers. Of course there is at internet a lot more information available see for instance the following website: http://www.zeppelin-luftschiff.com/
Photo published in the Dutch magazine De Prins dated 27 September 1913 page 156 the L II at the airport Johannisthal
The Ierseke en Thoolsche Courant dated 22 March 1913. In Germany was successfully experimented with fitting out Zeppelins with a machine gun. The result was that all airships of the German army and navy were to be armed with machine guns. The Zierikzeesche Nieuwsbode dated 19 March 1913 confirmed this item reporting that the experiment found place t Friedrichshafen with 500 shots by the L.Z.U. (2)
The Vlissingse Courant dated 28 August 1913. The new airship L II built at the factory near the lake of Constanza would start with her trials on 8 September. She was the largest of the airships built at Friedrichshafen, 3 meters longer as the L I and of a complete new design. The former passageway ending in a sharp angle was not longer below but now inside the airship and instead of two were there now three gondolas. The engines were placed in two gondolas; the third one was destined for the passengers. The there engines had a total horsepower pf 550 hp making her faster as the Sacksen stationed at Leipzig. The new navy airship was to be completed in short time had a total power of 800 hp increasing the speed from 75 kilometres nowadays 95.
The Vlissingse Courant dated Wednesday 10 September 1913 reported that last night around 19.00 o’clock 18 nautical miles north of Heligoland the navy airship L I was lost with 16 men missing. As soon as the news came steamed torpedo boats towards the location saving 7 men while 13 were drowned including captain Metzing commanding officer of the Navy Airships Department and first lieutenant Hanne commanding the L I. The Middelburgsche Courant dated Wednesday 10 September 1913 reported that the evening before North of Heligoland due to a hurricane the German navy airship LI was lost. As soon as the news arrived, steamed torpedo boats towards the location but according to Reuter were 16 crewmembers missing. The latter newspaper published the same day a large news item dated Heligoland 10 September. The L 1 left around 18.00 o’clock the hangar to anticipate in the fleet manoeuvres. Despite the fact that the weather had been the last days quite unfavourable departed the L 1 commanded by lieutenant Hannes in the beginning without problems. While the manoeuvres were pretending a war situation had she to fly on a height of above 1,700 metres about the surface. Hardly flied she a distance of 190 miles when suddenly a hurricane occurred and starting to rain with a changing wind. The heavy wind caused a suddenly and quick cool down with as result that the gas extremely was squeezed. The ship was falling down with an enormous speed also due to the fact that with 21 men she was overloaded. Despite the loosening of the ballast was not the fall stopped and she hit hardly the water surface. The gondola made water disabling the engines and other devices so a telegram could be send anymore. On land however was the accident sighted and six torpedo boats were sent. When they arrived was the airship all completely wrecked. Just 7 men were saved, the rest including Lieutenant Hanne were drowned. The torpedo boats searched all night but could not find any body. The survivors were transported to the hospital at Wilhelmshafen.
Photos published in the Dutch magazine De Prins dated 25 October 1913 dealing with the disaster.
The Middelburgsche Courant dated 11 September 1913 referred to statements done by the surviving officers. The airship was completely soaked by rain water and while trying to escape from the shower she hit the sea surface and broke immediately in two parts. Some crewmembers with oilskins swum for almost 45 minutes while others could not escape out of the gondolas and drowned. There were 6 or 7 survivors. The main cause of the accident was the heavy overload due to all the new devices. In fact was the L 1 a school ship for training the officers of the air fleet and not suitable to be used as a cruiser. According to the newspaper Tagliche Rundschau was her inner capacity 22,300 M3. The Vlissingse Courant of the same date also published another eye witness account. The master of the steam trawler Orion of Geestemunde which arrived yesterday evening at Bremerhaven told that he saw in the evening 18.25 o’clock with a strong North East wind, showers and a heavy sea the airship still in the air and 10 minutes later lying in the water East South East 16 miles of Heligoland. He steamed as soon as possible to the location and was able to arrive there ten minutes later with a boat with a helmsman and 3 sailors on board. The boat was with a rope fastened to the trawler. The back end of the airship was in the water while the fore end stretched out in the air. The shell afterwards was completely destroyed. Seven men were sighted including four just with the head above the surface while three others climbed into the skeleton and which were saved. Eight minutes later was the airship complete disappeared.
One day later published the Vlissingse Courant an official account. The ship was full loaded with ballast and gas and when the accident occurred flying on a height of 500 metres with on board 20 men. According to this account she had not been overloaded while some war devices were not on board. The loss was complete due to the bad weather conditions. The Wednesday after the incident were 8 bodies recovered including that of Hanne. According to a telegram to the newspaper Berliner Tageblatt rescued a steam trawler another two crewmembers. It was unknown if they were still alive. The Breskensche Courant dated 13 September claimed that of the six survivors one later died. The 18 gas cells were all torn open. According to the Middelburgsche Courant dated 29 September 1913 arrived at IJmuiden the Dutch trawler Catharina of IJmuiden with on board parts of an airship, probably form the wrecked L I.
The second disaster with a navy airship was just one month later. The Middelburgsche Courant dated Friday 17 October published that day an item dated Berlin 17 October. The L II exploded on a height of 100 or 300 metres 500 metres West of airport Johannistal and 20 men including personnel of the Zeppelin company and a commissioned leaded by Captain Behnisch were killed. The explosion was caused by a spark which struck the outer shell. The Goessche Courant dated a day later mentioned a height of 100 metres according to one tiding and according to the official tiding 300 metres. First were 15 victims reported later indeed 20 men. She left the airport 10.15 o’clock but what caused the disaster was unknown. On board were the crew, a government commission leaded by Captain Behnisch and Captain Lieutenant Freijer and personnel van the Zeppelin Company including Captain Gluth.
The Middelburgsche Courant of the next day supplied more details. The L II was to replace the lost L I. Yesterday [17 October] was her last trial before she was handed over tot the government. For this purpose was the commission of Berlin on board and were 28 passengers taken with her. Hardly left she the airport when a flame was sighted coming out of the front engine gondola while she was on a height of 200 metres and immediately was she set on fire. Some explosions could be hard while the burning ship fell down. There were none survivors. The newspaper Köln. Zeitung received from Frankfurt from experts some interesting details. The L I and the L II differs at some points. The cabins for the passengers in the walking area were in the L II more practicable situated. She was fitted out with mighty spotlights and in the middle could a revolving gun be mounted. She had a length of 160 metres with a diameter of more as 16 metres. The 18 gas cells had a capacity of 27,000 M3. According to the same experts was the fact that the design of the L II compared with other military and civilian airships was complete otherwise. Usual was the passageway at the bottom of the airship allowing leaking gas through the thin material to escape without any problem in contrary to the L II with her passageway in the middle of the ship. Under such circumstances it was just enough that a spark caused by the heel of a shoe of a quickly passing soldier caused a gas explosion. The Vlissingse Courant of the same date reported that the airship fitted out with 3 gondolas fell down costing the lives of 27 men. Lieutenant Freiherr von Bleuel was found still a live but was so heavily wounded that he died within short time. Mostly of the bodies were heavily charred caused by the burning petrol reservoirs. The above mentioned commission consisted of Corvette Captain Bemsch [Behnisch], Captain Freyer. Otto Neumann and naval engineer Busch. She was fitted out with 4 engines.
Notes
1. See also the notes on this weblog “The Italian navy airship Citta di Ferrara” and the notes “The British navy airship/zeppelin HMA 1 Mayfly or nicknamed Won’t Fly 1908-1911” and “Dutch hydrogen for British navy airship HMA 1 in 1911”.
2. The Middelburgsche Courant dated 28 January 1913. The German Schutte Lanz airship company handed her patents over to the Government and would exclusively work for Germany. The Germany army already ordered airships while the navy intended to do so.
