Funeral Of The Crew Of The Zeppelins Shot Down Over Cuffley

Two newsreels showing the aftermath of a downed German airship.

Excerpts from two newsreels showing the aftermath of the wreck of a German airship, the first to be shot down in Britain. Although widely reported (and identified in this film) as being the Zeppelin L.21, the airship in question was actually a Schütte-Lanz SL11. First, a Topical Budget newsfilm shows British soldiers carrying coffins containing the 'charred remains' of the German airmen shot down over Cuffley. The coffins are carried through the cemetery, as military officers stand to attention, and placed beside a large grave. Lowered down one by one, clergymen hold a service whilst officers and men salute. The second item, taken from a Pathe Gazette newsreel, show remnants of the airship being displayed at the London headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company.

Keywords

Air accidents; Airships; Funerals; World War I; Zeppelins

Intertitles

- All British News-Film. The Topical Budget. Published by The Topical Film Co. Ltd. 78 Wardour St. London. W. - Zeppelin Crew's Burial. The charred remains of the Germans who set out to hurl death amongst defenceless women and children, being conveyed on an Army transport waggon. - Final scenes of L21. Officers and men of the R. F. C. carrying the unnamed coffins to the grave in Potter's Bar Cemetery. - "Zepp" Relics. Remnants of the L. 21, brought down at Cuffley, are now on view to the public at the H.A.C. Headquarters. Pathe Gazette.

Other Places

City of London, Greater London

Background Information

From Wikipedia: "The Schütte-Lanz SL 11 was the first German airship to be shot down over Britain. It was of Schütte-Lanz production, thus not a Zeppelin. It was based at Spich and commanded by Hauptmann Wilhelm Schramm. On the early night of September 3, 1916, after having bombed Saint Albans, it was attacked over Hertfordshire by Lt. William Leefe Robinson in a BE 2C using incendiary ammunition. It crashed at Cuffley. The crew were buried at Potters Bar Cemetery, and in 1962 they were re-interred at Cannock Chase German war cemetery." "For unknown reasons, when the SL 11 became the first German airship to be shot down over England, it was described officially and in the press as Zeppelin L 21 (LZ 61's tactical number). This misidentification persisted for decades, even though it is clear that the authorities were always aware of SL 11's correct identity. It has been suggested by Ray Rimell that the reason for this confusion was a calculation by the authorities that the downing of a hated and feared Zeppelin 'baby killer', would play better with the public than the destruction of an almost unknown Schütte-Lanz type."