Ivor Markman
Shooting Down of Zeppelin L-34
"There were few flyers with any experience of air fighting who were not obsessed to some degree, though usually secretly, with the thought of being shot down in flames." - Arthur Gould Lee, who later rose to the rank of Air Vice Marshal.
BATTLE IMPRESSION: An artists rendition of an Airco BE 2c scoring a hit against a German Zeppelin. This incident is similar to the one involving Lt Ian Pyott which occurred over West Hartlepool on November 27, 1916.
By Ivor Markman.
Up until a few years ago when the name 'Pyott' was mentioned it would immediately bring “biscuits” to mind, but on November 27, 2016, it needed to be remembered in a completely different context.
It was exactly 100 years previously when a young Port Elizabeth born and bred man serving in the Royal Flying Corps, Sub-Lieutenant Ian Vernon Pyott, 21, shot down a German Zeppelin which was bombing the English town of West Hartlepool on the Durham coast.
Ian was the third son of Scotsman John Pyott and was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on August 31, 1895.
John, his father, was born in Dundee, Scotland, on May 9, 1862.
John was apprenticed to a baker at the age of 10.
As his health was not the in best of conditions, he was advised to move to South Africa.
After spending a short time in Cape Town, he moved to Port Elizabeth in 1880 where he manufactured sweets, cakes and jams before later moving into bread and biscuits.
His first premises were situated at 6/8 Princes Street. Later he moved to Elizabeth Street.
When the First World War broke out, his son Ian was studying in Edinburgh, Scotland, and on the outbreak of hostilities, he joined the Citizens' Training Association Machine Gun Class and became one of its keenest and most efficient members.
Unfortunately, he then broke his arm in a motor accident and his enlistment was delayed.
After recovering from his injuries, he was intent on joining the B A Heavy Artillery, but the attraction of flying proved too tempting and he was so keen to fly he even offered to pay for his own training.
In February 1915, he was accepted as a member of the Royal Flying Corps.
Three months after attending flying school he was posted to 36 Squadron’s ‘A’ Flight and was based at Seaton Carew where he was assigned to fly a Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2c, No 2738.
The biplane had a top speed of 116 km/h.
Little did Pyott know he was destined to meet the L-34 Zeppelin on the night of November 27, 1916.
Across the English Channel in Germany, prior to taking command of L-34 in September 1916, Kapitanleutnant Max Dietrich, an uncle of the famous actress and singer, Marlene Dietrich, commanded a number of other Zeppelins and flew 41 'sorties' during his airship career.
L-34 was 148 metres long with a diameter which varied from 16.5 metres to 14.6 metres.
At noon on Monday, November 27, 1916, while sitting in his specially decorated 'birthday chair' in the canteen at Nordholz naval airbase in northern Germany, about to celebrate his birthday with three other officers, the adjutant rushed into the mess.
“The Adjutant rushed into the mess – ‘Gentlemen, orders to attack the industrial district of the English Midlands," said Captain Heinrich Hollander, commander of Zeppelin L 22 who witnessed the raid.
“Perfect prospects.
“’The first ship must be in the air by 1 pm at the latest.'
“At 12.15 exactly L 21 left its shed and set out for England.
"A quarter of an hour later I started on the L 22, followed by L 34, I cannot recall what my thoughts were at that time, but I remembered the glowing faces of my men, for it was our first raid on England.
“In other words, our dearest wish was about to be fulfilled," said Hollander.
Two groups of airships set out for England, with the first group of five ships coming in between Scarborough and the Humber while the second group of four flew toward the area of the Tyne River mouth.
For Ian Pyott it was his second sortie for the night from Seaton Carew airfield, the first having been at 7.00 pm.
At 10.30 pm he again took off and although his BE 2C normally carried an observer, he flew solo this time to allow more fuel to be carried in order to increase his flying time.
FAMOUS NAME: The first thing people think about when the Pyott name is mentioned is "biscuits".
ZEPPELIN HUNTER: Lieutenant Ian Vernon Pyott, DSO. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
ZEPPELIN COMMANDER: Kapitanleutnant Max Dietrich, commander of the L 34, was killed when the Zeppelin's hydrogen gasbags exploded sending the airship plunging into the sea near the Tees River mouth.
FAMOUS ACTRESS & SINGER: Marlene Dietrich, the famous German actress and singer, was Max Dietrich's niece. After the First World War she moved to the United States in 1930 where she achieved much fame acting in movies such as Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, Dishonoured (1931) in which she played the role of a spy and many others.
PYOTT'S AIRCRAFT: Lt Ian Pyott stands besides his Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2c no 2738 which he used to shoot down the German Zeppelin L-34 while stationed at the Royal Flying Corps' Seaton Carew airbase in North-East England. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
L-34 ZEPPELIN: A model of the L-34 Zeppelin in the Museum of Hartlepool showing Lt Ian Pyott's aircraft coming in for the attack at the far right-hand side of the photo.
The Zeppelin was seen to cross the coast from the sea in the neighbourhood of Blackhalls, about five miles north of Hartlepool.
It then turned southwards and was travelling in the direction of Tees when it was picked up by searchlights.
It immediately commenced dropping bombs and, coming round in a half-circle, steered back seawards.
In all 13 bombs were dropped near Elwick – a little village three miles west of West Hartlepool – the intention being to put a searchlight situated in the neighbourhood of the village out of action – the second searchlight to bring its beam to bear on the airship.
(A searchlight at Hutton Henry had previously been focused on it.)
Their objective was not achieved, being ineffective.
The only damage reported – apart from large holes in the ground where the bombs fell – consisted of injuries to two cows.
Dovecote Farm had a narrow escape, with one bomb dropping very close to the farmhouse.
Apart from being attacked by fighter planes, the airship, which was flying at the great height of 3 000 metres – was quickly subjected to heavy fire from anti-aircraft guns stationed at various points.
Four bombs fell in a field behind the West Park Estate and two fell in Ward Jackson Park.
One of the Ward Jackson bombs fell near the ornamental lake, and the other at the bottom of a short flight of stone steps leading to the terrace.
As a result of the explosions in the field behind the West Park gate, three large residences were damaged and many windows were damaged.
The airship, still steering seawards, passed over the thickly populated and working-class area North-East of West Hartlepool.
Some bombs smashed the grandstand at the football field and sent pieces of woodwork flying over Clarence Road onto the railway.
Meanwhile, Pyott had been in the air for approximately an hour when he saw the Zeppelin heading in his direction.
“I was at 9,800 feet (3 000 m) and the Zepp seemed a few hundred feet below me,” he wrote in his report.
“I flew towards it and flew at right angles to and underneath him, amidships, firing as I went under,” he said.
Both Pyott and the airship turned sharply eastwards and flew next to each other for about five miles during which stage he fired 71 rounds at the airship.
"I was aiming at his port quarter and noticed first a small patch become incandescent where I had seen tracers entering his envelope.
“I first took it for a machine-gun firing at me, but this patch rapidly spread and the next thing the whole Zepp was in flames,” he said.
The last bomb had barely exploded on the ground when the airship was completely engulfed with flames.
The engines could still be heard and the doomed airship continued on its easterly course, passing almost directly over St Hilda’s Church tower in Hartlepool.
L-34 plunged into the sea a 915 metres from the shore and sank where the water was in 40 fathoms deep.
During its plunge to earth, it assumed a perpendicular position, falling nose first, and breaking in two with the largest section falling faster and burning much more fiercely.
Hollander, watching from the Zeppelin L 22, described the scene.
“There appeared a crimson ball of fire, which rapidly increased in size.
"A minute later we recognised the glowing skeleton of an airship falling in flames,” he said.
He quickly realised it was Max Dietrich's L-34.
MACHINE GUN CREW: An artist's impression of a machine-gun crew in action in the gondola of a Zeppelin airship during the First World War.
UNEXPLODED BOMB: An unexploded high explosive bomb of the sort dropped by Zeppelins during the First World War now on display at the Museum of Flight in East Lothian.
PROPAGANDA POSTCARD: A First World War propaganda postcard showing a burning Zeppelin crashing to the ground.They were nicknamed "Baby Killers".
LUCKY DOG: A telegraph message from Besset "Heartiest congrats you lucky dog." As if Pyott's feat was luck! Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
PIECE OF ZEPPELIN: A piece of the L-34 was sewn into Capt Ian Pyott's personal scrap book. The description was written by him. Photo: IVOR MARKMAN, Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
Its not surprising that many pilots carried good luck mascots or lucky charms when they went into combat as the life expectancy at one stage of the war was 11 days.
In "Aces High," Alan Clark described what pilots went through:
"This was the paramount horror, the recurring nightmare, the insistent spectre that penetrated sleep and caused men to lie awake for hours before the dawn.
"No one who had flown in combat could have failed to see that terrible sight, an aircraft spiralling downwards in the black smoke of a gasoline fire.
"And it was only a matter of time before they saw one close enough to notice the last frenzies of the crew.
"Some would try to beat out the flames with their hands, others stood up and screamed curses, others would jump and fall, arms outstretched, clothing alight, from 7 000 feet.
"Still others carried a pistol, nominally for self-defence 'in case of forced landing in enemy territory'.
"Just a very few had the cool nerves and the flying skill to retain control of the aeroplane, to try to handle it down, or deliberately go into a stall to extinguish the flames with the back draught . . .
"On either side the pilots' allegorical names for gasoline - Infernal Liquid, The Hell-brew, Orange Death, Witches Water - underlined and perpetuated this phobia.
"Even after the ignition had been switched off the peril remained.
"The airscrew would continue to rotate with its own inertia and the force of the wind: it was locked in direct drive to the magneto which continued to emit sparks and these would ignite any fuel or vapour from broken feed pipes."
GALLANT FLYER: Lt Ian Pyott in front of his aircraft.
GOOD NEWS: The telegraph received by Captain Ian Pyott's parents in Port Elizabeth on December 17, 1916, advising them their son had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, at that time just under the Victoria Cross. Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
The virtually instantaneous combustion of 45,000 cubic metres of hydrogen on board the airship ensured there were no survivors.
The young girl on the ground said: “The airship burst into flames which were so bright you could have read a paper by the light.
“We could see pieces falling from the airship which some people thought were members of the crew.
“It was a brilliant but frightening sight to see,” she recalled.
“I remember some people were cheering while others like myself watched in silence.
“I can remember one man saying 'that will teach those bloody Jerries a lesson.’
“After it was over we went back to bed but I could not sleep for thinking about it.
“It was a sight I have never forgotten.
“The newspapers were full of the story for the next few days and we found out the name of the pilot and that he was from the airfield at Seaton Carew not very far from where we lived....” recalled the young girl.
The Zeppelin, which crashed into the sea at the mouth of the Tees, was still burning when Pyott landed.
Everyone at the base knew what Pyott had achieved and they rushed to greet him but after failing to stand they thought he was injured.
But he was just half-frozen from the icy cold air at
3 000 m and they cheered, lifted him from the aircraft and carried him aloft on their shoulders.
Following the incident, Pyott was feted by one and all.
On December 7, 1916, barely a week after he shot down the Zeppelin, he wrote to his mother back home: “We had a very quiet week here but nevertheless busy on the ground.
“Yesterday I got a letter from General Montgomery which I will send on next week.
“I also had a visit from various gentlemen (?) and Lady Londonderry. (See story further down)
“Tomorrow I go with Lieut Williams to dine at Londonderry where I will meet Lady Beatty and various other etceteras.
“Last night I went to dinner at Ropners and spent a very pleasant (evening).
“They are millionaires, but are extremely nice and quite unconventional, as we usually have a very jolly time at their house,” wrote Pyott.
(Sir Emil Hugo Oscar Robert Ropner, 1st Baronet (1838-1924), was a British shipbuilder, ship-owner, and Conservative Member of Parliament. He immigrated to England and worked for a coal export concern before building up a fleet of colliers and founding the Ropner Shipping Company in Hartlepool in 1874. - Wikipedia)
“I hope to have a good time as I have a very nice surprise for everyone there and you as well,” he continued.
It is quite possible the "very nice surprise" he referred to was the news that he was about to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Eight days later, on Friday, December 15, 1916, came the official announcement that Pyott had been appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order “in recognition of conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty connection with the destruction of an Enemy Airship”.
Captain Pyott's family were naturally delighted and his father and brother both sailed to England to be present when King George V presented the award at Buckingham Palace.
MEDAL FOR BRAVERY: The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) was instituted on September 6, 1886, by Queen Victoria. The Royal Warrant was published in The London Gazette on November 9. The first recipients received their awards on November 25, 1886. The DSO was typically awarded to officers ranked major or higher, but the honour has been awarded to especially valiant junior officers. During the First World War 8,981 DSOs were awarded and each award was announced in The London Gazette.
IN CHARGE: After Captain Pyott (left) was promoted and awarded the DSO he was given charge of a brand new aircraft, a De Havilland DH4 bomber "South Africa", which formed part of the Imperial Air Fleet, by General Jan Smuts. With him is his observer "Canada Mac" Maceever. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
NEW AIRCRAFT: The brand new De Havilland DH4 two seat biplane bomber "South Africa" which was handed over to the care of Captain Ian Pyott DSO on Saturday, May 5, 1917, at Hendon Aerodrome, for use in France. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
SPECIAL MEDAL: A special medal with Capt Ian V Pyott's profile, the year and the letters DSO was presented to him when he was given charge of the DH4 on Saturday, May 5, 1917, at Hendon Aerodrome by General Jan Smuts. Courtesy: TRISH ENGLAND.
One of the people who extended an invitation to Pyott was the Conservative hostess of late Victorian and Edwardian British society, Lady Londonderry.
She was born Lady Theresa Susey Helen Chetwynd Talbot, eldest daughter of Charles John, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury.
There was a certain irony that she invited Pyott, who had just shot down the German airship, to their home as King Edward had previously asked her (before the war) to hold a banquet for the German Kaiser Wilhelm at Londonderry House on the occasion of his first State visit to England.
She is wearing the robes she wore during the coronation of Edward Vll in 1902, including the Londonderry jewellery item, a diamond and pearl tiara which she referred to as the "family fender".
During the banquet she went to the toilet and the tiara somehow or other managed to slip off her head and fell into the bowl of the toilet.
When she tried to retrieve it she couldn't get it out as it had become stuck and after spending some time in the WC she was forced to call out for help.
After a struggle it was eventually retrieved with the help of a pair of forceps.
OBVERSE: The medal was presented by the Imperial Air Fleet Committee when the DH4 was placed in the charge of Captain Pyott and shows an aircraft flying over the London skyline with the silhoette of St Paul's cathedral. Courtesy: TRISH ENGLAND.
DRESSED TO KILL: Lady Londonderry.
BRAVE MEN: Pilots from 88 Squadron "Somewhere in England", in 1918.
Back Row, left to right: Lt Mond (B Flight), Lt Stublington, Lt Kirby (Adjutant), Captain McQuinton (A Flight), Lt McDonald (A Flight), Lt Mann (Pyott's Instructor), Lt A T Kennon, (AEO), Lt Cox (Pyott's Instructor)
Middle Row: Lt Mitchell (B Flight), Capt I Pyott, (C Flight), Major Albrecht, Officer Commanding), Capt McPherson (B Flight), Lt Stack (B Flight).
Front Row: Lt Rochelle (A Flight), Honey or Bols, Lt Hayes (B FLIGHT).
Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
RELAXING: Members of the Royal Flying Corps' 88 Squadron relaxing between flights at an airfield somewhere in France. Pyott is third from left. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
BOMBS AWAY: One of Captain Ian Pyott's photos showing a bomb heading towards what appears to be an enemy railway junction during the 1st World War. Pyott served in a fighter-reconnaisance unit, No 80 Squadron. Photo: CAPTAIN IAN PYOTT, DSO.
RELAXING: Pyott relaxs with a friend - identified only as Gasson - outside their hut at an airfield "somewhere in France". Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
After a couple of years of war the British Government and members of the Commonwealth searched for additional funding to build more aircraft as part of the war effort.
Donations were made by countries, individuals,groups and British cities were asked to provide aircraft for the newly established Imperial War Fleet .
This was made up of planes that were "given" to Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Newfoundland and South Africa.
Each one bore the name of its donor and the intention was for each aircraft to be held in trust by the Imperial Air Fleet for its owner nation until the end of the war.
It was not intended to send the aircraft to their new country but rather for the aircraft to serve in Allied operations on the Western Front on behalf of the donor country.
On Saturday, May 5, 1917, at Hendon aerodrome, General Smuts received the DH 4 aeroplane “South Africa,” from the president of both the London Chamber of Commerce and the Imperial Air Fleet Committee, Lord Desborough.
The aircraft was named by Mrs Schreiner, wife of the Union’s High Commissioner, and mascoted by the Marchioness of Winchester, who, “well and truly placed a springbok head” upon the aircraft.
The DH 4 was taken by for her first public flight by Captain Hucks with his passenger, Lord Desborough.
The de Havilland DH 4 biplane was the newest aircraft and earned a great reputation for her manufacturers with her brilliant performance.
A newspaper clipping from The Daily (name torn) says about its perfrmance: ". . . did her pilots and her makers much credit, rising easily, steeply and swiftly “climbing” winging a graceful way 2 000 ft above the heads of the spectators, then descending to earth, when she, in airman’s language, “taxied” beautifully as a well brought-up (or brought down) “bus” (all aircraft are “busses”) should do, and afterwards “looping the loop” and, again to borrow from the airmen, “generally doing stunts.”
As Mrs Schreiner, christening “South Africa,” said “Fly safely,” while Lady Winchester uttered the complementary wish as she fixed the springbok’s head in position “May this bring good luck to many gallant pilots.”
Captain Ian Pyott was the South African Government's choice of pilot for the aircraft and he flew with it when he was transferred to 88 Squadron in France.
88 Squadron was formed at Gosport, Hampshire, in July 1917, as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.
In April 1918, the squadron was moved to France where it undertook fighter-reconnaissance duties.
The squadron was also involved in the development of air-to-air radion communications.
In June, 1918, the squadron became part of No 80 wing which specialized in attacks on German airfields.
During its short period of service on the front the squadron shot down 147 aircraft while only two members were killed in action, five were wounded in action and 10 went missing.
The squadron boasted 11 “Aces” including Kenneth Burns Conn, Edgar Johnston, Allan Hepburn, Charles Findlay and Gerald Anderson.
The squadron was disbanded in 1919.
“We weren’t aware as children of the importance of everything - we were always aware of the medal in a wooden box on the mantelpiece,” said Pyott’s granddaughter, Colleen Cummings, who only found out about her grandfather’s adventure after both grandparents died.
“In the entrance-way of their house, above the front door, was a propeller,” she said.
Pyott shipped the aircraft propeller back home after the war.
“Mom got all the books and the photographs and we sat and chatted about everything – it was a real “wow!” moment,” she said.
“I only got all the stuff when Mom passed away,” she said.
The significance of the shooting down of the Zeppelin only hit home recently, when people started taking an interest in the First World War.
“We have always been very proud of Grampa getting the DSO,” she said.
SOURCE: Yorkshire Herald, "The German Air Force in the Great War," by Major G P Naumann. Wikipedia, Eastern Province Herald, Gods and foolish grandeur website, Chest of Books website.
In 1935 Film star Marlene Dietrich, heard for the first time from a reporter working for the Daily Sketch, how Max Dietrich, her famous uncle who commanded the Zeppelin L34, went to his death during an air raid attack on the Tyne on the night of November 27, 1916.
The Zeppelin was brought down in flames and the bodies of only two crewmen were recovered.
Marlene told of the vigil kept by the broken-hearted widow of the dead commander in Germany.
We knew the Zeppelins had gone out on an errand of war, she said, but we did not know their destination.
"My uncle never came back.
"My aunt was broken-hearted, but she would not believe her husband had really gone.
"She insisted that he would come back.
"But the years passed, and there was no news.
"At last she lost hope and bowed to the hand of fate.
"It is very sad but of course in Germany my Uncle Max was mourned as a hero. He gave his life for his country."
Dietrich, who was born in Berlin, came from a military family.
"It is five years since I was in Germany" Marlene said .
“I don't expect I shall ever go back,” she said.
BUMBLE PUPPY: Members of 88 Squadron enjoy a game of Bumble puppy somewhere in France. It is a game whereby a ball is attached by string to a post and which is hit so the string winds round the post. Photo Courtesy; COLLEEN CUMMING.
ARTIST'S CANVAS: One of the pilots in 80 Squadron found a new use for his tent's canvas. Looks like quite
a talented man. Photo Courtesy: COLLEEN CUMMING.
PROUD GRANDDAUGHTER: Colleen Cumming with her grandfather's (Ian Pyott) scrap book. Photo: IVOR MARKMAN.
GREAT GREAT GRANDSON: Declan Jones, 4, with the propeller from his great, great grandfather Ian Pyott's aircraft, most probably the DH 4. He has lived with his parents in Thames Ditton near London since July 2016. When told the story of the shooting down of the Zeppelin he said ‘Wow, he must have been scared, and very brave!’ Photo: KIM JONES.
LUCKY MASCOT: Ian Pyott's son, Barrie Pyott never flew without his lucky pilot mascot. Unfortunately it never helped him as he was shot down over Italy during the Second World War and his body was either never found or it was found and never identified.
His lucky mascot, however, was found and returned to the family. Ian and his wife Nora never got over the loss of their son. Photo: BARRIE ENGLAND.
