| LZ 74 (L 32) | |
|---|---|
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| The Zeppelin LZ 74 (L 32) memorial shaft (right front) in Saint Giles Churchyard. | |
| Type | Zeppelin R Class |
| Construction number | LZ 74 |
| Serial | L 32 |
| First flight | 4 August 1916 |
| Owners and operators | Imperial German Navy |
| Last flight | 24 September 1916 |
| Fate | Shot down on 24 September 1916 by 2nd Lt Frederick Sowrey |
LZ 74 (navy designation L 32) was an R Class super-zeppelin belonging to the Imperial German Navy.
The airship took part in three attacks on England dropping 6,860 kg (15,120 lb) of bombs.
On its final mission LZ 74 was commanded by Kapitan-Leutnant Werner Petersen. The Airship set out with LZ 72, LZ 76 and LZ 78 part of Zeppelin raid on the night of 23 September 1916.
Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey, of 39 Home Defence Squadron, in a Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2C, launched from Sutton Farm at 23:30 hours to patrol toward Joyce Green. Flying at 13,000 feet (4,000 m), he spotted Zeppelin LZ 74 at about 0110 hours. He was able to close in with the Zeppelin until he was close enough to fire three drums of incendiary ammunition into its belly. Round after round hit the Airship before it finally exploded in flame. There were no survivors from the aircrew; most of the bodies recovered were charred and burned. The burning wreckage of L 32 fell into farm fields off Green Farm Lane in Great Burstead, crashing at 01.30. The site drew enormous crowds. [1] The crew's bodies (22 in total) were buried at Great Burstead Church under 1 mile from the crash site, being buried on the 27th of September 1916, then exhumed in 1966 and reburied at the German Military Cemetery Cannock Chase. [2]
Data from Zeppelin : rigid airships, 1893-1940 [3]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Airships made about 51 bombing raids on Britain during the war. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped (largely on towns and cities) across Britain, causing £1.5 million (equivalent to £108,200,000in 2021) in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were shot down or lost in accidents. [4]
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