Aerial Pursuit of a German Airship: A Short Story of WWI Fighter Pilot Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson

Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson RFC who was awarded the Victoria Cross for the destruction of the SL11 airship. This was the only VC awarded for action in Britain (Imperial War Museums).

Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson (14 July 1895 – 31 December 1918) was part of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. He was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), the fastest Victoria Cross ever rewarded, 48 hours after he successfully shot down a German SL11 airship. This was the only VC awarded for action in Britain. William's very public destruction of the German airship made him a national hero. He was the first person to shoot down an airship over Britain and had delivered a morale boost to the civilians who had been suffering under German bombardment. His action marked a turning point in the war against the airship menace, and caused the German airship bombing campaign to falter. In the three months afterwards, five more airships were shot down using the combat techniques he had proven. In April 1917, William was taken prisoner by the Germans & was held in three camps throughout the rest of the war. After WWI, William caught the Spanish flu virus that killed millions between 1918-1919. Already in poor health, William died on 31 December 1918, aged 23.

 

Information above provided by Wikipedia & the Imperial War Museum.

 

Before the 20th century, civilians in Britain had been largely unaffected by war. Previous overseas wars rarely touched British shores. The First World War was to change all that. Historians have described it as a "total war", a global war which involved both civilians and the armed services on a massive scale. Count von Zeppelin, a retired German army officer, flew his first airship in 1900. They were lighter than air, filled with hydrogen, with a steel framework. When World War I started in 1914, the German armed forces had several Zeppelins, each capable of travelling at about 85 m.p.h. and carrying up to two tons of bombs. With military deadlock on the Western Front, they decided to use them against towns and cities in Britain. The first raid was on Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn in January 1915. These German airships carried out more than 50 raids on Britain, killing over 500 people in 1915 and 1916 causing public outcry and government embarrassment.

On the night of September 2-3, 1916, the Germans sent 16 airships to attack Britain in the heaviest raid of the war. These massive, unstoppable Zeppelins had no idea that on that night, they would be facing one very brave British fighter pilot who had no patience for the enemy. This pilot, twenty-one year old Lt. William Leefe Robinson, would go on to become the first person to shoot down a German airship over Britain & deliver a morale boost to the English civilians who had been suffering under German bombardment.

 

Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson's story, hidden history that has remained long forgotten, is the story of a World War I British patriot determined to protect his homeland & a new form of aerial warfare that would shock the world.

 

For the rest of William's story, please check out the audio link provided for EPISODE TWENTY-SIX of our podcast, Hidden History: An Odyssey Through Time

LISTEN NOW: Aerial Pursuit of a German Airship: A Short Story of WWI Fighter Pilot Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson

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Images and Documents

William Leefe Robinson & his sister Irene at St Bees School, England, April 1913 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

William L. Robinson commissioned from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into Worcestershire Regiment in 1914 & posted to Fort Tregantle, Cornwall, c. 1914 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

Pre-flight discussion, William and two others, Spring 1915 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

William Leefe Robinson received his "Wings" on September 15, 1915. This is a photo of what his Wings looked like (courtesy of Royal Air Force Museum).

William Leefe Robinson, c. 1915-1916 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

Three Zeppelin wreckers Wulstan Joseph Tempest; William Leefe Robinson, Frederick Sowrey, c. 1916-17 (National Portrait Gallery).

Lt. William Leefe Robinson seated in BE2C aircraft after taking down German SL11 airship. This plane was destroyed in an aviation accident on September 16, 1916 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

On September 5, 1916, it was announced in the London Gazette that the King of England would be awarding the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious decoration, to Lt. William Leefe Robinson.

On September 6, 1916, 26 year old Frances Bamford was buried with her 12 year old sister Eleanor, both killed by a bomb dropped by the German SL11 airship that William eventually shot down.

Daily Sketch newspaper, September 9, 1916, with the title, "Airman V.C. At Windsor Castle". This front page covers the events of September 9, 1916, when King George V decorated Lt. William Leefe Robinson, the Zeppelin Destroyer, with the Victoria Cross at Windsor Castle.

Lieut. William Leefe Robinson, V.C. leaving Windsor Castle, September 9, 1916 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

Reverse of William Leefe Robinsons' Victoria Cross (courtesy of Christie's Auction House, London).

Piece of burnt clothing from one of the crew of German airship SL11. Note: after its destruction, the SL11 was initially wrongly identified as the "L21" by some British authorities (courtesy of Imperial War Museums).

Fragment of salvaged metal from the First World War German airship SL11 made into finger ring & sold to raise money for the Red Cross (courtesy of Imperial War Museums).

Fuel gauge salvaged from the First World War German airship SL11, which was shot down in flames at Cuffley, Hertfordshire by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson (courtesy of Imperial War Museums).

Lt. Frederick Sowrey & Lt. William Leefe Robinson, c. 1916 (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

A Royal Aircraft Factory BE2C bi-plane at the Imperial War Museum in London. The first type of plane William flew and the aircraft he flew when he took down the German airship.

William Leefe Robinson, c. 1917 (courtesy of National Portrait Gallery).

Bristol F2 Fighter, the type of plane William flew to France in 1917.

The Robinson Girls, Kaima Betta Estate, India, c. 1920 - Grace, friend, Ruth, father Harold, Irene, Kitty (courtesy of A Medal for Life: Biography of Capt. Wm. Leefe Robinson, VC).

Horace Robinson, William's father, c. 1878 (courtesy of A Medal for Life).

Elizabeth Leefe, c. 1880 (courtesy of A Medal for Life).

William's mother Elizabeth Leefe in later years, d. 1929 (courtesy of A Medal for Life).

On December 31, 1918, Captain William Leefe Robinson, VC, died at the age of 23. This is his final resting place in All Saints Churchyard, England.

Reading Material

In 1914, the Germans and their allies went to war not just with Britain, but with the whole of the British Empire. Over 3 million soldiers and labourers from across the Empire and Commonwealth served alongside the British Army in the First World War. 

Learn more below:

The First World War was a war of innovation. Advances in weaponry and military technology provoked tactical changes as each side tried to gain an advantage over the other. Major innovations were made in manufacturing, chemistry and communications, while medical advances led to the improved treatment and evacuation of battlefield casualties.

Here are 10 important "firsts" that happened during the First World War, the effects of which can still be felt today:

Resources

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Comments

Donna Mendoza
6 months ago

Very well done John,such a beautiful history story on William he was great, and so sad that he died at the age of 23,great history story