DISS MUSEUM A PROJECT TO COMMEMORATE THE 2019 CENTENARY OF THE FIRST DOUBLE ATLANTIC AIRBORNE CROSSING N U M B E R 4 AUTUMN 2013 Indie-Rock Band Are In Scots band Admiral Fallow have agreed to provide the music for the R34 commemoration. They were formed in 2007 by singer/song-writer Louis Abbott and based in Glasgow. They write and perform folk/pop. Their first album, Boots Met My Face, was released worldwide in 2011. Their song "Squealing Pigs" was used on NBC's Chuck and was performed live on BBC television's Hogmanay Live 2011. They have won the Creative Scotland Music Award and toured all over the world. The line-up is: Louis Abbott – Vocals, Guitars. Kevin Brolly – Clarinet, Key- board, Vocals, Percussion. Philip Hauge – Drums Percussion, Vocals. Sarah Hayes – Flute, Piano, Accordion, Vocals. Joe Rattray – Bass, Vocals.

Education, Education, Education Some of the most important sites were: East Fortune in Scotland, [email protected] Cardington & in and Pulham in Norfolk.

Telephone 01379 650618 We are inviting schools from these areas to participate in an education Mail Address: project. It would include a website, to which schools could contribute 11 Market Hill, Diss, Norfolk, England, and connect with each other. Community film makers would go into IP22 4JZ schools and lead pupils in creating animated films of the airship age. These could be run as after-school activities with groups of up to a dozen pupils. With sufficient interest we could get major funding.

P A G E 2 Brothers who built it to killed) came from Cardington. house their workers. I began researching my local Shortstown Cardington village itself was history in 2007 after moving here and is very much a rural agri- in 2004 and was very confused at cultural village which also had first with the assumptions people After the last newsletter we a railway station - I have read have made over the years and it got a nice comment back that traditionally airship sta- seemed to me that Shortstown from Jane Harvey who is tions were named after the has been airbrushed out of the researching Shortstown. nearest railway station which picture. This was one of the rea- was Cardington in this case. I sons I set up my website to make She said: “Thank you so don't know if this is true and sure these facts were brought to much for your latest maybe you can comment on light - this has come as a bit of a newsletter - it really is a this? Anyway the name has surprise to some people but I glowing example of how since been associated with believe Shortstown deserves to plan for a future cele- when in actual fact if some recognition at last. It has bration!” you look at the true history been badly neglected over the Many of the of the airship era it is very years but hopefully we can turn crew were from In an earlier letter she had much Shortstown’s story and things around soon as the village Shortstown rather explained her interest. not Cardington. In truth 16 of celebrates its centenary in 2017.” “Shortstown was the initial the crew who were killed on than Cardington settlement built alongside the the R101 and all of the 6 Royal Airship Works at survivors all lived in www.shortstownheritage.co.uk "Cardington" in 1917 and is of Shortstown and just one

course named after the Short crew member (who was

Leverett family went to the from Palgrave. Mr Leverett back bedroom of their cot- thought the members of the Jack tage in Scole to witness this crew on the break-away flight Leverett Over Scole event. received a gold watch each to commemorate the incident. lived in The most popular airship was One night during the First the R33 which one day broke The R34, and the ill- Scole near World War a German Zeppe- loose from its fated R101 were also familiar lin was heard over the village Diss and had in a high wind. The nose was sights over Pulham Airfield of Scole - engines buzzing in- damaged, the main envelope and the surrounding district, these termittently, then silence. A was torn open and the airship often passing over Scole. basket was lowered until the memories of was blown out over the During flights, experiments crossroads were detected. Dutch Coast. When it re- were made to carry fighter the then came the sound of the turned, it was like a silver aeroplanes. These were re- engines again as the Zeppelin cigar flying high above the leased for reconnaissance and raids and moved on towards Pulham weather. Mr Leverett knew when they returned, the pilot Airfield - the Airship Station. airships at Major Scott, also one Mem- would fasten them to the Bombs were dropped just ber of the crew, Harold Row. carrying attachment under Pulham short of the target and a num- He also knew the Wireless ber of horses were killed at the airship. Operator, Spencer Keely Billingford. Members of the

Fridge Magnets

Our latest merchandising idea is fridge magnets. No- body sets out to buy one. But, like the chocolate at the Supermarket checkout, they put ideas into your head. We could make some for They make a good gift to East Fortune take home from an event. We sell loads of stuff like that at the annual Burston Rally. They are cheap and easy to make and sell well.

We could make and provide you with some. You can sell them for twice as much as they cost N U M B E R 4 P A G E 3 Only Here For The Beer Another merchandising best seller is commemora- tive beer. We found this when creating a Skelton ale, for Tudor poet laureate John Skelton’s festival, a Rights Rights of Man Ale of Man ale for Thomas Paine and a Burston Strike Ale to sell at the Burston Rally. We sold three crates of it at the recent rally and are planning an R34 ale. Again it is just a matter of putting the idea into people’s heads.

2.27 a.m. Wireless signal from petrol, which should give us an very clearly. Weather behind us A further extract H.M.S. Furious: "All good wishes endurance of 4000 miles at an looking black as ink we seem to from Captain and Flying Squad- average air speed of thirty-seven be getting into better weather by from General ron." knots, or 45 m.p.h. going west. Maitland’s log Feeling very warm in our flying 2.45 a.m. Passing under black omi- 3 a.m. Magnificent view of Loch suits and silk underclothing, which nous-looking rain-cloud 1000 feet Lomond. Violent bumps off Dum- as the R34 air- have been specially supplied for above us. High hills on starboard barton hills bring big strains on ship makes its this journey. beam causing bumps and making ship, particularly upon her eleva- 2.30 a.m. Getting light very ship pitch slightly. tors and rudders. Strong vertical way across streaky and dirty-looking sky. 2.50 a.m. Glasgow on port beam a currents of air. Ship alternately up Scotland in the Following Firth of Forth big blaze of light. Following course by the bow and by the stern. All and Clyde Canal just south of hills of Clyde due west. movements very slow and gradual. first hours of its in Stirlingshire, where the highest 2.55 a.m. Inchinnan on port beam Nothing sufficient to cause sea- momentous hill is 1870 feet. Visibility good, about four miles away. (Inchinnan sickness (or should I call it clouds about 2500 feet. Stratus is of special interest to us, as it is "airsickness "?). Gorgeous scenery flight. We plan wind about twenty-five miles per R 34's birth-place, where she was on starboard beam. Ship at one to bring out a hour N.E. by N. Clouds as we go built by Messrs. Beardmore, of moment 24 up by the bow, and west seem to be becoming more Dalmuir.) liquid in inclinometer has disap- new edition of compact, and taking more shape. It is more or less light now, and peared altogether ! Got away with 4900 gallons of high hills to the north show up the log book.

Airship Weekend (10-11 May)

Dirigible magazine has given W.R. Gent was one of the He was one of several coverage to the airship engineers on the R34 and of the R34 crew who was awarded the A.F.M. for weekend at Pulham and lost their lives in his contribution to the Diss next May. subsequent disasters: adventure. He was also Maitland, Pritchard and People have already given one of the propelling Parker on the R38, booked. pencils which interestingly Scott and Gent on the was one of his few remains Dr. Adrian Gent, who lives R101 and Lansdowne after his cremation in the in Wymondham, Norfolk, on the Shenandoah. R101 disaster." wrote: "My grandfather Local Airship Hero Spencer It was October 1930 and the huge R101 He joined the airship service in 1924. airship was on its way to India. The By the age of 35 he had taken part Keeley R100 had recently flown safely to in some of the great adventures of Canada and back. the airship age. He was aboard the R101 was over France just after mid- R33 when it broke away from its night. Chief Wireless Operator Spencer moorings at Pulham and was carried Keeley sent a message: “After an away across the North Sea. excellent supper our distinguished pas- It finally limped back with a damaged sengers smoked a final cigar and having nose, a sight witnessed by five year sighted the French coast have now gone old Kay Nelson, now in her 90s and to bed to rest after the excitement of their living in Harleston. leave-taking. All essential services are functioning satisfactorily. Crew have set- For his part in bringing R33 home, tled down to watch-keeping routine." Keeley was awarded the Meritori- Two hours later the airship was a ous Service Medal of the Order of blazing wreck. Keeley was one of the 48 the British Empire (Civil). out of 54 people who died that night. He He was the Wireless Operator aboard and many others were so badly burned the R100 when it went to Canada, a that they were unidentified and all buried flight that tends to be forgotten in the together at Cardington. shadow of the R101 disaster. Spencer Thomas Keeley was born at He would have flown over Diss and Stuston, near Diss (not ‘Stufton’, as the the places of his boyhood when R101 newspapers said) and also lived at came this way on her second flight, in Palgrave. Later he would live at 9 1929, an event noted in the Church Conquest Road, Bedford. School records.

Newspaper cartoons were used for political as well as humorous effect. Here are examples of how the Zeppelin campaign was seen by American cartoonists

A chilling depiction of enemy atrocities, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer

A serious, patriotic cartoon from the New Tribune, Humorous uses for Zeppelins, from the not that the USA was ever troubled by Zeppelins New York Evening Telegram