GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY


Contact was made with the base at Polgate, and the positions of the two airships reported. Scott and Burtenshaw returned to the farm, and ‘Burtenshaw was sent off to bed but the attraction of these strange men and their even stranger talk was too strong. Creeping down to the bottom of the stairs he sat there listening to their tales.


Gradually the fog began to clear and the airship crews started thinking of setting out once more for Polegate. A temporary mooring for the night was not the best of things especially if the wind should freshen. Back at Beachy Head the fog started clearing a little earlier and Lt Swallow of SSZ 7 felt he stood a chance of making base. Accordingly he set out, but kept close to the ground, and made use of his Aldis signalling lamp to pick out details of the land just ahead. By sheer chance Lt Swallow’s course home brought him directly over Hill Farm. He failed to spot the bulk of SSZ 10 until too late to take effective avoiding action. The action he could take was to no avail and in the ensuing collision the tail surfaces of SSZ 7 ripped open the envelope of SSZ 10; the exhaust flames ignited the escaping gas and the two ships were ablaze.


The sound of another engine and the warning cries of the man on watch brought the men from the cottage. The sight that met them, and the Polegate party who chose this moment to arrive, was that of SSZ 10 burning fiercely and SSZ 7 drifting away, also ablaze, at about 400 feet. She crashed shortly after, about 500 yards away, killing the captain instantly and badly injuring the two crewmen. The engineer A/M E J Hughes was in great pain and A/M 2nd Class V Dodd suffered broken wrists, ankles and pelvis.


Two men from the Polegate party raced to get the crew clear from the wreckage of SSZ 7. They were pulled away from the flames by A/M 1st Class H V Robinson and Boy Mechanic E E Steere. After the survivors were safe these two returned to the ship to remove the bombload and in so doing suffered severe burns from the fire and near red hot bombs. The explosives could well have detonated at any time but they were removed without further incident. Meanwhile Lt V A Watson, who was the Senior Officer present, rushed up to the car of SSZ 10 under the impression that the crew were aboard. His arrival coincided with the detonation of one of the bombs - his right arm was shattered at the elbow and had to be amputated almost immediately. The kitchen which a short while before had held a happy gathering now became a surgery. Surgeon Lt Greave-Robinson, from the base at Polegate, now had a room full of casualties. Many of the airmen had received burns: the explosion of the bomb had also caused burning fragments to set alight one of the hayricks. Fortunately for the farm the loss was confined to one rick. Cars from Jevington duly arrived and the men who had been injured were conveyed to Eastbourne Hospital. The other airship, although moored a little way off, was partially deflated and moved further away to a safe distance.


The wreckage of the two ships was collected during the next day and put into a barn. As the roads were difficult for the passage of heavy vehicles, it remained there for a week until conditions had improved enough to allow for its removal by farm cart and lorry. Mr Nelson Burtenshaw has a circular allow fitment from one of the two ships. (article by R. Slocombe included in the lot refers)


After the war Robinson emigrated to Australia, and he died at Kangaroo Point in October 1969.


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