scareships » At sea

North Sea, 170 miles from Spurn Head, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Fri, 28 Feb 1913 11:55:58 +0000

At 8pm, the crew, including Captain J. H. Parker and the chief engineer, of the trawler Othello out of Hull saw an airship with a powerful searchlight. Initially it was distant, but within five minutes it was close enough to circle their trawler twice; in fact Captain Parker was afraid that it would crash into the mast. As it left to the west he saluted it with his siren and was answered by a flash from the searchlight. It had two lights aft. The Moon and stars were not visible.

The Times, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Manchester Guardian, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Standard, 5 March 1913, p, 8; Globe, 5 March 1913, p. 10.

Off Sanday Isle, Orkney

Brett Holman — Mon, 24 Feb 1913 08:51:12 +0000

An airship was seen from the steamer Orcadia at 5pm.

The Times, 28 February 1913, p. 5; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.

North Sea, near Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Brett Holman — Sat, 22 Feb 1913 08:28:22 +0000

An airship without lights was seen overhead ‘with perfect distinctness, including wing attachments’ heading west-south-west towards Grimsby, by Captain Lundie and Second Officer Williams of the steamer City of Leeds out of Grimsby, bound for Hamburg. The Moon was shining brightly and the airship was seen for a full two minutes. It was observed with binoculars.

The Times, 3 March 1913, p. 7, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Manchester Guardian, 3 March 1913, p. 9, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Standard, 3 March 1913, p. 9; Globe, 3 March 1913, p. 7.

North Sea, ten miles off Hull

Brett Holman — Tue, 18 May 1909 13:56:04 +0000

Some Belgian fishermen out of Ostend observed a manoeuvring dirigible.

Norfolk News, 22 May 1909, p. 13.

The Wash, Lincolnshire/Norfolk

Brett Holman — Mon, 17 May 1909 13:54:43 +0000

Date uncertain: before 17 May 1909. No details.

Standard, 17 May 1909, p. 9.

Eastern North Sea

Brett Holman — Fri, 14 May 1909 11:23:16 +0000

Captain Egenes and the crew of the Norwegian steamer St. Olaf saw a low-flying airship fly overhead, which shone a searchlight onto the ship’s deck. It moved off and examined another steamer.

Globe, 19 May 1909, p. 4; Manchester Guardian, 20 May 1909, p. 7. The location was off Blyth, Northumberland, according to David Clarke, “Scareships over Britain: The airship wave of 1909,” Fortean Studies 6 (1999): 52.