scareships » Standard

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.

Portishead, Somerset

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 10:45:10 +0000

The lights and outline of an airship were seen.

Standard, 27 February 1913, p. 9; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 09:24:48 +0000

‘[C]rowds of excited people’ in the centre of the city watched an airship, which came from the east, for over an hour from about 8.30pm before it disappeared to the west; it had bright lights with an occasional ‘patch of red’.

The Times, 26 February 1913, p. 8; Manchester Guardian, 26 February 1913, p. 6, 27 February 1913, p. 7, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7; Globe, 26 February 1913, p. 2.

Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 09:19:44 +0000

An airship with a bright light was seen to the west for about an hour after 8pm by coastguards, who observed it with binoculars. A resident claimed it came in from over the North Sea, changing course frequently, and departed westwards at speed; another resident Falconer Jameson was able to discern a discern a cone-shaped airship through binoculars; a patch of red was visible.

The Times, 26 February 1913, p. 8; Manchester Guardian, 26 February 1913, p. 6, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7; Globe, 26 February 1913, p. 2.

Bovisand Bay, Devon

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 08:59:41 +0000

Lights were seen, no further details.

Standard, 27 February 1913, p. 9.

Ipswich, Suffolk

Brett Holman — Mon, 24 Feb 1913 08:39:22 +0000

An airship with a bright searchlight was seen at 9.30pm moving in ‘a methodical manner’ to the west by several people, including Edgar Moore; it flew off to the south-west at a high speed. It was too high for its shape to be seen (this is contradicted by one report, which also says that the engine was heard).

Gosport (near Portsmouth), Hampshire

Brett Holman — Mon, 24 Feb 1913 08:38:25 +0000

At 8pm (or possibly 9.30pm) an airship carrying a bright light was seen by two police constables, Jenkins and Boyers, and a Royal Marine sergeant, among others. It was observed to hover above the Marine barracks, and arrived from and returned to the north or north-east. The airship’s shape was dimly perceived by the Marine to be a ‘dirigible of considerable size’.

The Times, 26 February 1913, p. 8; Manchester Guardian, 26 February 1913, p. 6, 27 February 1913, p. 7, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Daily Herald, 26 February 1913, p. 3; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7, 27 February 1913, p. 9.

Selby, North Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Sat, 22 Feb 1913 08:31:59 +0000

An airship was seen at night for five minutes by a manufacturer.

Standard, 25 February 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.

Near Cawood, North Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Fri, 21 Feb 1913 16:16:30 +0000

At 7.40pm, Mrs. Schofield, the wife of the manager of Singer’s Machine Company in Selby, saw two very powerful lights, one in front ‘like the headlight of a motor car’ and one 30 to 40 feet to the rear approaching while being driven to the village of Cawood. Having seen a flight of army airmen on their way to Montrose in Scotland the day before, she was able to estimate the airship’s height at some 1500 to 2000 feet. It disappeared from view within three or four minutes.

Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7. On the flight to Montrose, see Globe, 21 February 1913, p. 12, 22 February 1913, p. 7.