Zeppelin shed, Evere Brussels

[kmpres]

Hi everyone.
This is my first post. I'm looking for photos and info about the Zeppelin sheds at Evere and St Agathe, Brussels. They were destroyed Aug 9 1916 by two RNAS airmen, Flt Sub Lt Donald Harkness and Flt Sub Lt Ralph Collet from No 5 Sqdrn, RNAS, Couderkerque. The DSC was awarded for this action but very little info about the event is available on the internet or in print. Do any of you have any info you can share? I'm especially interested if whether a zeppelin was inside the shed at the time and what its designator was. I'm also looking for pictures of these sheds and of the aircraft the two airmen flew. I know they were Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters, and Harkness' plane was s/n 9420 and had kiwis painted on the fuselage (he was a New Zealander). Harkness was later shot down over Holland and was interned 1916-1918. He survived the war and later became my grandfather, hence my interest. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.

[Doc]

Recommend you contact the Brussels Air Museum and ask them-- if anyone can find an answer to this one, they should be able to do so. The director is Etienne Reunis --- Email is: Etienne.REUNIS {AT} {REplace AT with appropriate symbol} klm-mra.be (He speaks English).

Good luck. Doc

[MikeW]

Something wrong with your information there, No.5 Squadron RNAS did not come into existence until 31st December 1916. He was actually a member of B Squadron No.5 Wing.

Harkness was not shot down over Holland - the Netherlands was Neutral! He was hit by groundfire when bombing St. Denis Westrum Aerodrome. Landing in Holland was preferable to coming down in German occupied Belgium! The netherlands authorities purchased his 1.5 strutter, serial 9420 giving it a new number LA38.

His entry in "Fringes of the Fleet" reads as follows:

"On 9th August 1916 he and FSL RH Collet bombed airship sheds at Evere abd Berchem St. Agathe. There was heavy anti-aircraft fire. See "The Dover Patrol", vol II page 239. Interned - Navy List Feb 1918, p.1153.
A display in the Air Force Museum New Zealand states that he was shot down over Holland. He was an engineer and built bridges in the USA in 1921. He was a teacher at Aukland University in 1926. In 1929, as Captain RNZAF, he was killed flying a Dornier flying boat."

So, Dover Patrol Vol II might have something.

There is also an entry for Collet - have to be later.


Mike

[MikeW]

OK, Collett. The Fringes of the Fleet says:

"On 9th August, he and FSL Harkness bombed airship sheds at Evere and Berchem St. Agathe. There was heavy anti-aircraft fire. He was the only pilot of four to reach the target. See "The Dover Patrol Vol II. p.239. Bomber Pilot 1916-18, pp 24, 28, 31, 36. Per Adua p.47. Crown of Belgium 1917."

The DSC was gazetted on 5th September 1916 for both officers in a joint commendation:

"In recognition of their services on the morning of the 9th August 1916, when they dropped bombs on the airship sheds at Evere and Berchem St. Agathe. FSL Collett dropped all his bombs on the airship shed at Evere from a height of between 300 and 500 feet, under very heavy rifle, machine-gun, and shrapnel fire from all directions. FSL Harkness could not descend so low owing to the very heavy anti-aircraft fire which had by this time been opened on the machines, but he dropped some of his bombs on the shed, and then proceeded to Berchem St. Agath, which he also bombed."


The only useful bit in "Bomber Pilot 1916-18" is that it mentions that Collett crashed on take-off when leaving the depot at St. Pol and broke his ankle on 11th December 1916.

I very much doubt there was anything in the sheds, and I also doubt that they actually destroyed the sheds - quite often, the damage inflicted by a complete flight of aircraft in 1916/17 was minimal. I have no evidence either way to back that up, but I would be surprised if they actually hit the sheds.

[kmpres]

Wow, Thank you, Doc and MikeW!

I'm quite impressed you found this info so quickly! I've been searching for years with little luck for the details of my granddad's military career and history. This helps fill in the gaps in his diaries, which are otherwise quite detailed. Thank you for the references, I shall endeavor to acquire copies of my own.

Mike, you're quite right about his flying for B Squadron, No. 5 Wing. I tend to use the words "Wing" and "Squadron" interchangeably and they are not the same. Apparently, during this time, air squadrons changed designations often and I haven't quite learned all the names yet. This I do know; Harkness was commissioned into the RNAS in early 1916 after spending several months in England paying for his own lodging, expenses and flying lessons. He petitioned the High Commissioner's Office dozens of times during this period. Although his test scores, eyesight, physical and mental health, and flying abilities were all excellent, the fact that he was a Kiwi may have helped get him the commission as they were turning away Englishmen at that point saying that they had enough pilots and no openings for any more. Traveling halfway around the world at personal expense to join the war effort only to be turned away was bad for PR, apparently.

On his mission over the Zep shed in Evere, he and Collet were the only pilots and they flew two 1 1/2 Strutters configured for bombing. Some RFC pilots had tried to bomb the sheds a few days before but had failed to hit it. I suppose a flight of four enemy planes might have aroused German suspicion but the two planes slipped by them unnoticed in the early morning hours of Aug 9, 1916. From 15,000 ft Collet shut off his engine and began his dive a bit too early and was at 500 ft when he reached the shed. Most of his bombs straddled the building or bounced off it but at least one went in the east end and exploded, starting a fire. The Germans were immediately awakended and were throwing everything they could at him but he was too low for them to take useful aim. Harkness began his dive later and by the time he reached the shed he was just under 9,000 ft. The target was unmistakable and he could see that the doors were closed, but the Germans had spotted him and were quickly gauging his correct altitude, though they were shooting wildly, according to his diary entry. All but two of the eight bombs he dropped struck the building in a diagonal track along the top causing multiple explosions and a terrific fire. The force of the explosions (written about in the Wigram AFB display in NZ you cited) and resulting inferno are what leads us to think that a Zeppelin was inside the structure at the time, though I'm having a hard time proving this. Would he have been awarded the DSC if there wasn't a Zep inside? A Zep shed was just a shed after all, big though that it was. The remaining four bombs he used on the shed at Berchem St Agathe but they didn't cause as much damage, perhaps because the doors were open and he could see that there was no Zep inside, and therefore no hydrogen to explode.

A month or two later, as you indicated, Harkness was shot down by archie (we still have the chunk of shrapnel that was lodged in his leg) on his way back from bombing the St Denis Westrum Aerodrome but he was high enough to just make it to Holland and "soft" crash into a nest of telegraph wires. He climbed down from the wires, was taken prisoner by two coast guardsmen with rifles, given medical attention, and interned.

I'm delighted to learn that his plane survived the crash landing. His diary said that three cylinders had turned blue indicating they'd seized, the top plane's machine gun had broken loose and was lodged in the lower plane, and a few fence posts were protuding through the lower plane, but beyond that, his machine was in one piece. He never got the chance to destroy it. Also, internment in Holland wasn't such a bad life, according to him. He was quite the socialite and met many famous people including the King and Queen of Holland, and at one point dated the commandant's daughter. He was even granted a 3 week leave of absence (you can't do that anymore!) to go to England and visit a "sick relative", a common ploy back then, but he honored his captors by returning to camp after his three weeks were up. Most of these stories I have no way of proving or disproving but one thing seems certain; he was quite an uncommon fellow. I wish I knew him.

Although he survived the war, he died eleven years later test-piloting a Dornier Libelle II, a German three-man flying boat, in Auckland harbor. The sister ship of that plane (he'd purchased two for a start-up company called Aerial Services of Auckland) survives to this day. I saw it last month in Friedrichshafen, Germany, where it is on display in the Zeppelin Museum there. A marvelous piece of work, all metal construction, foldable wing, sponsons, etc. It's the only Dornier Libelle flying boat left in existence.

Any idea what the Dutch did with the Strutter? Have you seen any pictures of it? I don't suppose it still exists today, does it?

Thanks again

[MikeW]

Ah, fascinating stuff!

Firstly, the Airship - I'm no expert at this but I think the fate of all German Airships is fairly well documented. I could be wrong - we need someone to be definitive about this.


The Sopwith 1.5 Strutter. It was common practice for the Netherlands Air Force to acquire British, French and German aircraft that touched down on their territory. I recently attended a talk about a soldier that was interned, he had a great time over there and ended up marrying a local girl.

The Historical department of the Dutch Air Force would in all probability like to hear from you. They will have records, maybe photographs, and take an active interest in expanding their knowledge of the period. I have an address which I will dig out for you. Could be mutually benificial.

The New Zealand Air Force Museum can be very helpful and you might also try their Navy Museum. Are you in Europe? If you are, best to phone them after midnight local time as they don't seem to answer emails.

Do you have a photograph of your grandfather? His Royal Aero Club international licence was No.2199 and there should be an accompanying photograph at the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon.


Mike

[MikeW]

The address of the Dutch Air Force historical section:

Staf Bevelhebber
Kabinet
Sectie Luchtmachthistorie
Postbus 20703
2500 ES S Gravenhage
Netherlands

[kmpres]

Mike,
Thanks for the address and other tips. I'll send a letter to the Netherlands and try to contact the other orgs you mentioned. I have numerous artifacts from Granddad, including his official Navy and RNAS photographs. I took a picture with me to the National Archives in Kew Gardens, London, on my trip to Europe last month and was able to find his military records, penned in neat handwriting, in a very large book of RNAS records. Took numerous pictures. Tried to look up details of No. 5 Wing but couldn't find any in the few hours I had. It's a huge place, well worth the visit for anyone searching for details of anyone who fought for the UK up to 1922.

Granddad was a Kiwi but he married an American. His three children and their families still live in the States but I actually live in Japan. Last month's trip to Europe was my first. I see now that my little research project has only scratched the surface. I shall have to try to go back there soon to pick up where I left off. Thanks to help from you and this forum, the legwork has just gotten easier.

Bruce

[MikeW]

Bruce,

You will not find too much on 5 Wing at Kew I'm afraid, most of the Wing's records have not survived.

AIR 1/52/15/9/37 R.N.A.S. 5 Wing 1916 Apr.-1917 Jan 1918 Mar.

AIR 1/436/15/290/1 Report from 5 Wing, R.N.A.S. of raid by 5 and 7 Sqdns. on "X 21" 1917

AIR 1/631/17/122/56 Report of an attack by 5 Wing on Meirelbeke and St. Denis Westram. 1916 Aug.

AIR 1/637/17/122/149 Report of attacks and bomb raids by 5 Wing, R.N.A.S. 1917 Apr. - June

AIR 1/639/17/122/177 Report of attacks and bomb raids carried out by 5 Wing, R.N.A.S. 1917 July - Aug.

AIR 1/641/17/122/228 5 Wing, R.N.A.S., reports of bomb raids and attacks. 1917 Sept. - 1918 Mar.

Only the first and third will be of much use to you I suspect.

There are other documents known as RNAS Summaries which cover two week periods and these are worth trawling through.


Mike

[MikeW]

Bruce,

found this link looking at another airship thread here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Zeppelins

It lists the fates of all German WW1 airships.


Mike

[jempie]

Hello!

Here a photo form the book by Thor Goote about Peter Strasser published 1938 from the burning shed after the bombing by for more your grandfather!
Remains of LZ 38 in it as it burned sith the shed!

The shedphotos which can be provided by mr. Etienne Reunis from this shed are dating from Post-WWI!
The shed was reconstructed afterwards and gor solid doors (Same for St. Agatha Brussels!)

At the origin the germans constructed this shed following a "standard type",
early WWI and it had "sail curtain doors!"
These burned away too!

So here some contemporary photo giving the result of the bombing!

VBR

Jempie

[jempie]

Hello!

Here the Evere shed as it was during 1919!

Photocredit is indeed The Brussels Air Museum
(got this photo via Mr. E. Reunis!)

I don't know photos existing from St-Agatha Berchem! However that shed was identical to this one!

After thte question,ed bombing the Brussels sheds weren't used anymore
for housing airships !
The three were;
Brussels-Evere (Haeren)
Bruseels-St-Agatha-berchem
Brussels-Evere

The same for Gontrode (South-West of Ghent) which was identical to this type!
Brussels-Evere was an exception : this shed was in fact the lenghtened former shed of the pre-WWI "Ville-de-Bruxelles airship shed!
Originally ony 90m long , in front and rear of this shed the Germans added a piece to bring it upon 180 m lenght!

Also after this bombing the shed at Maubeuge France was only used anymore by zeppelins!
However the sheds were reconstructed in sight of eventual emergency landing use by zeppelins beying in problems!
But as far I have info, never it happend!

Until 1917, 3 other sheds at Namur (Belgium!) were further used , however mainly as between stop for zeppelin on Brittain raids!
These were coming from other German basis, or returning from a raid, and refueling eventually at Namur!

VBr

Jempie

[Simba]

You've identified the basic problem in researching RNAS and Fleet Air Arm unit histories, MikeW - the destruction/loss of most of the records. I believe this is a consequence of the short and often itinerant existence of Naval flying units, particularly carrier-based squadrons and flights.

But you've certainly provided good references for what is available. Many thanks from this ol' nautic.

Up spirits!

[kmpres]

Thanks for these links, Mike. I've ordered estimates of the 1916 No 5 Wing activities, the account of the attack on St Denis Aerodrome, and the April to Oct 1916 RNAS summaries. Depending on how much is there, I'll order all or part of the collections.

I reread the diaries and DEH DSC arrived at Couderkerque Aerodrome Mar 1 1916, when the place was still under construction, and stayed until Sept 17, 1916, when he crash-landed in Holland, altogether, about 6 1/2 months. Hopefully, those documents will show not only his activities, but those of his mates during this time and shed some light on what life was like in a bomber wing. He was a bomber pilot, to be sure, and flew Maurice Farmans, Caudron G4 twins, Sopwith Babies and Strutters and BE2cs, somehow avoiding aerial combat but never missing the chance to hunt a zep whenever they threatened England, which was often. He also shuttled a few new planes from England to the front in between missions.

The Zeppelin link is also useful, thanks. I couldn't find an airship that met its fate in the Evere shed but maybe the National Archives documents will have some info. Even if it turns out that the DSC was given just for the successful shed bombing (the RFC couldn't get close enough to hit the thing), and given that it was extremely difficult to do any damage to them with 20 lb grenades that more often than not simply bounced off the buildings, that is enough of an accomplishment. I can now write the story of the unknown grandfather-pilot-pioneer who lived, loved, fought against, and died flying the early machines of the air.

Bruce

[MikeW]

Bruce,

5 Wing wasn't a bomber Wing at that time. In fact, the squadrons of each Wing were multi-role, each squadron had a flight of "fighters"* and a flight of "2-seaters". I use the term "fighters" very loosly. The two seaters would carry out bombing and reconnaissance, whilst the "fighters" (for want of a better word) would carry out defensive and offensive patrols and escort the 2-seaters. In practice, some pilots would flit about between the flights making it difficult to determine what their role was.

It was not until the end of 1916 that all of the squadrons became specialised.

You said

"The Zeppelin link is also useful, thanks. I couldn't find an airship that met its fate in the Evere shed but maybe the National Archives documents will have some info."

One is mentioned - read through the lists again!



*Fighters could very well be 2-seaters - just to confuse things


Mike