World War One Gallery

Airship over Truro, Cornwall. 1914 -1918

By 1916, German U-boats were sinking many merchant vessels and Royal Navy warships in the English Channel. It was decided to use airships to combat them and a major airship station, RNAS Mullion, was constructed on the Bonython Estate on the Lizard. Spread over 320 acres the complex contained everything from accommodation blocks, two airship hangars and gas storage tanks. The C9 airship known as "the darling of the Airship Service" was based at Mullion. In her period of service from June 1916 to September 1918 she flew 3,270 hours, had one confirmed kill on a U-boat and three probable kills, covered more than 68,000 miles and is reported to have never missed a patrol in her 805 days of service. Photographer: Unknown

© From the collection of the RIC

The Auxiliary Naval Hospital, Tregolls Road, Truro, Cornwall. 1918

A wounded man on a stretcher being unloaded from an ambulance by Red Cross nursing staff at the Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital. The patients at these hospitals were generally less seriously wounded than at other hospitals and they needed to convalesce. The service men preferred the auxiliary hospitals to military hospitals because they were not so strict, they were less crowded and the surroundings were more homely. Photographer: Arthur William Jordan

© From the collection of the RIC

DCLI Recruiting march, Ruan Minor, Cornwall. 29th June 1915

Group of soldiers and civilians during 3rd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry recruiting march during the First World War. Lance Corporal Rendle (far right) pictured before he received his Victoria Cross on 12th July 1915. Photographer: Arthur William Jordan

© From the collection of the RIC

Cornish, Great War, Vc, World War One, Ww1