Images Dated 15th August 2016

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