Patrick H Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Read this in the RAF North Weald Debt of Honour "On the evening of October 1st (1916?) 2nd Lt Wulstan Tempest of No 39 Home Defence Squadron (based at Suttons Farm at Hornchurch) was dining with his fiancee in Epping. Summoned to action by telephone, he rushed by motorbike to North Weald; took off; shot down L.31 (Zeppelin at Potters Bar) crash landed back on the airfield; drove back to Epping to receive a hero's welcome ... before finishing his meal! " Now that's what I call class !! Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 That's what I call journalistic licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 26 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2005 "That's what I call journalistic licence." Why do you say that? It's recorded in The North Weald "Debt of Honour" so I assume they had it from a reliable source Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 See this link http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=11588 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Helluva story. Deeds that thrilled the Empire, no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 26 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2005 So that link confirms Tempest and his squadron and the fact that he shot the Zeppelin down. Hopefully rhe rest of the story is true ! Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 I didn't think that there was any doubt that the man shot the zeppelin down, but like Clive I am a little sceptical about the rest of the story, especially the bit about returning to finish his meal. It sounds almost like Flasheart out of Blackadder Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 26 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2005 If as it say he was given a "heroes welcome" on return to Epping then presumably something would have been reported in the local paper> I will try and check. Mind you news must have gotten round very quickly !! Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boreenatra Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Patrick. May have posted this before,but it's worth another look. Regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahross Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 An interesting epitaph for what was a mean feat in itself, the shooting doen of a Zeppelin. Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 "That's what I call journalistic licence." Why do you say that? It's recorded in The North Weald "Debt of Honour" so I assume they had it from a reliable source Patrick <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Patrick, I don't doubt that he did those all things and in the order stated but I do resist the impression that it was all done with such speed and insoucience that he returned to his still-steaming dinner. The events would have taken some time and I imagine a little debriefing would have been in order after downing a zeppelin. Dispatching people like that might even have put him off his food momentarily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 L31 fell at 6 minutes before midnight, after the combat, Tempest complained of feeling "sick, giddy and exhausted" - possibly due to severe cold and reducuced oxygen after two hours above 10000 feet. He crashed his aircraft when landing at 12.10am. So then he scuttled off to finish his meal, I don't think so. I'm sorry, the story is all Bull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 It does not have to mean that he returned to the meal he was in the middle of but he may have returned and they give him a fresh meal ? Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 26 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2005 "I'm sorry, the story is all Bull Well not all of it !! His heroics are without question and maybe he didn't get to finish his meal but I'm sure his fiancee waited for him Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Patrick, I hope so. I am sure she did and I expect she got him something to eat. I don’t know much about the war in the air. What would have been the balance of power when an aircraft attacks a zeppelin? Would that be a solo attack? Knowing little, I imagine a lumbering zeppelin would have been almost at the mercy of a nimble aircraft. Is my perception all wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcerha Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 he rushed by motorbike to North Weald; took off; shot down L.31 (Zeppelin at Potters Bar) crash landed back on the airfield; drove back to Epping to receive a hero's welcome ... before finishing his meal! " <{POST_SNAPBACK}> " I don't care how many times they go "up diddly, up, up" - they' re still gits" DWL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Read this in the RAF North Weald Debt of Honour "On the evening of October 1st (1916?) 2nd Lt Wulstan Tempest of No 39 Home Defence Squadron (based at Suttons Farm at Hornchurch) was dining with his fiancee in Epping. Summoned to action by telephone, he rushed by motorbike to North Weald; took off; shot down L.31 (Zeppelin at Potters Bar) crash landed back on the airfield; drove back to Epping to receive a hero's welcome ... before finishing his meal! " Now that's what I call class !! Patrick <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And now those who prefer to forget their history are planning to build 6,200 houses on North Weald airfield. www.northwealdairfield.org Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 Read this in the RAF North Weald Debt of Honour "On the evening of October 1st (1916?) 2nd Lt Wulstan Tempest of No 39 Home Defence Squadron (based at Suttons Farm at Hornchurch) was dining with his fiancee in Epping. Summoned to action by telephone, he rushed by motorbike to North Weald; took off; shot down L.31 (Zeppelin at Potters Bar) crash landed back on the airfield; drove back to Epping to receive a hero's welcome ... before finishing his meal! " Now that's what I call class !! Patrick <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And now those who prefer to forget their history are planning to build 6,200 houses on North Weald airfield. www.northwealdairfield.org Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 26 July , 2005 Share Posted 26 July , 2005 I don’t know much about the war in the air. What would have been the balance of power when an aircraft attacks a zeppelin? Would that be a solo attack? Knowing little, I imagine a lumbering zeppelin would have been almost at the mercy of a nimble aircraft. Is my perception all wrong? Zeppelins did carry defensive machine guns but the odds were stacked against them once they were intercepted. The attacker usually approached unseen, usually from behind and underneath and was able to rake the Zeppelin with gunfire. Theoretically a single bullet could ignite the hydrogen, but Leefe Robinson emptied two Lewis drums into his victim (a Schutte-Lanz not a Zeppelin, describing all airships as Zeppelins would be like calling all cars Fords) before it caught fire. On several other occassions airships were shot at but escaped without igniting or maybe the fighter pilots missed. But it was no turkey-shoot for the aeroplane pilots. We are talking about flying an open-cockpit aircraft at night, with no oxygen, heating or radio and only a compass and map to navigate with. You could fly dozens of patrols without catching an airship. Several pilots were killed trying to land at night. The airship's main protection was altitude so the aeroplane was usually at its maximum ceiling to get anywhere near its target: it would be very unstable; you would be at full throttle just to stay airborne; if you altered your attitude in order to take aim you would lose height, so shooting at something as large as a zeppelin wasn't as easy as you would think. And if it did catch fire the aeroplane would be at risk also: when 2/Lt Ian Pyott shot down L34 his face was scorched by the heat. Some have queried whether Leefe Robinson deserved his VC, based on the perception that airships were supposedly easy targets, but given the above I have no problem with it. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 27 July , 2005 Share Posted 27 July , 2005 Adrian, Thanks for that. I have a much clearer picture now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick H Posted 27 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 July , 2005 "I don't care how many times they go "up diddly, up, up" - they' re still gits" DWL I'm sorry but youv'e lost me ??? Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 27 July , 2005 Share Posted 27 July , 2005 Given many fighter pilot's tally ho attitudes, I would not be too surprised if he returned to the hostelry (which may well have been close to his billet). I think I might have been tempted to in his place - for few fortifying brandies if not the meal - and a bit of adoration would have been a welcome bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 27 July , 2005 Share Posted 27 July , 2005 "I don't care how many times they go "up diddly, up, up" - they' re still gits" DWL I'm sorry but youv'e lost me ??? Patrick <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Patrick I think that'll be a reference to Blackadder's dismissive attitude to those flash gits, the RFC pilots, exemplified by Rik Mayall.... Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boreenatra Posted 27 July , 2005 Share Posted 27 July , 2005 Just a thought, but would a hostelry have been open on a Sunday night in October 1916? Regards Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 27 July , 2005 Share Posted 27 July , 2005 I think it would have been open for a heroic hun-slaying fighter pilot ! B----r the licensing laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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