Anti-Zeppelin Seaplane Carriers

[Brigantian]

According to L. E. O. Chorlton’s ‘War over England’, part of Britain’s anti-Zeppelin defences included two paddle steamers stationed off the Norfolk Coast. They carried seaplanes, based on a Schneider Cup design, to intercept raiding airships.

Does anyone know what the ships were called, whether they were fitted with anti-aircraft guns or anything else about them?

Regards

Mark

[joseph]

Mark,

Killingholme was one of the paddle steamers I recall she lost her plane near whitby the other the Brocklesby they carried the Sopwith Schnider seaplane, several trawlers where fitted out to carry seaplanes HMT Kingfisher was one.

Regards Charles

[Gilgamesh of Uruk]

Think those were the PSs, but my sources suggest that the pair of them carried the very similar Sopwith Baby rather that the Schneider. Both (and the Fairey Hamble Baby) were seaplane versions of the Tabloid (perhaps fairer to say the Tabloid was a landplane version of the Schneider).

Take a look at www.crossandcockade.com/pdf/Baby.pdf - you might find it interesting. There's a pic of Killinholme's Baby there

Edited 29 December , 2005 by Gilgamesh of Uruk

[joseph]

G of U,

The Sopwith Baby pictured in the article flew from RNAS Killingholme the article states the paddle steamers carried the Schneider. Confusing init.

Regards Charles

[TonyE]

The Sopwith Baby and Schneider floatplanes were often fitted with the Holland & Holland Aero Gun, which was a 12 bore double barreled shotgun designed to fire the Buckingham Incendiary bullet at Zeppelins or chain shot against the riggging of aircraft. The gun was mounted to fire at an angle of about 30 degrees to clear the prop.

Rather ambitious!

Regards

TonyE

[joseph]

Mark,

On the ships,

HMPS Killingholme was based at the Royal Naval Air Station Killingholme on the Humber. (RAF Lincolnshire – Killingholme)

HMPS Brocklesby was based at Royal Naval Air Station Great Yarmouth. (Best reference for that would be Henry Allingham he served on her)

There Armament may be in Ships of the Royal Navy Vol. II by JJ Colledge.

Regards Charles

[RNCVR]

Brocklesby is shown in Colledge in the Fleet Messengers section & the notation beside her says: "Paddle Air Service Scout: 21 Feb '16 to 9 June '17"

No mention of armament carried on board.

[RNCVR]

Killingholme is in the same section & says: "Paddle Air Service Scout 21 Feb '16 to 21 Apl '17"

& apparently was still around for WWII.

Bryan

[Brigantian]

Charles, G of U, TonyE & Bryan

Thanks for your help on this one – much appreciated.

Regards

Mark

[Adrian Roberts]

Killinghome was adapted by, and initially commanded by, Commander (later Vice-Admiral) Richard Bell-Davies VC.

In his Autobiography "Sailor in the Air", he says she was initially designed to carry sheep; she therefore had a circular upper deck "big enough for four Sopwith Schneider seaplanes" ; she was a paddle steamer, very broad-beamed, with very shallow draught and a rudder at each end. Unsurprisingly, her performance at sea was "unusual to say the least". The North Point of the compass always pointed at the funnel (says RBD, possibly exaggerating)

On her first trip in her new role, the paddle blades mostly stripped away and she had to be modified with stronger paddles. By this time the Germans were wise to her. On her next trip, two "apparently inoffensive fishing trawlers" approached and fired torpedoes. One passed under her shallow hull, but the other smashed a paddle box, with injuries but no fatalities to the crew.

Adrian

[Michael Lowrey]

Note also that Killingholme, as referenced in this thread

struck a mine or was torpedoed on April 27, 1916 with the loss of 18 lives.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Brigantian]

Adrian/Michael

Thanks for the additional information – fascinating stuff. Richard Bell-Davies’ autobiography sounds very interesting – I’ve managed to find a reasonably priced second hand copy through Abebooks and look forward to reading it.

Thanks again

Mark

[Adrian Roberts]

Mark

Richard Bell-Davies' book is certainly fascinating; I've quoted on this forum several times. But like all first hand accounts, it needs to be taken with a slight pinch of salt as he probably relied on his memory at least to some extent. Note the contradiction between his account of the casualties to "Killingholme" and that in Michael Lowrey's reference (almost certainly the same incident) - and I've found at least one other discrepancy with an official record.

However, don't be put off, its well worth a read. He gives a rare first hand account of life in the Edwardian Royal Navy,and was a key figure in the development of Naval Air Warfare. He comes across as a decent bloke with a sense of humour. Given that his parents died when he was very young and he was packed off to boarding school and was in the Navy by the time he was thirteen, he did well to be as balanced as he seems and to raise an apparently happy family of his own - these days he would be assumed to need intensive counselling.

Adrian