On this day 28 November 1916

Zeppelin L21 shot down by RNAS

On the afternoon of 27th November 1916 ten Zeppelin airships, L13, L14, L16, L21, L22, L24, L30, L34, L35 and L36, took off from their base in Nordholz, Germany on a bombing mission over England.

After bombing Dodworth, Kidsgrove, Goldenhill, Tunstall, Chesterton, Fenton and Trentham L.21 began its return to the North Sea and after several encounters with British aircraft left the coast near Great Yarmouth. It was intercepted by three RNAS B.E. 2C aircraft.The pilots were
Flight–Lieutenant Egbert Cadbury (heir to his father’s chocolate empire);
Flight Sub–Lieutenant Gerard William Reginald Fane;
Flight Sub–Lieutenant Edward Laston Pulling.
The three aircraft attacked in turn, exchanging fire with L.21. Following Pulling’s attack, L.21 burst into flames and crashed into the sea about eight miles (13 km) east of Lowestoft. There were no survivors.

For this action Flight Sub–Lieutenant E.L. Pulling was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Flight–Lieutenant E. Cadbury, and Flight Sub–Lieutenant G.W.R. Fane were both awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

A longer account of this German attack can be found here.
Image Wikipedia Commons licence.

Photo of Pulling and Cadbury copyright Peter Cadbury.