I’ve just found a BBC documentary from 1972, “Zeppelins over East Anglia” which can be seen on the East Anglian Film Archive’s website. Although much of it is focused on Norfolk, there is a wonderful description of the Zeppelin shot down over Wigborough.
Zeppelins over East Anglia, a BBC documentary from 1972
The film tells of the crash of the airship LZ33 between Peldon and Wigborough in Essex, after attack from Fighter Pilot Brandon. The commander Captain Leutnant Bercker, brought the airship down into a field and then tried to warn the inhabitants of a nearby cottage that he was going to set fire to the ship. He received no replay, but did just that. The crew made off on foot. They encountered Special constable Edgar Nichols, who arrested them. James Rout, who lived in another cottage nearby, recalls the Zeppelin crashing. He shows a piece of the Zeppelin to the camera and recalls that a baby girl was born that night and named Zeppelina!
Watch the film from 18min 30 seconds to see the excerpt about Essex.
I hope you enjoy it.
Sarah
Last Poppy Project 