110 years ago this week one of the most controversial incidents of the First World War took place leaving opinions split on the right course of action.

On the evening of 31 January/1 February 1916 nine German Zeppelins carried out the largest air raid of the war to date. They penetrated further inland than previously bombing as far west as Staffordshire. 70 civilians were killed, 113 injured and over £53,000 of damage inflicted. In addition a number of British fighter aircraft sent up to tackle the invaders crashed with two pilots killed.

One of the Zeppelins, the L19 commanded by Kptlt Odo Löwe with a crew of 15, flew further west than any Zeppelin previously but suffered engine failure whilst over British soil and did not pass out to sea on the return journey until 0525hrs 1 February. At dawn it was still over the North Sea and off course due to engine problems. By the afternoon, when all the other airships had returned to base, Löwe found himself over Dutch territory. Although The Netherlands was neutral they defended their land fiercely and soldiers opened fire on the lumbering Zeppelin piercing the gas bags in several places. Löwe was able to steer his ship out to sea and relative safety, but low on fuel and with leaking hydrogen he was in a desperate position. 

As darkness fell, for the second time on the L19, the loss of gas meant that the stricken airship settled slowly on to the freezing waters of the North Sea. To keep themselves afloat the crew cut away the engines and control gondola and erected a rudimentary shelter on the remaining envelope above water and awaited rescue having radioed their assumed position just before crashing, in fact they were miles out in their estimation . 

At around 0600 2 February (110 years ago today) an English trawler the King Stephen appeared alongside. Kptlt Löwe appealed for the vessel to take him and his 15 men on board, this left the skipper of the King Stephen William Martin with a quandary. If he allowed the 16 Germans on board they could easily overpower his crew of eight and sail to Germany where they would become prisoners. So he refused, he said he would pass their position on to any vessel he came across, he had no radio, and do so when he returned to his home port of Grimsby. As it turned out he met no other vessels and only made a report when he spotted a RN tug off the Humber the next day. Two RN destroyers were sent out but it was too late, the wreck of the L19 had sunk and her crew drowned.

A few weeks later a bottle containing a message was washed up in Sweden, it read -

"With 15 men on the platform of the L19. Longitude 3° East. The envelope is floating without any car. I am trying to send the last report. We had three engine breakdowns. A very high headwind on the homeward flight hampered progress and drove us in fog over Holland when we came under rifle-fire. Three engines failed simultaneously. Our position became increasingly difficult. Now, about one o'clock in the afternoon, our last hour is approaching.

Löwe"

Three decomposed bodies identified as crewmen from the L19 were washed up in Denmark in June and July along with wreckage recovered in the preceding months.    

So did Martin do the right thing?