The Washington times., 1921-08-28

the physical laboratory assistants on
the ZR-2. said:
II was seated In the tail Of the
ZR.2. She first flew over the North
Sea and toward Pullman. She was In
perfect flying condition until 5:35
o'clock this evening. at which time
the controls on the ship were being
tested while the vessel was proceeding
at high speed.
II assume that a girder broke
amidships. After q few short shocks
the ship began TO fall and the petrol
tank exploded. i saw smoke after
ward up forward about the ship, which
began to fall, nose downward. toward
the Humber.
| Immediately after the explosion I
was thrown into the cockpit at the
tail Of the ship. then attached my
self to parachute and jumped over
| board. The rope OF the parachute,
however, had caught in some wires.
and 1 was unable to extricate myself.
| Shortly afterward. with two other
persons. l was picked up from the
water by a barge and taken to the
police station"
Ernest Davies, ono of the British.
| members Of the crew of the ZR-2 who
was saved, said:
| 1--WE had q terrible time. 1t was
all over in a moment. The petrol
tanks exploded and volumes OF. smoke
and fire issued from the ship.
Some Of the men jumped, but l
stuck to the ship and went down with
the stern section, which struck sand
bank, from which / was rescued.
"Some Of the poJv fellows had no
chance whatever, especially those IN
the control car"
Saw Airship Break.
A graphic eyewitness story Of the
disaster was given today by David
Phipson, who photographed the
debris Immediately after the expio'
sion and crash.
II was standing at the Quaysids
The airship had just emerged from
behind some fleecy clouds and was
outlined against the clear blue sky
Suddenly wrinkle appeared
about the middle Of the drship's
back. like q frown in a forehead.
1T deepened, and others followed
and for two or three seconds they
grew more pronounced. All OF sud
den the whole structure lurched md
sagged in the middle.
Her nose and stern went up In
the air. while a great split appeared
in the bottom. She was like some
huge, elongated eggshen. cracked
over a basin, with each end up
turned for the yolk to fall out.
"And from that Gaping crack
came tumbling men, debris, blanket:
and bits of wood and steel, while we
who were watching were petrifiet
with horror.
Then two terrific explosions rent
the airship still further.
fragments Of framework, mer
and all the details of the interior
mechanism of the great ship fell In
a terrible shower.
MANY things which fell wer,
flaming. Some may have been human
bodies.
The two parts hung drifting fol
another instant and then the nos'
end burst into pink flames. 1t wal
wrapped In a sheath of fire in Z
moments time and the flames wer'
communicated to the tail end, though
that was some distance away.
Tail End Floated Down.
"A terrible crash as the petro
tanks hit the water and explodes
added to the horror OF the scene
and the surface of the Humber wa
covered with a fume-laden haui'
which instantly took fire. The who'll
river at that point was blaze o
! flame.
Meanwhile the tail end floatet
slowly down and struck the rive
!. farther east. Just clearing the burn
ing ring Of flaming oil. which wa
rapidly spreading.
Then / recovered my senses and
settling my camera, started taking
pictures.
II saw only one parachute de
scend. That was almost immediate