The Monmouth inquirer., 1921-09-01
British Vessel Built for United
States Meets Disaster After
"a Hours on Final Test Trip.
BUT ONE AMERICAN SURVIVES
Survivor Says Girder Amidships crum-
Battle-Ground Observers State Col
lapse Preceded Gasoline
Explosion.


history of the air, when the ZR-2,
worlds largest dirigible, exploded,
burst in two and fell flaming into the
River Humber, carrying sixteen Amer
leans and twenty-seven British to their
deaths, were told by Flight Lieutenant
A. II. Wann, commander of the airship,
and by Norman o. Walker, the only
American saved.
''The whole thing happened In five
seconds" Flight Lieutenant Wann, ly-
ing in Hull Hospital, said.
MY ship was running beautifully
at sixty knots as we swung over the
city of Hull Our tests were nearly
finished. We hoped to be down soon.
Il had just signaled that the speed
be reduced to fifty knots when sudden
ly l heard terrific crack. l believe
that several girders must have broken.
The ship buckled and the explosion
followed"
The cause Of the explosion will prob
ably never be known, the commander
said.
Il was In sole control of the ZR-2
when the disaster occurred" Lieuten-
ant Wann continued. II felt the for
ward car, from which was command
Ing the ship, falling swiftly through
the air Immediately after the loud
crack amidships
Then it rose sharply at a high an
gle.
Il pulled the water ballast for the
purpose of leyeling the keel.
Suddenly there was terrific ex-
plosion, which felt and heard in the
forward car. / think many men were
killed outright by the blast for they
would have been inside the envelope
amidships.
"Some of the crew and officers jump
ed when the ship caught fire.
Il remained ON board until we were
close to the water. Then l jumped,
but was caught in the wreckage and
pinned down for fifteen minutes. The
flaming pieces Of the ZR-2 fell all
about me, and was burned about the
head and face. l lost consciousness,
and when woke up was III the nos
pital.
4 feel better this morning"
Norman o. Walker of Commerce,
Tex, the only american saved, said:
No one will ever have a clear idea
of just what happened. 1t was with
two Britishers at the extreme tail Of
the ZR-2. When the explosion SHOOK
the ship and she broke in two our half
fell tail downward.
'The three of us hung on, and we
fioated down toward midriver, alIas.st
like big bird settling ON the watsr.
1t was almost like having a paravh1te
Il looked down and saw the w4aer
rushing up at us, and when we we're
about thirty feet from the surface I
let go and dropped. though I could
never come up, but when Sid there
We're tugs and boats already speeding
TO rescue work. The airs.lio could
scarcely have been in the watsr thirty
seconds before they were on vse job.
II feel line, personally
Thousands gathered OF the river
front at Dawn watching the search for
bodies of the victims.
The ZR-2 was invisible. both halves
being completely covered 3y the tide.
Preliminary work of salvage was un-
der way.
All night long search parties worked
feverishly lest there SHOULD still be
some one left alive in tie wreckage of
the tirigible which shswed above the
surface.
Handicapped by daskness, they sue
ceeded in obtaining the bodies of
twelve American dead, which will be
embalmed and seaS to the United
States. Glimpses OF other bodies were
had by the rescuerN but they could not
be reached.
Until after the fullest investigation
by experts. the exact cause of the dis
aster must renls-n a mystery. Even
then it is eonsideted likely it viii never
be known.
Graphically accounting the disaster,
naval officer eaid:
ssTerrible SCENES were witnessed
when the sky s.ad cleared after the ex-
plosion anG averything could be OBJ
served / should say that a majority
of the crew had been blown to pieces.
For hours afterwards parts Of bodies
could be seen floating in the river.
II could hear cries for help, but
could not tell where they came from.
.The rear gondola was apparently
blown to aroms, for nothing could be
seen OF it whatever, while its engines
fell into the river some distance from
the pieces Of the dlrigible."
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