Thread by @AeroDork

In the early hours of September 3, 1916, bombs joined the rain falling from the sky above London Colney and South Mimms, England.

Obscured by might, the crew of Zeppelin Schütte-Lanz SL 11 dropped their high explosive payload. Shortly after, they were picked up by searchlight above Hornsey and targeted by an ineffective barrage. They slipped into the clouds undamaged.

Roughly 15 minutes later, the monolithic SL 11 began bombing Ponders End. The ship was spotted again by searchlights at Waltham Abbey. This time, fighters scrambled into action.

Lt. William Leefe Robinson, flying his BE 2C at 11,000 feet, pulled beneath the 500-foot airship.

Flying 800 feet below the SL11, Robinson fired a magazine along its entire length. It had no effect.

Anti aircraft shells exploded around Robinson's open cockpit as he maneuvered for another pass.

He pulled alongside, again firing a drum along the length of the Zeppelin...to no effect.

Robinson moved behind the huge airship. Flying at 11,500 feet, he concentrated his third drum on the lower rear of the Zeppelin as it passed out of the searchlights. As the drum finished, he noticed a glow growing in the dark.

In seconds the SL 11 was ablaze above him.

Robinson maneuvered quickly to get out of the path of the falling ball of flames. He fired off a flare to illuminate the wreckage, and the searchlights again found their mark.

The wreckage of SL11 tumbled more than 10,000 feet, ablaze in the rainy night sky, before smashing into a field at Cuffley. For his heroism, Robinson was awarded the Victoria Cross...the first ever given for action in the UK.