Bookkeeper Walter James Buchanan of Goderich, Ontario enlisted with the 71st Battalion on 21 September 1915. At the age of 21 he had 4 years of militia experience and lived in a small Ontario town routed in its connection to Lake Huron and the surrounding farms.
At the time of his enlistment he never would he expect his military service to offer him the opportunity to see the nascent use of strategic airpower.
Company Quarter Master Sergeant (provisionally appointed soon after enlisting) Buchanan arrived at Liverpool, England aboard the HMT Olympic at Liverpool after a 7-day crossing of the Atlantic. He was transferred to several battalions during his service in England and it was when he was serving with the 44th Battalion that he was able to take some leave in London, England.
During this leave, on the night of 2/3 September, CQMS Buchanan would witness a German airship attack and write home about his experience.
He writes (full text at end of article[i]):
“I just returned this morning from a week-end in London and might say that it was one I shall not forget for a long time, for while I was there the Zepps called and one was brought down. It was shortly after 2 a.m. when we were awakened by an explosion and we got up and had a look and there was one of the Kaiser’s pets sailing along above us—about two mile in the air, so they said. It was soon engaged by our airships and by anti-aircraft guns and fortunately they got one shell home, for we saw her burst into flames and then she started to descend and crashed nose on into a field, where she burned to ashes. They are a wonderful machine, and one cannot help but marvel how such a massive affair can be kept in the air. It was a wonderful sight and I am very glad I was there. They did manage to drop a few bombs and for a few minutes, between the explosion of bombs and the shriek of shells from our guns rushing through the air, why, it was pretty lively. This is the second one that has been brought down in England. Yesterday we went out to see the remains, but there was nothing except the metal parts of her left and the charred bodies of her crew.”
His eyewitness account was the death of the Shutte-Lanz SL 11 dirigible, not a Zeppelin as was stated in the news clippings headline. There were two main manufacturers of dirigibles in Germany and Shutte-Lanz built airships for the Germany Army and Navy. SL 11 was a dirigible operated by the German Army and was one of 16 airships sent to attack England on that night (4 Army and 12 Navy) and was the only successful airship to drop it bombs as the other airships were scatted by snowstorms they encountered over the North Sea. She was brand new having had its first flight on 1 August 1916, entering service 11-days later and was commanded by Hauptmann Wilhelm Shramm during the raid.
Ironically, Shramm had been born in Kent, England.
His crew was experienced having served with him on other bombing raids on LZ 39. The crew consisted of its Captain, Officers, machinists, gunners, an engineer, and a bombardier.
The path of the airship brought is over Ponders End in North London where searchlights picked it up. The explosion that Buchanan heard was probably that of one of the SL 11’s bombs exploding at this location shortly around 2:00 am. It is reported that searchlights picked up the SL 11 at 2:15 pm and it was shortly after this when a B.E. 2c flown by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson VC [ii]engaged the SL 11 with incendiary ammunition from his Lewis gun which started the conflagration that would consume and destroy the SL 11 and its crew. This event was so momentous and has such propaganda value that Leefe’s Victoria Cross was promulgated on 5 September 1916[iii], just days after the action
SL 11 crashed near Cuffley and there were no survivors, as Buchanan relates their fate so tersely.
The SL 11 was the first airship to be shot down by an aircraft and this event signaled the beginning of end of the use of lighter-than-air craft use as bombers during the First World War. Thus CQMS Buchanan witnessed a singular point in military aviation history and was so impressed by the event he wrote about it the very next day to his parents. Cuffley was only 6.8 miles by road from Ponders End so Buchanan was close enough to make a trip out to see the wreck, as did thousands, many who attended the burial of the German aircrew on 6 September 1916.[iv]
Buchanan would survive the war and would serve again in World War 2 with the Royal Canadian Engineers. It was only the two wars that could make him leave his home town of Goderich where he worked as a contractor and carpenter. His life, outside that of his military experience had other moments of adventure as on 9 September 1934 while returning form a war veterans service at Brussels, Ontario, a car he was a passenger in overturned. With the help of passers by the four men from the car righted the car and continued home, “with but minor scratches and dents.”[v]
One can be certain that this event in Buchanan’s life would be indelibly imprinted on his memory and would have been obscured and lost to time and history but not for a letter from him to his parents reproduced in his local newspaper.
SAW ZEPPELIN BROUGHT DOWN
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Exciting Incident Described by Sergt. Walter J. Buchanan
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Acknowledging the receipt of a package of tobacco sent to him my his former comrades of the Menesetung Canoe Club, Q.M. Sergt. Walter J. Buchanan (son of Mr. and Mrs. James Buchanan) writes: “It is such a treat to be able to enjoy the taste once again of good old Canuck tobacco and I appreciate your kindness very much. The parcel arrived this morning and was in excellent condition and already a couple of pals have joined me in smoking to the health of the members of the gold old M.C.C.”
Sergt. Buchanan continues: “I just returned this morning from a week-end in London and might say that it was one I shall not forget for a long time, for while I was there the Zepps called and one was brought down. It was shortly after 2 a.m. when we here awakened by an explosion and we got up and had a look and there was one of the Kaiser’s pets sailing along above us—about two mile in the air, so they said. It was soon engaged by our airships and by anti-aircraft guns and fortunately they got one shell home, for we saw her burst into flames and then she started to descend and crashed nose on into a field, where she burned to ashes. They are a wonderful machine, and one cannot help but marvel how such a massive affair can be kept in the air. It was a wonderful sight and I am very glad I was there. They did manage to drop a few bombs and for a few minutes, between the explosion of bombs and the shriek of shells from our guns rushing through the air, why, it was pretty lively. This is the second one that has been brought down in England. Yesterday we went out to see the remains, but there was nothing except the metal parts of her left and the charred bodies of her crew.”
This letter was written September 4th, and describes an incident which created a tremendous sensation in London.
[i] The Signal. 28 September 1916. Page 2.
[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leefe_Robinson
[iii] London Gazette. No. 29735. 5 September 1916. Page 8704.
[iv] The London Advertiser. 6 September 1916. Page 1.
[v] The Signal. 13 September 1934. Page 3.
War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF 
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