Cornwall in the First World War

During this month, each weekday I'm posting a photograph showing Cornwall's First World War.

This is Coastal Star Class airship C*6 of the Royal Naval Air Service. She's leaving Mullion's airship base for a convoy protection patrol over the Channel, to guard against attacks by German submarines. 

C* airships featured an open crew gondola skinned with plywood, and mounting an engine at each end. The envelope of most Coastal Stars was nearly 220 feet long; a rare indulgence too at that time, the five crewmen were allowed parachutes. Though the C* was a successful design, the war’s end meant only ten were built. 

Over the summer and autumn of 1918 two C* airships were based in Cornwall. C*6 arrived at Mullion on 29 May and stayed until 20 August, when it travelled up-country for major repairs. Mid-October saw a return; it was finally dismantled during March 1919, having flown a total of 522 hours.  C*10 served at Mullion, Bude, and latterly Toller mooring-out station in Dorset where eventually in October 1919 it too was decommissioned. 

My book, 'Cornwall In The First World War', is published by Truran. With 112 pages and 100 images, you'll find it in bookshops across the Duchy. It's also available through Amazon: http://amzn.to/19JbtZm