Date:	Tuesday 15 July 1919
Time:	01:45
Type:	North Sea Class Airship
Owner/operator:	Royal Naval Air Service
Registration:	N.S. 11
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Sea, off Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Pulham, Norfolk
Destination airport:	Pulham, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The airship departed on July 14 on a routine mine-hunting patrol. It burst into flames and crashed at sea at 01:45 in the morning of July 15. on what was officially supposed to be a mine-hunting patrol, she was seen to fly beneath a long "greasy black cloud" off Cley next the Sea on the Norfolk coast and a massive explosion was heard shortly after.

A vivid glare lasted for a few minutes as the burning airship descended, and finally plunged into the sea after a second explosion. The Sheringham lifeboat was launched but its crew could only find a small part of the aluminium wreckage. There were no survivors among the nine crew, and the findings of the official Court of Enquiry were inconclusive, but amongst other possibilities it was thought that a lightning strike may have caused the explosion.

The crew were :
The Commander: Captain Walter Kerneys Francis Goodhall Warneford AFC. Captain Warneford was a cousin of Reginald A. J. Warneford of the RNAS who was awarded the VC for his action in attacking and destroying the German airship LZ37.
The Second Officer: Captain Arthur Stanley Elliott DSC from Yorkshire.
Coxwain: Sergeant Charles Henry Lewry AFM from Gosport.
Coxwain: Sergeant Percy James Waghorn from Keston, Kent.
Air Gunner: Aircraftman 1st Class Frederick Cameron from Manchester.
Engineer: Flight Sergeant Charles O’Connor from Bloomsbury, London.
Engineer: Aircraftman 2nd Class Thomas George Jarrett from Bromley, Kent.
Wireless Operator: Leading Aircraftman Thomas Connelly from Scotland.
Wireless Operator: Aircraftman 2nd Class Alfred Thomas Jacques from Nottingham.

A contemporary newspaper report adds further details (Western Times - Wednesday 16 July 1919)

"AIRSHIP DISASTER.
British Dirigible Lost off Norfolk Coast.
CREW PERISH.
Cromer, Tuesday. The Press Association's correspondent at Cromer telegraphs: It is feared that a disaster occurred to a coastal airship which left Pulham, Norfolk, last evening. Residents along the coast saw a tremendous flare in the sky shortly after mid-night, and then a burning object fell into the sea. A portion of the wreckage, believed to be from the destroyed airship, was washed up at Sheringham this morning. There is no news as to the fate of the crew, who would probably have numbered eleven or twelve.

Many people in the district speak to having heard and seen an airship about midnight. About 1.15, during a thunderstorm, there was the sound of a big explosion, which was heard for many miles around, and then a mass of flame was observed in the sky, and a burning object fell into the sea. The lifeboat at Sheringham was called out, as well as two motor boats from the same place. They scoured the sea for some time.

Telegraphing late last night the Press Association says: It is believed that the coastal airship which met with disaster off the Norfolk coast was the N.S. 11, which carried a crew of two officers and five men, all whom must have perished. The airship left Pulham last evening, and shortly after midnight was seen by residents near Sheringham over the sea. The engines were heard working badly and suddenly there was a very loud explosion, and the craft was seen to fall into the sea in flames.

Charred wreckage has been washing up along the coast, including the airship fittings and furniture, a broken propeller blade, an airman's cap smelling of petrol, and a chair, apparently that of the coxswain".

There is a memorial plaque and drinking fountain in the grounds of the Viaduct Sports & Social Club in Earlestown, Merseyside. The names of the crew are commemorated on Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton. One of the crew was buried at Ann’s Hill Cemetery in Gosport

1. Western Times - Wednesday 16 July 1919
2. Western Daily Press - Thursday 17 July 1919
3. Nottingham Evening Post - Thursday 17 July 1919
4. British Airship Burns with Crew; Twelve Lost When the NS-11 Falls Flaming Into the North Sea". The New York Times. 16 July 1919.
5. "Airship Burnt At Sea." Times [London, England] 16 July 1919
6. http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1919/1919%20-%201051.PDF
7. http://www.ns11.org/loss-of-ns11-%E2%80%93-a-local-view/
8. http://www.ns11.org/?LMCL=wFv1R14
9. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2096.0
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship_N.S.11_crash

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
05-Jan-2013 13:28	harro	Added
22-Mar-2013 12:03	ryan	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative]
03-Apr-2020 18:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
03-Apr-2020 18:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative]
20-Mar-2022 06:43	Ron Averes	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]