Throughout the First World War, the many announcements of British and Commonwealth gallantry awards appeared in the various issues of The London Gazette. As part of our major monthly series covering the period of the Great War commemorations, we examine some of the actions involved and summarise all of the awards announced in July1917.
A NUMBER OF the awards announced in July 1917, which saw the total tally for the war so far break through the 100,000 mark, were for combat in the air. Two of the men recognised were Captain Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby and Second Lieutenant Loudon Watkins, who both received the Military Cross for their involvement in the shooting down of Zeppelin L.48.
On the night of 16/17 June 1917, L.48, which had been part of a force of four airships, found itself drifting slowly over Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast. From Orford Ness, the airship rounded Wickham Market, and Leutnant zur See Otto Mieth took charge of the bombing run. Mieth unleashed a series of nine bombs on the village of Falkenham, some five miles north-east of Harwich. L.48 then turned west and north, unloaded th…
