B.E.12 6156 at Shipton-by-Beningbrough aerodrome.
On the night of 24th / 25th September 1917 the Midlands and North of England were the targets of a Zeppelin raid that initially saw eleven Zeppelins set out. Of the Zeppelins only three overflew Yorkshire. L.35 came in over Lincolnshire around midnight then headed up to The Humber before west toward Goole but then changed direction and headed for Rotherham. Bombs then fell on Clayton, Thurnscoe, Highgate, Bolton upon Dearne, Swinton and Ryecroft. Anti-aircraft guns opened up on the L.35 and it headed back east, crossing the North Sea coast near Aldborough at 04.05hrs. L.55 came inland near Bridlington at 00.15hrs and headed up the Yorkshire coast. Bombs were dropped around Boulby before anti-aircraft guns and gun boats opened fire and it made off to sea. L.41 came in over Hornsea at 01.27hrs, eventually flew over Hull and released a number of bombs, turned toward Marfleet and Paull. Anti-aircraft guns then fired at it, it dropped more bombs at Preston and went out to sea at Tunstall at 02.43hrs. The RNAS and RFC sent up a total of thirty six aeroplanes with No.76 Squadron and No.36 Squadrons probably being the Royal Flying Corps units involved. Two of these crashed and were written off; one force landed on Flamborough Head and two others landed away from base.
One 76 Squadron aeroplane was B.E.12 6156 and was possibly based at Copmanthorpe. This pilot took off at 02.30hrs and almost certainly went after L.55 but suffered severe engine vibrations shortly after taking off so the pilot decided to make an emergency landing at Shipton aerodrome at 03.03hrs. The aeroplane hit a ridge short of the flare path, damaged propeller, undercarriage and lower wings and although the pilot was uninjured the aeroplane was too badly damaged to warrant a repair.
Pilot - Lt Joseph Clifford Griffiths RFC.
Joseph Griffiths was born on 11th August 1896 at Birkenhead and was a student at the University of Liverpool when he enlisted for service. He appears to have been granted a commission in the RFC on 13th December 1915 and was awarded a Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate (Cert.No.2412) after training at Ruislip on 26th January 1916. He was wounded in action on 4th December 1916 in France flying an F.E.2b with 23 Squadron, this then saw him posted back to England and once fit he joined No.36 Home Defence Squadron. He later transferred to No.76 Squadron, which operated as a Home Defence unit. Post-First World War he worked for Armstrong Whitworth as a test pilot but was killed on 20th October 1923 flying Siskin J6983 in a crash near Coventry. He is buried at Bidston Churchyard, Merseyside.