A PIECE OF HISTORY

So much of a story such as this is ethermeral – paper, and now digital, records, images and the written word. So coming across physical objects that have a direct connection with N.S.11 are extremely rare occurances. This changed in 2018 when we were contacted by Ray Beckinsale on behalf of Paul Lawson who had in his posession a stunning little collection within a battered envelope.  

The envelope was within a collection of stamps and papers he purchased, and contained:

• A photograph of a member of the Women’s Royal Air Force, with “Nellie Crickmore” written on the back
• A small photograph of N.S.11 with “N.S.11 July 14 1919. Destroyed over Cromer” written on the back
• An embroidered RAF badge – we assume Nellie’s
• A postcard of airship R34 with “Royal Naval Airship Station Pulham St mary, Norfolk. Arrival of R34 at Pulham, July 13th 1919. N Crickmore.” written on the back
• A small envelope, marked “N.S.11”  containing a small piece of stiff, charred fabric that is undoubtedly from a non-rigid airship that must have been, given the evidence, N.S.11

When asked if were interested in them we said “absolutely” immediately.

The charred inside surface of the envelope.. Image: NS11.org.

We certainly know that officers from Pulham Airship Station did go to Cromer and Sherringham, collected objects from the wreck of N.S.11 that were washed up on shore and brought them back to Pulham. This would explain how the ‘souvenir’ of the tragedy got into Nellie’s possession. We can only assume that the airship and crews meant something to Nellie for her to keep this little collection together for many years.

Born in Preston in 1901, Nellie enrolled in the WRAF in Coventry on 24 April 1919 as a Mess Orderly. Her career with the RAF was short. She was demobbed at Pulham on 9 October 1919, aged 19 (as stated on her demob papers) and just 5ft tall. 

Nellie went on to marry Thomas Edward Hammond in Liverpool on 5 June 1928. She died in Birkenhead in 1989.