Memorial

Captain William Leefe Robinson VC And Cuffley Airship SL11

Full-length picture of the memorial

Source: Copyright Liam Gillespie

1/9

Current Location

East Ridgeway, Cuffley, Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire, EN6 4AW, England

TL 30085 03015

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Type of Memorial: Obelisk
WMR Reference Number: 1128
Description: Obelisk set on a tapering plinth, a base and paved area. There is a cast wreath at the base of the obelisk and a plaque with an RFC wings and swags.
Inscription: (Front face)ERECTED BY READERS OF/ "THE DAILY EXPRESS" TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM LEEFE ROBINSON VC,/ WORCS. REGT AND R.F.C. WHO ON SEPTEMBER 3 1916/ ABOVE THIS SPOT BROUGHT DOWN/ SL11, THE FIRST GERMAN AIRSHIP/ DESTROYED ON BRITISH SOIL./ THE SITE OF THIS MONUMENT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC/ BY MRS J.M.B. KIDSTON, OF NYM PARK, NORTHAW. (Right face) CAPTAIN ROBINSON DIED AT STANMORE/ ON DECEMBER 31, 1918/ SEVENTEEN DAYS AFTER HIS RETURN / FROM CAPTIVITY IN GERMANY/ HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER IN APRIL 1917 (Left face)THE AWARD OF THE VICTORIA CROSS/ TO CAPTAIN ROBINSON WAS THUS ANNOUNCED/ IN THE LONDON GAZETTE OF SEPTEMBER 5, 1916/" FOR MOST CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY"/ HE ATTACKED AN ENEMY AIRSHIP/ UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF GREAT DIFFICULTY/ AND DANGER, AND SENT IT CRASHING/ TO THE GROUND AS A FLAMING WRECK./ HE HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FOR MORE/ THAN TWO HOURS, AND HAD PREVIOUSLY/ ATTACKED ANOTHER AIRSHIP DURING HIS FLIGHT"

War: First World War (1914-1918)
Number Commemorated: 1
Died: 1
Information shown: Surname,rank,year died,regiment,place of death,forename,place of burial,manner of death,age of death,additional,decorations

War
Information shown: Surname,rank,year died,regiment,place of death,forename,place of burial,manner of death,age of death,additional,decorations

Maker(s): THE DAILY EXPRESS, Sponsor
Sponsor Type: corporate
Maintenance History: Dec. 2207- Mar. 2008 memorial was relevelled as it was sinking towards one corner: Restoration work completed. Fully restored on the 70th Anniversary of Leefe Robinson's feat in 1986 . 1966 the correct identification of the airship as SL11 was substituted for Z21