WILLIAM LEEFE ROBINSON

the early hours of 3 September 1916, the villagers of Cuffley, Hertfordshire, gathered for an unexpected spectacle. A German airship had been shot out of the sky, and an inferno had quickly taken its place. 16 men lay dead inside, but for the villagers this was a scene of unabashed celebration – at last one of the feared German Zeppelins (as they believed the airship to be) had been shot down by Britain’s valiant defenders, the pilots of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). This night would not only be imprinted on those who watched it unfold, but also on the man responsible for the jubilation. William Leefe Robinson – a humble, young pilot serving in 39 Squadron – was transformed into a national treasure overnight after becoming the first person to shoot down an enemy airship over Britain. For this incredible feat he was awarded the Victoria Cross – the fastest to have ever been issued.