THE story of the pilot who shot down a Zeppelin as it bombed a North-East town is being told almost exactly 100 years since the raid.

Second Lieutenant Ian Pyott was just 20 years old when, as the solo pilot of a bi-plane, he flew from Seaton Carew to Hartlepool to shoot down the Zeppelin L34 on November 27, 1916 at the height of the First World War.

The Zeppelin raiders killed at least two people, with some reports putting the number of injured at more than 30. The attack caused serious damage to property, including a stand at Hartlepool United's Victoria Park ground.

South Africa-born Lt Pyott, of the 36 Squadron, shot at the Zeppelin and flames could be seen from it as it passed over St Hilda's on the Headland. It eventually fell into the sea about 800 yards beyond the old lighthouse and all five crew members perished.

The Northern Echo: RAID: Hermann Pufahl, crew member on the Zeppelin

Hermann Pufahl, crew member on the Zeppelin

BBC Inside Out North East and Cumbria presenter Chris Jackson has interviewed Lt Pyott's niece, Jean Yearsley, who lives in Solihull, and also the grandchildren of Hermann Pufahl, the pilot of the Zeppelin for a documenatry which will be broadcast on Monday night.

Mark Simmons, curator at Hartlepool Museums, has gained access to the once-secret files in the National Archives and discovered that Pyott had been so keen to join the Royal Flying Corps that he had offered to pay for his own training, something his family had never known before.

To get a sense of what flying would have been like for her uncle, Mrs Yearsley met Steve Slater, co-owner of a replica BE2c bi-plan that Lt Pyott piloted that night, firing then-revolutionary exploding bullets at the Zeppelin.

It has also been revealed that Pufahl had been based near Hamburg and joined the crew of the L34 airship which was captained by Max Dietrich, the uncle of the singer and actress Marlene Dietrich. Pufahl’s great grand-daughter describes how he had been married just three years before he died and had a daughter and a baby son.

The bodies of all five Germans were recovered. Two were buried in Seaton Carew. The other three bodies were later found but it is not known where they were laid to rest.

Pyott was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for his actions and there is a tribute to him on the sea front at Seaton Carew.

Seeing the tribute for the first time, Mrs Yearsley said: “I don’t think the family even knew it existed. It’s incredible.”

She added: “He never spoke about it. He just said I was in the war and that was it. To hear what he actually did is wonderful.”

After the war, Hartlepool United tried to get money from the German government for a new stand, but to no avail.

There were two other Zeppelin raids on Hartlepool. One on August 8, 1916, where no-one was hurt, and one on March 13, 1918 where eight people were killed and 22 injured.

  • Inside Out is broadcast Monday, October 31 at 7.30pm on BBC One in the North East and Cumbria.