Polegate, Sussex: Britain’s Most Prolific Airship Station

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In 1915, when Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare against all merchant shipping around the British Isles, Britain needed to take action. The Airship was born and 142 acres of meadowland in Willingdon became Polegate Airship Station. It was one of 11 stations around the coast carrying out air patrols against German U-boats. Airships were to prove a formidable deterrent to the U-boat while performing reconnaissance, mine-hunting and convoy escort duties. Victor Dodd was a Polegate Airship radio operator. In 1968, he shared his experiences of piloting the ships out across the Sussex coast. British airships didn’t win the war by themselves, but without them the war might never have been won. Location: Polegate Airship Station, Polegate, Sussex BN20 9PN. Image: The airship station during the war, courtesy of Brian Turpin. Presented by Pip Henderson. Victor Dodd was interviewed by Brian Turpin in 1968.