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Original Text (Annotation: EPW060957 / 2115035)
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Wing Commander N.F. Usborne perished when his aircraft crashed in Strood Station goods yard on the 21st February 1916. Squadron Commander Ireland was thrown out of the aircraft, fell into the Medway and also died. Wing Commander Usborne was the commanding officer of RNAS Kingsnorth, about 5 miles East North East of here. To counter the threat of German Zeppelin raids, he had developed the idea of an aircraft slung under an airship balloon; if a Zeppelin was spotted, the aircraft would already be at an altitude to intercept, thus saving significant time. The aircraft would detach from the balloon and fly to attack. Initial tests in August 1915 worked but further development continued, leading to the fatal accident. The work was then discontinued.
Source: 'Kingsnorth Airship Station - In Defence of the Nation' by Tina Bilbe, published by The History Press, 2013, ISBN 978 0 7524 9153 0 '
