Hindenburg Over Keighley

Hindenburg
On Friday evening, May 22nd, 1936 the German Zeppelin Hindenburg en route from the USA to Frankfurt altered her course to fly across Yorkshire reaching Keighley about 8 o’ clock.


It was the biggest airship ever built and included a dance floor amongst its lavish passenger accommodation.
As it flew over High Street, a parcel fell from the Zeppelin and was picked up by two boy scouts, Alfred Butler and Jack Gerard. The parcel contained a bunch of carnations, a small silver and jet crucifix, some postage stamps, a picture of a flying boat and a request written upon Hindenburg notepaper to deposit the flowers and cross upon the grave of ‘my dear brother Franz Schulte, Prisoner of War in Keighley near Leeds.’ The letter was signed by ‘John B Schulte, the first flying priest.

The flying priest’s brother had been a prisoner of war at Morton Banks War Hospital and upon his death had been buried in Morton Cemetery. The Movietone News came and filmed the boys laying the flowers and cross upon Franz Schulte’s grave and 300 scouts were granted free seats at Keighley Picture house to view the newsreel.

You can see the short film here
You Tube – Hindenburg

There is also a relevant newspaper article with the full story here:
Hindenburg Article

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