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19 MAY 1909 - CARDIFF DOCKS

At about 1.20 AM coal trimmers at the Queen Alexandra Dock in Cardiff, W. John, C. Hayman, A. Bradley, C. Harwood and J. Thomas, a signalman named Westlake and Dick Squires, another workman at the dock, and a number of men onboard a ship saw an object in the sky.

The coal trimmers were near the foreshore, when a "swishing" sound overhead attracted their attention. It was too dark to clearly distinguish any object, but the men saw two lights "a kind of flashing searchlight", they explained - which were visible for about three or four minutes, and appeared to be going in the direction of Newport, and then turning towards Weston.

The signalman, Robert Westlake, in a statement said:

"At 1.15 this morning, while attending to my duties signalling trains at King's Junction, Queen Alexandra Dock, I was startled by a weird object flying in the air. In appearance it represented a boat or cigar shape, and was making a whizzing noise. It was lit by two lights which could be plainly seen. It was travelling at a great rate, and was elevated at a distance of half-a-mile, making for eastward."

A number of men working on the steamship 'Arndale' also saw the airship. It came from the direction of Newport, took a curve over the docks, and passed over the Channel towards Weston, being clearly in view for a minute or two before the lights on board were suddenly extinguished.

Source: Western Mail Wednesday 19 May 1909 and Thursday 20 May 1909.