Page "Imperial German Navy" Paragraph 85

The German Navy purchased 14 Zeppelins, named L1 to L14 ; the main use of the airships was in reconnaissance over the North Sea and the Baltic, where the endurance of the craft led German warships to a number of Allied vessels.

Zeppelin patrolling had priority over any other airship activity.

During the entire war around 1, 200 scouting flights were made.

During 1915 the German Navy had some 15 Zeppelins in commission and was able to have two or more patrolling continuously at any one time, almost regardless of weather.

They kept the British ships from approaching Germany, spotted when and where the British were laying sea-mines, and later aided in the destruction of those mines.

Zeppelins would sometimes land on the sea surface next to a minesweeper, bring aboard an officer and show him the lay of the mines.

Before the widespread availability of incendiary ammunition made commerce raiding too risky, they would also land or hover close to a merchant ship suspected of carrying contraband, order all ship's hands to leave in boats, then inspect the ship, and either destroy it or take it back to Germany as prize.