In the early hours of a September morning, Second Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson, a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps, took to the skies in his BE2c aircraft, determined to protect British civilians from the menace posed by German airships. At approximately 4:00 AM, he spotted the Schütte-Lanz SL 11 hovering over Cuffley, a village north of London. This German airship had previously been part of a series of raids targeting London and other key cities, causing widespread panic and disruption. Utilizing incendiary rounds, Robinson successfully struck the airship, igniting it and sending it crashing to the ground. The airship's wreckage was a poignant reminder of the changing nature of warfare, where the skies became as contested as the ground below.

Robinson's victory was not just significant in military terms; it had a considerable psychological impact on the public. As the first German airship to be shot down over British territory, it bolstered British morale during a time when the war seemed endless and grim. Enthusiastic crowds celebrated Robinson's bravery, with many viewing him as a hero. The destruction of the SL 11 demonstrated the vulnerabilities of airships and challenged German air supremacy, prompting the Germans to reevaluate their aerial strategies.

This event was part of a larger trend throughout World War I, where air power began to play a vital role in military strategy. Robinson’s success heralded a new phase in aerial combat, setting precedents for future encounters between ground forces and aerial threats. Although technology would evolve rapidly in the ensuing years, this moment in Cuffley marked a significant development in the use of aircraft in warfare, establishing air defense as a priority for nations involved in the conflict.