A FLAMING zeppelin, an escaped prisoner of war and a Uruguayan spy working for the Germans are just three elements of Thurrock’s First World War story.

It is told in the latest book by a pair of historians called ‘Grays (Thurrock) in the Great War’, published by Pen and Sword Books.

The book is by Stephen Wynn and Ken Porter, a pair of Basildon-based authors who met while researching prisonerof- war camps.

Ken has spent many years writing about Laindon and Langdon Hills, while Stephen had his first book about Afghanistan published in 2010.

Their new book tells of an episode with a flaming airship.

Two Thurrock barracks claimed to have shot down the German zeppelin, which finally went down in Gravesend.

Then there is the tale of the only German PoW to escape back home. Gunther Pluschow made it by disguising himself as a dock worker at Tilbury.

German prisoner Paul Simonitas, who tried to escape from Puddledock Farm, did not fare so well.

Police caught up with him near Brentwood.

Meanwhile, spies of every description were using Tilbury as their means of entrance and escape – by smuggling themselves on ships.

The authors also tell of three prisoner-of-war camps in Thurrock, at Puddledock Farm, Horndon House Farm and Wouldhams Quarry.

Stephen, who was a police officer before becoming a writer, said: “I have always been interested in history, but as we started researching I became fascinated by the soldiers.

“Everyone focuses on the ones who died, but it was the ones who survived that fascinated me, and the people who were here at home.”