1.
German Empire
–
The German Empire was the historical German nation state that existed from the unification of Germany in 1871 to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918, when Germany became a federal republic. The German Empire consisted of 26 constituent territories, with most being ruled by royal families and this included four kingdoms, six grand duchies, five duchies, seven principalities, three free Hanseatic cities, and one imperial territory. Although Prussia became one of kingdoms in the new realm, it contained most of its population and territory. Its influence also helped define modern German culture, after 1850, the states of Germany had rapidly become industrialized, with particular strengths in coal, iron, chemicals, and railways. In 1871, it had a population of 41 million people, and by 1913, a heavily rural collection of states in 1815, now united Germany became predominantly urban. During its 47 years of existence, the German Empire operated as an industrial, technological, Germany became a great power, boasting a rapidly growing rail network, the worlds strongest army, and a fast-growing industrial base. In less than a decade, its navy became second only to Britains Royal Navy, after the removal of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck by Wilhelm II, the Empire embarked on a bellicose new course that ultimately led to World War I. When the great crisis of 1914 arrived, the German Empire had two allies, Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, however, left the once the First World War started in August 1914. In the First World War, German plans to capture Paris quickly in autumn 1914 failed, the Allied naval blockade caused severe shortages of food. Germany was repeatedly forced to send troops to bolster Austria and Turkey on other fronts, however, Germany had great success on the Eastern Front, it occupied large Eastern territories following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. German declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare in early 1917 was designed to strangle the British, it failed, but the declaration—along with the Zimmermann Telegram—did bring the United States into the war. Meanwhile, German civilians and soldiers had become war-weary and radicalised by the Russian Revolution and this failed, and by October the armies were in retreat, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire had collapsed, Bulgaria had surrendered and the German people had lost faith in their political system. After at first attempting to control, causing massive uprisings. This left a republic to manage a devastated and unsatisfied populace, the German Confederation had been created by an act of the Congress of Vienna on 8 June 1815 as a result of the Napoleonic Wars, after being alluded to in Article 6 of the 1814 Treaty of Paris. German nationalism rapidly shifted from its liberal and democratic character in 1848, called Pan-Germanism and he envisioned a conservative, Prussian-dominated Germany. The war resulted in the Confederation being partially replaced by a North German Confederation in 1867, the new constitution and the title Emperor came into effect on 1 January 1871. During the Siege of Paris on 18 January 1871, William accepted to be proclaimed Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. The second German Constitution was adopted by the Reichstag on 14 April 1871 and proclaimed by the Emperor on 16 April, the political system remained the same
German Empire
German Empire
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Flag
German Empire
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Otto von Bismarck
German Empire
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A postage stamp from the
Carolines
2.
Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War I)
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Jagdgeschwader 1 of World War I, was a fighter unit of the German Luftstreitkräfte, comprising four Jastas. It was formed on 24 June 1917, with Manfred von Richthofen as commanding officer, during early 1917, it became apparent to the German High Command that they would always be outnumbered in air operations over the Western Front. The average Jasta could only muster some six or eight aircraft in total for a patrol, in order to maintain some impact and local command of the air the Jastas began to fly in larger, composite groups. By mid 1917 the first official grouping of Jastas saw JG1 formed and its role was simple, to achieve localized air superiority wherever it was sent and to deny Allied air operations over a specific location. The unit was highly mobile, and JG1 and its supporting logistical infrastructure traveled to wherever local air superiority was needed. Thus 9-victory ace Leutnant Eduard Ritter von Dostler and the rising Leutnant Hans von Adam were soon posted to Jasta 6, and Lieutenant Werner Voss into Jasta 10. This policy had the effect of making the Jagdgeschwader an elite unit, JG1 itself suffered a dilution of talent when competent members were posted away to command their own Jastas in late 1917, when the number of Jastas were doubled from 40 to 80. JG1 was soon flying intensively over the Flanders battlefield above the Allied offensive started in June 1917. Richthofen was severely wounded in the head on 6 July, leading elements of JG1 in combat with F. E. 2ds of the Royal Flying Corpss No.20 Squadron. Oberleutnant Kurt von Doering, Commanding Officer of Jasta 4, took temporary command. Richthofen reassumed command on 25 July, but left on a period of leave on 6 September. JG1 was the first unit to operationally trial the new Fokker Dr. I triplane, Jasta 10s Werner Voss would be the triplanes greatest exponent, scoring 10 victories with it in just 21 days before his death in combat. The unit meantime soldiered on with the Albatros D. V, JG1 was rushed from Ypres to Cambrai by 23 November 1917, following the launch of the British offensive, and did much to stabilise the air war over the battlefield when the bad weather permitted. At this time Richthofen recruited Hans Kirchstein and Fritz Friedrichs from two-seater units, by April 1918 the formation was flying from Harbonnieres, the most south westerly airfield they were to ultimately occupy. Most of JG 1s victims at this time were the low flying fighter bombers, after von Richthofens death in April 1918, Hauptmann Wilhelm Reinhard became JG1 Commanding Officer. On 10 May JG1 claimed its 300th victory while on 20 May the unit received the title of JG1 Richthofen. Soon after JG1 moved to the 7th Army front to support the forthcoming Aisne offensive, JG1 moved to Guise, and then Puiseux Ferme, operating primarily against the French and the newly arrived American Air Forces. Between 31 May and 8 June JG1 claimed some 43 French aircraft and balloons, Jasta 6s Lt. Hans Kirschstein was the star performer of JG1 at this time, claiming 27 victories between 18 March and 14 June
Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War I)
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Lothar von Richthofen
3.
World War I
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World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, or the War to End All Wars, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history and it was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, and paved the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved. The war drew in all the worlds great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances, the Allies versus the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. These alliances were reorganised and expanded as more nations entered the war, Italy, Japan, the trigger for the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. This set off a crisis when Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia. Within weeks, the powers were at war and the conflict soon spread around the world. On 25 July Russia began mobilisation and on 28 July, the Austro-Hungarians declared war on Serbia, Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia to demobilise, and when this was refused, declared war on Russia on 1 August. Germany then invaded neutral Belgium and Luxembourg before moving towards France, after the German march on Paris was halted, what became known as the Western Front settled into a battle of attrition, with a trench line that changed little until 1917. On the Eastern Front, the Russian army was successful against the Austro-Hungarians, in November 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers, opening fronts in the Caucasus, Mesopotamia and the Sinai. In 1915, Italy joined the Allies and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, Romania joined the Allies in 1916, after a stunning German offensive along the Western Front in the spring of 1918, the Allies rallied and drove back the Germans in a series of successful offensives. By the end of the war or soon after, the German Empire, Russian Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, national borders were redrawn, with several independent nations restored or created, and Germanys colonies were parceled out among the victors. During the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, the Big Four imposed their terms in a series of treaties, the League of Nations was formed with the aim of preventing any repetition of such a conflict. This effort failed, and economic depression, renewed nationalism, weakened successor states, and feelings of humiliation eventually contributed to World War II. From the time of its start until the approach of World War II, at the time, it was also sometimes called the war to end war or the war to end all wars due to its then-unparalleled scale and devastation. In Canada, Macleans magazine in October 1914 wrote, Some wars name themselves, during the interwar period, the war was most often called the World War and the Great War in English-speaking countries. Will become the first world war in the sense of the word. These began in 1815, with the Holy Alliance between Prussia, Russia, and Austria, when Germany was united in 1871, Prussia became part of the new German nation. Soon after, in October 1873, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck negotiated the League of the Three Emperors between the monarchs of Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany
World War I
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Clockwise from the top: The aftermath of shelling during the
Battle of the Somme,
Mark V tanks cross the
Hindenburg Line,
HMS Irresistible sinks after hitting a
mine in the
Dardanelles, a British
Vickers machine gun crew wears
gas masks during the Battle of the Somme,
Albatros D.III fighters of
Jagdstaffel 11
World War I
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Sarajevo citizens reading a poster with the proclamation of the
Austrian annexation in 1908.
World War I
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This picture is usually associated with the arrest of
Gavrilo Princip, although some believe it depicts Ferdinand Behr, a bystander.
World War I
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Serbian Army
Blériot XI "Oluj", 1915.
4.
Douai
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Douai is a commune in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department, located on the river Scarpe some 40 kilometres from Lille and 25 km from Arras, Douai is home to one of the regions most impressive belfries. The population of the area, including Lens, was 552,682 in 1999. The main industries in the town are in the chemical and metal engineering sectors, Renault has a large vehicle assembly plant near the town, which has produced many well known Renault vehicles, such as the R14, R11, R19, and the Megane and Scenic of today. The Gare de Douai railway station is served by trains towards Lille, Arras, Lens, Amiens, Saint-Quentin. It is also connected to the TGV network, with high speed trains to Paris, Lyon, Nantes and its site probably corresponds to that of a 4th-century Roman fortress known as Duacum. From 10th century the town was a fiefdom of the counts of Flanders. The town became a textile market centre during the Middle Ages. In 1384, the county of Flanders passed into the domains of the Dukes of Burgundy, in 1667, Douai was taken by the troops of Louis XIV of France, and by the 1668 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the town was ceded to France. During successive sieges from 1710 to 1712, Douai was almost completely destroyed by the British Army, by 1713, the town was fully integrated into France. Douai became the seat of the Parliament of Flanders, the town is still a transportation and commercial center for the area, which was known up to the Sixties for its coalfield, the richest in northern France. Douais ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower, the 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying German forces and they were reinstalled after repairs in 1924, but 47 of them were replaced in 1954 to obtain a better sound. An additional larger bell in the summit, a La called Joyeuse, dates from 1471, the chimes are rung by a mechanism every quarter-hour, but are also played via a keyboard on Saturday mornings and at certain other times. The substantial Porte de Valenciennes town gate, a reminder of the towns past military importance, was built in 1453, one face is built in Gothic style, while the other is of Classical design. The University of Douai was founded under the patronage of Phillip II and it was prominent, from the 1560s until the French Revolution, as a centre for the education of English Catholics escaping the persecution in England. Connected with the University were not only the English College, Douai, founded by William Allen, but also the Irish and Scottish colleges and the Benedictine, Franciscan and Jesuit houses. However, the community was expelled at the time of the French Revolution in 1793 and, after years of wandering, finally settled at Downside Abbey, Somerset
Douai
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Bell tower of Douai,
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Douai
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Detail of Douai's belfry.
Douai
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Colleges at
University of Douai
5.
4th Army (German Empire)
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The 4th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the VI Army Inspection, the army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war. The 4th Army defeated Belgian forces on the frontier, drove the French out of the Ardennes, at the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht. By the end of the war, the 4th Army was organised as, armee-Abteilung or Army Detachment in the sense of something detached from an Army. It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army, armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task. Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander, 4th Army for the equivalent formation in World War II German Army order of battle German Army order of battle, Western Front Schlieffen Plan
4th Army (German Empire)
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Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
6.
Jasta
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A Jagdstaffel was a fighter Staffel of the German Imperial Luftstreitkräfte during World War I. The Feldfliegerabteilungen were subordinate to the Army command to which they were attached, by the end of the spring of 1915 the first German fighter aircraft were being issued in small numbers to various ordinary Feldflieger-Abteilungen. At this period their function was seen almost entirely as protection for the missions which were the primary responsibility of the German air service. Fighter aircraft already in service and their pilots, were detached from the general-purpose FFA units and brought together in pairs, such units were formed at Vaux, Avillers, Jametz, Cunel and other places along the Western Front as Luftwachtdienst units, consisting only of fighters. This process was by no means universally welcomed, nor did it bring immediate success, Boelcke, as the leading fighter pilot of the day, was called on to organise the manning, equipment and training of Jasta 2 which was to become the model for these new squadrons. Initially Jasta 2 was equipped with a collection of fighters, including early Fokker. In September the squadron began to receive the first of the superior Albatros fighters that would create the German air superiority of the first half of 1917, several pilots of Jasta 2 trained by Boelcke, became fighter leaders, notably Manfred von Richthofen. By April 1917, the Jagdstaffeln had established air superiority on the Western Front. V/D. Va, the Jagdstaffeln concentrated on hindering the work of the Allied two-seater corps, reconnaissance and bombing squadrons. Most Jagdstaffeln were considered to be Prussian while other units were associated with Bavaria, Saxony. The Bavarian Jagdstaffeln in particular were associated for organisational and supply purposes with the Bavarian army, to obtain a local and temporary air superiority, larger fighter units were established, composed of several Jagdstaffeln, known as Jagdgeschwader and Jagdgruppen. These units were moved from one section of the front to another as the situation demanded. By March 1918, there were 80 Jagdstaffeln in the Luftstreitkräfte, a long overdue re-equipment with new types began, most notably the Fokker D. VII, which for the first time since mid-1917, gave the Jagdstaffeln equipment that matched their opponents. German aircraft left the factory in a standard finish - although this differed from one manufacturer to another, initial clear varnish on fabric and wooden surfaces had changed by 1916 to various camouflage schemes. In the Jagdstaffeln this gave way to a riot of colour, a squadron theme was sometimes followed, with machines decorated in similar colours or with similar motifs but generally personal preference seems to have been standard. Jasta 1 Jasta 2 Jasta 5 Jasta 11 Jasta 15 Jasta 18 Jagdstaffeln
Jasta
–
A lineup of Albatros D.III fighters of Jagdstaffel 50 - mid to late 1917. The subdued staffel scheme of black and white stripes and chevrons can be seen on the fuselage and tailplanes of most machines, which are otherwise in factory finish.
7.
Oberleutnant
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Oberleutnant is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the armed forces of Germany, Austrian Armed Forces, and Military of Switzerland. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century, translated as senior lieutenant, the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty service. Oberleutnant is used by both the German Army and the German Air Force, in the NATO military comparison system, a German Oberleutnant is the equivalent of a First lieutenant or Poruchik in the Army/Air Forces of Allied nations. Other uses The equivalent naval rank is Oberleutnant zur See, in Nazi Germany, within the SS, SA and Waffen-SS, the rank of Obersturmführer was considered the equivalent of an Oberleutnant in the German Army. Comparative military ranks of World War I Comparative military ranks of World War II Ranks of the German Bundeswehr Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr Yliluutnantti
Oberleutnant
8.
Rittmeister
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Rittmeister was a military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other countries. He was typically in charge of a squadron, and was the equivalent of a Hauptmann-rank, the Norwegian equivalent, rittmester, still serves as the official designation for officers in the armoured and mechanized infantry branches of the Norwegian Army. In Sweden the rank was known as ryttmästare, and in Denmark as ritmester, the armies of Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Russia adopted, but localised, the Germanic term for someone of similar rank. These were, Polish, rotmistrz, Finnish, ratsumestari, Lithuanian, rotmistras, Russian, in the Polish army a rotmistrz commanded a formation called a rota. However, a rotmistrz of hussars was a commander of between 100 and 180 hussars, with a lieutenant of hussars as his second-in-command, in the cavalry the rank continued until 1945 as a company level title. Applied to the commander of a troop, it was equivalent of a modern-day captain, the rank was also adopted by Russian New Regiments as rotmistr and later formalized in Table of Ranks as the cavalry post, until 1798, a lower-ranking shtabs-rotmistr also existed. In British and Commonwealth military forces, a Riding Master is an appointment, in the Household Cavalry Regiment a suitable Warrant Officer within the ranks of Riding Instructors is commissioned from the ranks
Rittmeister
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Rittmeister
von Richthofen – German flying aces of
WW I.
Rittmeister
–
Polish rotmistrz of an
armoured regiment
9.
Manfred von Richthofen
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Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during the First World War. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being credited with 80 air combat victories. Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915 and he quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became leader of Jasta 11 and then the larger unit Jagdgeschwader 1. By 1918, he was regarded as a hero in Germany. Richthofen was shot down and killed near Amiens on 21 April 1918, There has been considerable discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career, especially the circumstances of his death. He remains perhaps the most widely known fighter pilot of all time, Richthofen was a Freiherr, a title of nobility often translated as baron. This is not a name nor strictly a hereditary title—since all male members of the family were entitled to it. This title, combined with the fact that he had his aircraft painted red, led to Richthofen being called The Red Baron both inside and outside Germany, during his lifetime he was more often described in German as Der Rote Kampfflieger. This name was used as the title of Richthofens 1917 autobiography, Manfred von Richthofen was born in Kleinburg, near Breslau, Lower Silesia, on 2 May 1892 into a prominent Prussian aristocratic family. His father was Major Albrecht Philipp Karl Julius Freiherr von Richthofen and he had an elder sister, Ilse, and two younger brothers. When he was four years old, Manfred moved with his family to nearby Schweidnitz and he enjoyed riding horses and hunting as well as gymnastics at school. He excelled at bars and won a number of awards at school. He and his brothers, Lothar and Bolko, hunted wild boar, elk, birds, after being educated at home he attended a school at Schweidnitz before beginning military training when he was 11. After completing cadet training in 1911, he joined an Uhlan cavalry unit, disappointed and bored at not being able to directly participate in combat, the last straw for Richthofen was an order to transfer to the armys supply branch. He is supposed to have written in his application for transfer, I have not gone to war in order to collect cheese and eggs, in spite of this unmilitary attitude, and to his own surprise, his request was granted. Manfred joined the service at the end of May 1915. From June to August 1915, Richthofen served as an observer on reconnaissance missions over the Eastern Front with Feldflieger Abteilung 69, after a chance meeting with the German ace fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke, Richthofen entered training as a pilot in October 1915. In February 1916 Manfred rescued his brother Lothar from the boredom of training new troops in Luben, the following month, Manfred joined Kampfgeschwader 2 flying a two-seater Albatros C. III
Manfred von Richthofen
–
Richthofen wears the
Pour le Mérite, the "Blue Max",
Prussia 's highest military order, in this official portrait, c. 1917
Manfred von Richthofen
–
Major Lanoe Hawker VC
Manfred von Richthofen
–
Richthofen's all-red Fokker Dr.I.
Manfred von Richthofen
–
Manfred von Richthofen with other members of Jasta 11
10.
Red Baron
–
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during the First World War. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being credited with 80 air combat victories. Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915 and he quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became leader of Jasta 11 and then the larger unit Jagdgeschwader 1. By 1918, he was regarded as a hero in Germany. Richthofen was shot down and killed near Amiens on 21 April 1918, There has been considerable discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career, especially the circumstances of his death. He remains perhaps the most widely known fighter pilot of all time, Richthofen was a Freiherr, a title of nobility often translated as baron. This is not a name nor strictly a hereditary title—since all male members of the family were entitled to it. This title, combined with the fact that he had his aircraft painted red, led to Richthofen being called The Red Baron both inside and outside Germany, during his lifetime he was more often described in German as Der Rote Kampfflieger. This name was used as the title of Richthofens 1917 autobiography, Manfred von Richthofen was born in Kleinburg, near Breslau, Lower Silesia, on 2 May 1892 into a prominent Prussian aristocratic family. His father was Major Albrecht Philipp Karl Julius Freiherr von Richthofen and he had an elder sister, Ilse, and two younger brothers. When he was four years old, Manfred moved with his family to nearby Schweidnitz and he enjoyed riding horses and hunting as well as gymnastics at school. He excelled at bars and won a number of awards at school. He and his brothers, Lothar and Bolko, hunted wild boar, elk, birds, after being educated at home he attended a school at Schweidnitz before beginning military training when he was 11. After completing cadet training in 1911, he joined an Uhlan cavalry unit, disappointed and bored at not being able to directly participate in combat, the last straw for Richthofen was an order to transfer to the armys supply branch. He is supposed to have written in his application for transfer, I have not gone to war in order to collect cheese and eggs, in spite of this unmilitary attitude, and to his own surprise, his request was granted. Manfred joined the service at the end of May 1915. From June to August 1915, Richthofen served as an observer on reconnaissance missions over the Eastern Front with Feldflieger Abteilung 69, after a chance meeting with the German ace fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke, Richthofen entered training as a pilot in October 1915. In February 1916 Manfred rescued his brother Lothar from the boredom of training new troops in Luben, the following month, Manfred joined Kampfgeschwader 2 flying a two-seater Albatros C. III
Red Baron
–
Richthofen wears the
Pour le Mérite, the "Blue Max",
Prussia 's highest military order, in this official portrait, c. 1917
Red Baron
–
Major Lanoe Hawker VC
Red Baron
–
Richthofen's all-red Fokker Dr.I.
Red Baron
–
Manfred von Richthofen with other members of Jasta 11
11.
Pour le Merite
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The Pour le Mérite is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. The Pour le Mérite was an honour conferred both for military and civil services, the order was secular, and membership endured for the remaining lifetime of the recipient, unless renounced or revoked. New awards of the military class ceased with the end of the Prussian monarchy in November 1918, the civil class was revived as an independent organization in 1923. Instead of the King of Prussia, the President of Germany acted as head of the order, after the Second World War, the civil class was re-established in 1952. This version of the Pour le Mérite is still active today, the Pour le Mérite still is an order into which a person is admitted into membership, like the United Kingdoms Order of the British Empire, and is not simply a medal or state decoration. The Pour le Mérite was founded in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia and it was named in French, which was the leading international language and the favoured language at Fredericks court. In January 1810, during the Napoleonic wars, King Frederick William III decreed that the award could be presented only to serving military officers, in March 1813, the king added an additional distinction, a spray of gilt oak leaves attached above the cross. Award of the oak leaves originally indicated extraordinary achievement in battle, the original regulations called for the capture or successful defense of a fortification, or victory in a battle. By World War I, the oak leaves often indicated a second or higher award of the Pour le Mérite, though in most cases the recipients were still high-ranking officers. In early 1918, it was proposed to award the oak leaves to Germanys top flying ace, Manfred von Richthofen, instead, Prussia awarded von Richthofen a slightly less prestigious honor, the Order of the Red Eagle, 3rd Class with Crown and Swords. In 1866, a special military Grand Cross class of the award was established and this grade of the award was given to those who, through their actions, caused the retreat or destruction of an army. The Pour le Mérite gained international fame during World War I, although it could be awarded to any military officer, its most famous recipients were the pilots of the German Army Air Service, whose exploits were celebrated in wartime propaganda. In aerial warfare, a pilot was initially entitled to the award upon downing eight enemy aircraft. Aces Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke were the first airmen to receive the award and it was awarded to Germanys highest-scoring ace, Manfred von Richthofen, in January 1917. However, other recipients included zeppelin commanders, bomber and observation aircrews. Recipients of the Blue Max were required to wear the award whenever in uniform, although many of its famous recipients were junior officers, especially pilots, more than a third of all awards in World War I went to generals and admirals. Senior officer awards tended to be more for outstanding leadership in combat than for acts of bravery. Junior officers accounted for only about a fourth of all awards, several famous lieutenant-ranked U-boat commanders, including Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, Walther Schwieger Otto Hersing and Otto Weddigen, received the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Merite
–
Pour le Mérite (Military class)
Pour le Merite
–
Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves
Pour le Merite
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"The red baron" Manfred von Richthofen wears "the Blue Max."
Pour le Merite
–
Pour le Mérite (Civil class)
12.
6th Army (German Empire)
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The 6th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate, the army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war. At the outbreak of World War I, command of the army was given to Rupprecht, the 6th Army initially consisted of the units of the Bavarian Army, with some additional Prussian units. During the execution of Plan XVII, the 6th Army was stationed in the Central sector, in August 1914, in the Battle of Lorraine, Rupprechts 6th Army managed to hold against the French offensive, using a feigned withdrawal to lure the advancing armies onto prepared defensive positions. After the Western Front turned to stalemate and the forces formed lines of trenches. Most of the Bavarian units were dispersed to other commands. Nevertheless, command of the 6th Army remained with the Bavarian Crown Prince, on 24 September 1915 the 6th Army was the target for the British Armys first chlorine gas attack of the war. Despite the horrific casualties inflicted, the British offensive became bogged down after several days. Rupprecht was promoted to the rank of marshal in July 1916 and assumed command of Army Group Rupprecht on 28 August that year, consisting of the 1st, 2nd. Following Rupprechts promotion, command of the 6th Army was given to General Ludwig von Falkenhausen, in March 1917 the 6th Army was the target for the assault of the Canadian and British forces at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The 6th Army under von Falkenhausen suffered over 20,000 casualties in the fighting and were pushed back from the ridge by the Canadian Corps. At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht, armee-Abteilung or Army Detachment in the sense of something detached from an Army. It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army, armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task. Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander, 6th Army for the equivalent formation in World War II German Army order of battle German Army order of battle, Western Front Schlieffen Plan Cron, Hermann. Imperial German Army 1914–18, Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle
6th Army (German Empire)
–
Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
13.
Arras
–
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France, prior to the reorganization of 2014 it was located in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. It is located in Northern France on the Scarpe river, the Arras plain lies on a large chalk plateau bordered on the north by the Marqueffles fault, on the southwest by the Artois and Ternois hills, and on the south by the slopes of Beaufort-Blavincourt. On the east it is connected to the Scarpe valley, established during the Iron Age by the Gauls, the town of Arras was first known as Nemetocenna, which is believed to have originated from the Celtic word nemeton, meaning sacred space. The first mention of the name Arras appeared in the 12th century, some hypothesize it is a contraction of Atrebates, a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain that used to inhabit the area. The name Atrebates could have evolved to become Atrades, Atradis, Aras. Others believe it comes from the Celtic word Ar, meaning running water, Arras is Pas-de-Calais’ third most populous town after Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. The town counted 43,693 residents in 2012, with the Arras metropolitan area having a population of 124,200, Arras is located 182 kilometers north of Paris and can be reached in 2 hours by car and in 50 minutes by TGV. It is the center of the former Artois province. Its local speech is characterized as a patois, the city of Arras is well known for its architecture, culture, and history. It was once part of the Spanish Netherlands, a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from 1556 to 1714, each year Arras attracts thousands of visitors, who explore the citys architecture and historic buildings. Some famous attractions include the splendid Town Hall and its Belfry, the Boves, the Squares, the Art District, the Abbey District, the Vauban Citadel, unlike many French words, the final s in the name Arras should be pronounced. Archaeologists found evidence of human settlements in the Scarpe basin. The archaeological sites of Mont-Saint-Vaast in Arras and Biache-Saint-Vaast were Stone Age settlements of the Mousterian culture and they were evidenced by the finds of stone tools. Very little was found to document the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in the Arras area, Arras was founded on the boat of Baudimont by the Belgic tribe of the Atrebates, who named it Nemetocenna in reference to a nemeton that probably existed there. It was later renamed Nemetacum/Atrebatum by the Romans, under whom it became an important garrison town, in the Scarpe valley archaeologists excavations and data recovery revealed Late Iron Age settlements. These buildings, believed to be farms, were found near the municipalities of Arras, Hamblain-les-Prés, in the 4th century, Nemetecacum was renowned for its arts and crafts as well as textiles trade throughout the whole empire. Between 406 and 407, the city was taken and destroyed by Germanic invaders, in 428, the Salian Franks led by Clodion le Chevelu took control of the region including the current Somme department. Roman General Aetius then chose to negotiate for peace and concluded a treaty with Clodion that gave the Franks the status of «foederati» fighting for Rome
Arras
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Clockwise from top: A row of Flemish-Baroque-style townhouses, the Saint-Vaast Abbey, a colorful house, the Vauban Citadel, and the Town Hall and its Belfry
Arras
–
The ordination of Saint Vaast
Arras
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"Li congié" by Jean Bodel, a
trouvère that lived in Arras in the 12th century
Arras
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Arazzi - a
tapestry representing "God and Noe conversation"
14.
Albatros D.III
–
The Albatros D. III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service and it was the preeminent fighter during the period of German aerial dominance known as Bloody April 1917. Development of the prototype D. III started in late July or early August 1916, the date of the maiden flight is unknown, but is believed to have occurred in late August or early September. Following the successful Albatros D. I and D. II series, however, at the request of the Idflieg, the D. III adopted a sesquiplane wing arrangement broadly similar to the French Nieuport 11. The upper wingspan was extended, while the wing was redesigned with reduced chord. V shaped interplane struts replaced the previous parallel struts, for this reason, British aircrews commonly referred to the D. III as the V-strutter. After a Typenprüfung on 26 September 1916, Albatros received an order for 400 D. III aircraft, Idflieg placed additional orders for 50 aircraft in February and March 1917. The D. III entered squadron service in December 1916, and was acclaimed by German aircrews for its maneuverability. Two faults with the new aircraft were soon identified, like the D. II, early D. IIIs featured a Teves und Braun airfoil-shaped radiator in the center of the upper wing, where it tended to scald the pilot if punctured. From the 290th D. III onward, the radiator was offset to the right on production machines while others were moved to the right as a field modification. Aircraft deployed in Palestine used two wing radiators, to cope with the warmer climate, more seriously, the new aircraft immediately began experiencing failures of the lower wing ribs and leading edge, a defect shared with the Nieuport 17. On 23 January 1917, a Jasta 6 pilot suffered a failure of the right wing spar. On the following day, Manfred von Richthofen suffered a crack in the wing of his new D. III. On 27 January, the Kogenluft issued an order grounding all D. IIIs pending resolution of the wing failure problem, on 19 February, after Albatros introduced a reinforced lower wing, the Kogenluft rescinded the grounding order. At the time, the wing failures were attributed to poor workmanship. In fact, the cause of the failures lay in the sesquiplane arrangement taken from the Nieuport. While the lower wing had sufficient strength in static tests, it was determined that the main spar was located too far aft. Pilots were therefore advised not to perform steep or prolonged dives in the D. III and this design flaw persisted despite attempts to rectify the problem in the D. III and succeeding D. V
Albatros D.III
–
Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
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Ernst Udet in front of his Albatros D.III (serial D.1941/16)
Albatros D.III
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Albatros D.III fighters of Jasta 11 at Douai, France. The second closest aircraft was one of several flown by
Manfred von Richthofen
Albatros D.III
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Albatros D.III (Oeffag) series 153, with spinner removed
15.
Sesquiplane
–
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, while a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage over a monoplane, it produces more drag than a similar unbraced or cantilever monoplane wing. Improved structural techniques, better materials and the quest for greater speed made the biplane configuration obsolete for most purposes by the late 1930s. Biplanes offer several advantages over conventional cantilever monoplane designs, they permit lighter wing structures, low wing loading, however, interference between the airflow over each wing increases drag substantially, and biplanes generally need extensive bracing, which causes additional drag. Biplanes are distinguished from tandem wing arrangements, where the wings are placed forward and aft, instead of above, the term is also occasionally used in biology, to describe the wings of some flying animals. In a biplane aircraft, two wings are placed one above the other, either or both of the main wings can support ailerons, while flaps are more usually positioned on the lower wing. Bracing is nearly always added between the upper and lower wings, in the form of wires and/or slender interplane struts positioned symmetrically on either side of the fuselage. The primary advantage of the biplane over the traditional single plane or monoplane is to combine great stiffness with light weight. A braced monoplane wing must support itself fully, while the two wings of a help to stiffen each other. The biplane is therefore inherently stiffer than the monoplane, also, the structural forces in the spars of a biplane wing tend to be lower, so the wing can use less material to obtain the same overall strength and is therefore much lighter. A disadvantage of the biplane was the need for extra struts to space the wings apart, the low power supplied by the engines available in the first years of aviation meant that aeroplanes could only fly slowly. This required an even lower stalling speed, which in turn required a low wing loading, combining both large wing area with light weight. A biplane wing of a span and chord has twice the area of a monoplane the same size and so can fly more slowly. Alternatively, a wing of the same area as a monoplane has lower span and chord, reducing the structural forces. Biplanes suffer aerodynamic interference between the two planes and this means that a biplane does not in practice obtain twice the lift of the similarly-sized monoplane. The farther apart the wings are spaced the less the interference, given the slow speed and low power of early aircraft, the drag penalty of the wires and struts and the mutual interference of airflows were relatively minor and acceptable factors. The smaller biplane wing also allows greater maneuverability, during World War One, this further enhanced the dominance of the biplane and, despite the need for speed, military aircraft were among the last to abandon the biplane form. Specialist sports Aerobatic biplanes are still occasionally made, biplanes were originally designed with the wings positioned directly one above the other
Sesquiplane
–
Reproduction of a
Sopwith Camel biplane.
Sesquiplane
–
The
Antonov An-2 is the largest single-engine biplane design and has the longest production history of any aircraft, except for the
C 130.
Sesquiplane
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Biplane hang glider under tow. Philadelphia, USA, 1920s.
Sesquiplane
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Zeppelin-Lindau D.I strutless biplane
16.
Battle of Arras (1917)
–
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive on the Western Front during World War I. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the Western Front, the British achieved the longest advance since trench warfare had begun, surpassing the record set by the French Sixth Army on 1 July 1916. The British advance slowed in the few days and the German defence recovered. The battle became a stalemate for both sides and by the end of the battle the British Third and First armies had suffered about 160,000 casualties. For much of the war, the armies on the Western Front were at a stalemate. The Allied objective from early 1915 was to break through the German defences into the ground beyond. The British attack at Arras was part of the French Nivelle Offensive, the aim of the French offensive was to breathrough the German defences in forty-eight hours. At Arras the British were to re-capture Vimy Ridge, dominating the plain of Douai to the east, advance towards Cambrai, the British effort was a relatively broad front assault between Vimy in the north-west and Bullecourt to the south-east. After a long preparatory bombardment, the Canadian Corps]] of the First Army in the north fought Battle of Vimy Ridge and took the ridge. The Third Army in the centre advanced astride the Scarpe River and in the south, the British armies then engaged in a series of small-scale operations to consolidate the new positions. Although these battles were successful in achieving limited aims, they were costly successes. When the battle ended on 16 May, British Empire troops had made significant advances but had been unable to achieve a breakthrough. At the beginning of 1917, the British and French were still searching for a way to achieve a breakthrough on the Western Front. Both battles consumed enormous quantities of resources while achieving virtually no strategic gains on the battlefield, the mid-war years were momentous times. Governing politicians in Paris and London were under pressure from the press. The casualties from the battles of Gallipoli, the Somme and Verdun had been high, British Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, resigned in early December 1916 and was succeeded by David Lloyd George. The United States Congress finally declared war on Imperial Germany on 6 April 1917, in March, the German army in the west, withdrew to the Hindenburg line in Operation Alberich, which negated the tactical assumptions underlying the plans for the French offensive. Until French troops advanced to compensate during the Battles of Arras, they encountered no German troops in the assault sector, the French government desperately needed a victory to avoid civil unrest but the British were wary of proceeding, in view of the rapidly changing tactical situation
Battle of Arras (1917)
–
The Town Square,
Arras,
France. February, 1919.
Battle of Arras (1917)
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Front lines at Arras prior to the assault.
Battle of Arras (1917)
–
Exit from the Allied military tunnels in the
Carrière Wellington.
Battle of Arras (1917)
–
British machine gunners fire on German aircraft near Arras.
17.
Royal Flying Corps
–
The Royal Flying Corps was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War, until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC supported the British Army by artillery co-operation, at the start of World War I the RFC, commanded by Brigadier-General Sir David Henderson, consisted of five squadrons – one observation balloon squadron and four aeroplane squadrons. These were first used for spotting on 13 September 1914. Aerial photography was attempted during 1914, but again only became effective the next year, by 1918, photographic images could be taken from 15,000 feet, and interpreted by over 3,000 personnel. By this time parachutes had been used by balloonists for three years, on 17 August 1917, South African General Jan Smuts presented a report to the War Council on the future of air power. On 1 April 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to form a new service, the RAF was under the control of the new Air Ministry. After starting in 1914 with some 2,073 personnel, by the start of 1919 the RAF had 4,000 combat aircraft and 114,000 personnel in some 150 squadrons. The recommendations of the committee were accepted and on 13 April 1912 King George V signed a royal warrant establishing the Royal Flying Corps, the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers became the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps a month later on 13 May. The Flying Corps initial allowed strength was 133 officers, and by the end of year it had 12 manned balloons and 36 aeroplanes. The RFC originally came under the responsibility of Brigadier-General Henderson, the Director of Military Training, and had branches for the Army. Major Sykes commanded the Military Wing and Commander C R Samson commanded the Naval Wing, the RFCs motto was Per ardua ad astra. This remains the motto of the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, the RFCs first fatal crash was on 5 July 1912 near Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. Loraine and his observer, Staff Sergeant R. H. V, an order was issued after the crash stating Flying will continue this evening as usual, thus beginning a tradition. Four months later on 11 December 1912 Parke was killed when the Handley Page monoplane in which he was flying from Hendon to Oxford crashed. The Naval Wing, with pilots and aircraft than the Military Wing. In November 1914 the Royal Flying Corps, even taking the loss of the Naval Wing into account, had expanded sufficiently to warrant the creation of wings consisting of two or more squadrons and these wings were commanded by lieutenant-colonels. In October 1915 the Royal Flying Corps had undergone further expansion which justified the creation of brigades, further expansion led to the creation of divisions, with the Training Division being established in August 1917 and RFC Middle East, being raised to divisional status in December 1917. Finally, the air raids on London and the south-east of England led to the creation of the London Air Defence Area in August 1917 under the command of Ashmore who was promoted to major-general
Royal Flying Corps
–
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
–
Sopwith Camel
Royal Flying Corps
–
RFC
Bleriot XI monoplanes at Netheravon, 1914
Royal Flying Corps
–
Recruiting poster
18.
Bloody April
–
The tactical, technological and training differences between the two sides ensured the British suffered a casualty rate nearly four times as great as their opponents. The losses were so disastrous that it threatened to undermine the morale of entire squadrons, nevertheless, the RFC contributed to the success, limited as it finally proved, of the British Army during the five-week campaign. The Royal Flying Corps supported British operations by offering close air support, aerial reconnaissance, the RFCs commanding officer, Hugh Trenchard believed in the offensive use of air power and pushed for operations over German-controlled territory. It was expected the numbers of aircraft assembled over the frontlines in the spring of 1917 would fulfil this purpose. However, the aircraft were, for the most part, inferior to German fighter aircraft, crucially, British pilot training was not only poorly organised and inconsistent, it had to be drastically abbreviated in order to keep squadrons suffering heavy casualties up to strength. German pilot training was, at time, more thorough. These units were led by experienced pilots, some of them survivors of the Fokker Scourge period. And had been working up with the first mass-produced twin-gunned German fighters, paradoxically, the one sided nature of the casualty lists during Bloody April was partly a result of German numerical inferiority. Moreover, they could choose when and how to engage in combat, the Battle of Arras began on 9 April 1917. The Allies launched a joint ground offensive, with the British attacking near Arras in Artois, northern France, in support of the British army, the RFC deployed 25 squadrons, totalling 365 aircraft, about one-third of which were fighters. There were initially only five German Jastas in the region, the Allies fighter squadrons were equipped with obsolete pushers such as the Airco DH.2 and F. E.8 – and other outclassed types such as the Nieuport 17 and Sopwith Pup. Only the SPAD S. VII and Sopwith Triplane could compete on more or less equal terms with the Albatros, the new generation of Allied fighters were not yet ready for service, although No.56 Squadron RFC with the S. E. The new R. E.8 two-seaters, which were eventually to prove less vulnerable than the B. E. 2e, during April 1917, the British lost 245 aircraft,211 aircrew killed or missing and 108 as prisoners of war. The German Air Services recorded the loss of 66 aircraft during the same period, as a comparison, in the five months of the Battle of the Somme of 1916 the RFC had suffered 576 casualties. Under Richthofens leadership, Jasta 11 scored 89 victories during April, in casualties suffered, the month marked the nadir of the RFCs fortunes. However, despite the losses inflicted, the German Air Service failed to stop the RFC carrying out its prime objectives, in particular the artillery spotting aircraft rendered valuable reconnaissance to the British artillery, who were able to maintain their superiority throughout the battle. In spite of their ascendancy in air combat, the German fighter squadrons continued to be used defensively, thus the Jastas established air superiority, but certainly not the air supremacy sometimes claimed. Within a couple of months the new technologically advanced generation of fighter had entered service in numbers, as the British fighter squadrons became once more able to adequately protect the slower reconnaissance and artillery observation machines, RFC losses fell and German losses rose
Bloody April
–
Albatros D.III fighters of
Jasta 11. The second aircraft from the camera (with the step ladder) was painted red, and was one of several flown by
Manfred von Richthofen, the most successful ace in April, and of the entire war.
19.
Kurt Wolff (World War I Ace)
–
Oberleutnant Kurt Wolff was one of Imperial Germanys highest scoring fighter aces during World War I. After claiming 33 victories, he was killed in action at the age of 22, Kurt Wolff was born in Greifswald, Pomerania. He was orphaned as a child and was raised by relatives in Memel, Wolff enlisted in the army in 1912 at the age of 17, joining a transport unit, Railway Regiment Nr.4. He received a commission on 17 April 1915, and he transferred to the air service in July, Wolffs first flight was almost his last. The aeroplane crashed, dislocating Wolffs shoulder and killing his pilot instructor, nevertheless, Wolff received his pilots badge in late 1915 and was assigned to 2-seater unit Kasta 26 of Kagohl 5, followed by service with Kagohl 7 and KG40. On 12 October 1916 he was posted to the then undistinguished Jasta 11, for months, Wolff, like most of his Jasta comrades, had no success in the air. That changed when command was given to Manfred von Richthofen, under the Red Barons leadership, Jasta 11 thrived and Wolff became an excellent scout pilot. Like his commanding officer, Wolff soon became a collector of souvenirs from the aircraft he shot down. His room at his airfield soon became decorated with serial numbers, parts and he first claimed on 6 March 1917, a Royal Aircraft Factory B. E. 2d of No.16 Squadron RFC. Four more followed during March, and he scored 22 victories during what the RFC termed Bloody April, with 4 victories on 13 April 1917, harvey-Kelly - commander of No.19 Squadron. Like the rest of the Jasta, Wolffs Albatros D. III was painted red, though he added individual markings by painting his elevators, Wolffs youthful looks and frail physical stature masked his deadly skills as a combat pilot. Karl Bodenschatz, in his Jagd in Flanders Himmel, said of him, Jasta 11, at first glance, you could only say delicate little flower. A slender, thin little figure, a young face. He looks as if you could tip him backwards with one harsh word, but below this friendly schoolboys face dangles the order Pour le Mérite. And so far, these modest looking eyes have taken 30 enemy airplanes from the sky over the sights of his guns, set them afire. This slender youth is already one of the best men of the old Richthofen Staffel 11, Wolff was awarded the coveted Pour Le Mérite on 4 May and on 6 May was assigned to command Jasta 29, replacing Lt. von Dornheim who had recently been killed. He shot down a French SPAD on 13 May and a No.60 Squadron Nieuport 17 on 27 June before he returned to command Jasta 11 in July 1917, replacing Leut. Karl Allmenroeder, who had fallen in combat. He downed a RE-8 of No.4 Squadron and a Sopwith Triplane of No.1 Naval Squadron in early July
Kurt Wolff (World War I Ace)
–
Kurt Wolff
20.
Lothar von Richthofen
–
Lothar-Siegfried Freiherr von Richthofen was a German First World War fighter ace credited with 40 victories. He was a brother of top-scoring ace Manfred von Richthofen. Following the war he worked for a while on a farm before taking an industrial position and he married in June 1919 and had two children. Yearning for aviation he accepted a position as a pilot, conveying passengers and he died on 4 July 1922 in a flying accident at Fuhlsbuettel, he was aged 27. Lothar von Richthofen was born on 27 September 1894 and he and his brothers, Manfred and Bolko, hunted wild boar, elk, birds, and deer. Like his brother Manfred, Lothar began the war as an officer with the 4th Dragoon Regiment. He had remained in the public Gymnasium, he was enrolled in military training at the Kriegsschule in Danzig when war began. On his own initiative Lothar returned to his unit, Lothar was nearly cut down by sniper fire while on patrol. In mid-October 1914, while stationed at Attigny, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for valour and it was the only consolation that Lothar received during his cavalry service. The following month, his regiment was transferred to the Eastern Front, in February 1916 Manfred rescued his brother Lothar from the boredom of training new troops in Luben and encouraged him to also transfer to the Fliegertruppe. Richthofen joined the German Army Air Service in late 1915 and he served from January 1916 as an observer with Jasta 23, sometimes observing for Otto Creutzmann and saw action during the Battle of Verdun. He won the Iron Cross 1st Class in December and then training as a pilot. His first posting as a pilot was to his brothers Jasta 11 on 6 March 1917, an impulsive and aggressive pilot, unlike his coolly calculating brother Manfred, Lothars first victory claim followed on 28 March for an FE 2b of No.25 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. The German high command appreciated the value of two Richthofens fighting together to defeat the enemy in the air. Taking part in the period of German dominance called Bloody April by the British, when his brother went on leave, Lothar von Richthofen assumed command of the squadron. During the first week of May 1917, Lothar von Richthofen scored three more victories, in a running battle in deteriorating visibility in the middle of a thunderstorm over Bourlon Wood, both sides became scattered. Richthofen engaged in combat with the British Triplane. At about the time, Ball was seen by fellow 56 Squadron pilot Cyril Crowe chasing a red Albatros into a thundercloud
Lothar von Richthofen
–
Lothar von Richthofen wearing the
Pour le Mérite.
21.
Wolfram von Richthofen
–
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe during the World War II. Born in 1895 into a family of the Prussian nobility, Richthofen grew up in prosperous surroundings, at the age of eighteen, after leaving school, he opted to join the German Army rather than choose an academic career, and joined the armys cavalry arm in 1913. On the outbreak of the First World War, Richthofen fought on the Western Front, in 1915 he was posted to the Eastern Front, where he stayed until 1917. The Richthofen family produced several notable personalities that would become famous during the First War and his cousins, the brothers Lothar and Manfred von Richthofen both became flying aces and they encouraged him to join the Luftstreitkräfte. He did so, and joined Manfreds Geschwader, Jagdgeschwader 1, Manfred, known as the Red Baron, was the highest scoring ace of the war, with 80 victories. On his first mission with his cousin, on 21 April 1918, Wolfram continued flying and went on to claim eight aerial victories before the armistice in November 1918. Lothar survived the war but was killed in a accident in 1922. After the war Richthofen resumed civilian life after being discharged from the army and he studied Engineering at University before rejoining the Reichswehr, the German armed forces of the Weimar Republic era. In 1933 Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany, and he also served as part of the Condor Legion which supported the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. During this time, he recognised the need for air support in military campaigns and championed the dive bomber. He also believed in improving ground-air communications, which was put into effect in the Second World War, after his experiences in Spain, the combination of effective air-ground communications and powerful concentration of dive bombers would lead to personal success for Wolfram in the first half of the war. By 1941, a standard of air to ground communications became a uniform facility in the Luftwaffe. The effectiveness of his units proved decisive at certain points in the French Campaign and he was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 May 1940, in view of his achievements. He continued in service during the Battle of Britain and the Balkans Campaign in 1940 and 1941. Richthofen achieved his greatest success on the Eastern Front, in particular, he achieved notable success in the Crimean Campaigns during 1942. He remained in service until late 1944, when he was retired on medical grounds. Soon after the capitulation of Germany in May 1945, he was prisoner by the United States Army. Richthofen was born on 10 October 1895, at the Richthofen Barzdorf estate, near Striegau and his father, Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, and mother, Therese Gotz von Olenhusen were of the Silesian nobility, and the family had been ennobled 350 years before Wolframs birth
Wolfram von Richthofen
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Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram von Richthofen
Wolfram von Richthofen
–
Walter Wever, the first chief of staff of the Luftwaffe.
Wolfram von Richthofen
–
Hugo Sperrle. He commanded the Condor Legion until November 1937.
Wolfram von Richthofen
–
Ruins of Guernica.
22.
Friedrich T. Noltenius
–
Lieutenant Friedrich Theodor Noltenius was a German flying ace in the First World War, with a total of 21 victories. Friedrich Theodor Noltenius was born in Bremen on 8 January 1894, the younger Noltenius graduated from high school in Bremen. The war interrupted him becoming a doctor, Noltenius enlisted in Field Artillery Regiment No.13 at the outbreak of war, on 4 August 1914. He served on the Eastern Front until December 1915, during this time and he then saw action at Ypres and the Somme in France until November 1917, winning the Iron Cross 2nd class. He was commissioned in October 1916 and was wounded on 16 April 1917, in May he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class. In December, he commenced ground school in Altenburg, he took flight school with FEA10 at Böblingen in February 1918. In June 1918 he attended school and then posted to the Royal Prussian Jasta 27 in Jagdgeschwader 3. Flying a Fokker D. VII with red and white bands painted around the fuselage and on the middle of the top wing and his first victory was over a Sopwith Dolphin, on 10 August. His second win, ten days later, initiated him into the ranks of balloon busters as he destroyed an observation balloon, by 2 September, he was an ace, scoring his fifth and sixth triumphs. He was also shot down on the 22nd by George Vaughn, nevertheless, by the end of September, Noltenius had successfully claimed victory over another four enemy airplanes and three more balloons, raising his score to a bakers dozen. Disputes over victories with his fellow pilots prompted his transfer to the Royal Prussian Jasta 6 on 27 September and he thus joined the elite Flying Circus, Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader I. Noltenius scored twice with Jasta 6, once on a balloon on 6 October 1918, the former victory made him one of the rare balloon aces. A clash with Ulrich Neckel, his Commanding Officer, led to another move and he scored thrice for his new squadron on 23 October. Three more singleton victories, on 28 October,3 and 4 November, the armistice a week after his final victory, and the subsequent revolution, scotched his chances of being awarded Germanys highest decoration, the Pour le Mérite or Blue Max. Indeed, he was one of the last awardees of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, after the war he fought against the communists before qualifying as a doctor. Living in South America from 1923–33, he returned to Germany and his war diary and military service record was published in the Cross and Cockade Journal, Volume 7, Number 4
Friedrich T. Noltenius
–
Jagdflieger Friedrich Noltenius
23.
Ernst Udet
–
Ernst Udet was a German pilot and air force general during World War II. Udet joined the Imperial German Air Service at age 19, eventually becoming a flying ace of World War I. Udet spent the 1920s and early 1930s as a stunt pilot, international barnstormer, light aircraft manufacturer, in 1933, Udet joined the Nazi Party and became involved in the early development of the Luftwaffe, where he was appointed director of research and development. Influential in the adoption of dive bombing techniques as well as the Stuka dive bomber, the stress of the position and his distaste for administrative duties led to Udet developing alcoholism. Ernst Udet was born on 26 April,1896, in Frankfurt am Main, Udet grew up in Munich, and was known from his early childhood for his sunny temperament and fascination with aviation. In his youth he hung out at an airplane factory. In 1909, he helped found the Munich Aero-Club, after crashing a glider he and a friend constructed, he finally flew in 1913 with a test pilot in the nearby Otto Works owned by Gustav Otto, which he often visited. Shortly after the beginning of World War I, Udet attempted to enlist in the Imperial German Army on 2 August 1914, later that month, when the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club appealed for volunteers with motorcycles, Udet applied and was accepted. Udets father had him a motorcycle when he had passed his first year examination. Württembergischen Reserve Division as a messenger rider, after injuring his shoulder when his motorcycle hit a crater from an artillery shell explosion, he was sent to a military hospital, and his motorcycle was sent for repairs. When Udet tried to track down the 26th Division, he was unable to find it, during this time, he met officers from the Chauny flying sector, who advised him to transfer as an aerial observer. However, before he received his orders, the army dispensed with the volunteer motorcyclists, Udet tried to return to the fighting, but he was unable to get into either the pilot or aircraft mechanic training the army offered. However, he learned that if he were a trained pilot, through a family friend, Gustav Otto, owner of the aircraft factory he had hung out around in his youth, Udet received private flight training. This cost him 2,000 marks and new equipment from his fathers firm. Udet received his pilots license at the end of April 1915 and was immediately accepted by the Imperial German Air Service. Udet at first flew in Feld Flieger-Abteilung 206 —an observation unit—as an Unteroffizier pilot with observer Leutnant Justinius and he and his observer won the Iron Cross for nursing their damaged Aviatik B. I two-seater back to German lines after a shackle on a wing-cable snapped. Justinius had climbed out to hold the wing and balance it rather than landing behind the enemy lines, later, Udet was court-martialed for losing an aircraft in an incident the flying corps considered a result of bad judgement. Overloaded with fuel and bombs, the aircraft stalled after a sharp bank, miraculously, both Udet and Justinius survived with only minor injuries
Ernst Udet
–
Ernst Udet
Ernst Udet
–
Udet attended the Theresien-Gymnasium in Munich.
Ernst Udet
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Ernst Udet, a recoloured portrait
Ernst Udet
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Ernst Udet 1928
24.
Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War 1)
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Jagdgeschwader 1 of World War I, was a fighter unit of the German Luftstreitkräfte, comprising four Jastas. It was formed on 24 June 1917, with Manfred von Richthofen as commanding officer, during early 1917, it became apparent to the German High Command that they would always be outnumbered in air operations over the Western Front. The average Jasta could only muster some six or eight aircraft in total for a patrol, in order to maintain some impact and local command of the air the Jastas began to fly in larger, composite groups. By mid 1917 the first official grouping of Jastas saw JG1 formed and its role was simple, to achieve localized air superiority wherever it was sent and to deny Allied air operations over a specific location. The unit was highly mobile, and JG1 and its supporting logistical infrastructure traveled to wherever local air superiority was needed. Thus 9-victory ace Leutnant Eduard Ritter von Dostler and the rising Leutnant Hans von Adam were soon posted to Jasta 6, and Lieutenant Werner Voss into Jasta 10. This policy had the effect of making the Jagdgeschwader an elite unit, JG1 itself suffered a dilution of talent when competent members were posted away to command their own Jastas in late 1917, when the number of Jastas were doubled from 40 to 80. JG1 was soon flying intensively over the Flanders battlefield above the Allied offensive started in June 1917. Richthofen was severely wounded in the head on 6 July, leading elements of JG1 in combat with F. E. 2ds of the Royal Flying Corpss No.20 Squadron. Oberleutnant Kurt von Doering, Commanding Officer of Jasta 4, took temporary command. Richthofen reassumed command on 25 July, but left on a period of leave on 6 September. JG1 was the first unit to operationally trial the new Fokker Dr. I triplane, Jasta 10s Werner Voss would be the triplanes greatest exponent, scoring 10 victories with it in just 21 days before his death in combat. The unit meantime soldiered on with the Albatros D. V, JG1 was rushed from Ypres to Cambrai by 23 November 1917, following the launch of the British offensive, and did much to stabilise the air war over the battlefield when the bad weather permitted. At this time Richthofen recruited Hans Kirchstein and Fritz Friedrichs from two-seater units, by April 1918 the formation was flying from Harbonnieres, the most south westerly airfield they were to ultimately occupy. Most of JG 1s victims at this time were the low flying fighter bombers, after von Richthofens death in April 1918, Hauptmann Wilhelm Reinhard became JG1 Commanding Officer. On 10 May JG1 claimed its 300th victory while on 20 May the unit received the title of JG1 Richthofen. Soon after JG1 moved to the 7th Army front to support the forthcoming Aisne offensive, JG1 moved to Guise, and then Puiseux Ferme, operating primarily against the French and the newly arrived American Air Forces. Between 31 May and 8 June JG1 claimed some 43 French aircraft and balloons, Jasta 6s Lt. Hans Kirschstein was the star performer of JG1 at this time, claiming 27 victories between 18 March and 14 June
Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War 1)
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Lothar von Richthofen
German Empire
