Soderbaum

Thanks very much Claudio, btw, as I am is interested in German aviation this thread is surely one of the best. Gunnar

Hi all, Anyone who by chance have the date and place of death for Richard Falke ? Gunnar

Hi Some sources like German loss lists and Kriegsräbefürsorge states that Karl Thom was born 18.05.1893 in Neudeck, Rosenberg. However it is not far away from Freystadt. I have not checked his BAMA file. He ended up as Oberstlt at the time of his death. btw, while my time in BAMA Freiburg I have seen more then 10 award (or abschriften) documents for Hohx3, but I have not made copies of these. Gunnar

Oskar Bornheim do have an BAMA file which might give added info on his flying career. PERS 6/229641 He also have an file in BA Berlin. R 9361-II/101391 Gunnar

Karl Josef Mvh Gunnar

Hi Karl Morgenschweis have like five files on ancestry.de among KRLs. They say he was promoted Lt dR o/p 27.03.1916, later on 04.07.1918 he got a Patent 23.06.1914. They also says he got BMVO4bms on 04.12.1916, EKI 03.07.1917, VwAbz(mattweiß as wounded three times) on 21.10.1918. He also have two files in BA Berlin. Gunnar

Hi The exact date (order) in MWB is 18.02.1913.

Hi again Oops I mentioned PiB 26 two times ?, the first should be PiB 18 as you mentioned. If you read the MWB for Febr 1913, you can see that Wilhelm Grade was transferred as Kp leader in PiB 26 to Fliegertruppe. At moment I dont have the date when he joined PiB 26. The Fliegertruppe did not yet had created Kompanien, instead it was called Stationen. Later in autumn of 1913 basically all Flieger Stationen were changed into Kompanien (three for each Flieger Bataillon). Gunnar

Hi Deutschritter Some minor further info: PiB 26,PiB 4, PiB 26, FlgSt Döberitz, FlgSt Döberitz II, FB 1/2, FB 1 stab before BOW. Lt 180896, Oblt 270107, Hptm ern. 180811, Hptm 011012, Major 181018, abschied 100919 He died 06.03.1954 in Berlin. He was not in FFA 19 during the War. I "still" recommend that you get access to ancestry.de where you can find the info mentioned above and lots of more info. First three months free which you need to learn how to search etc. Then 10 Teuro each months, it is equivalent to two large Beers Wilhelm Grade does not have any known files in BAMA Freiburg or BA Berlin. Have you asked the archivarian of the Grade Museum south of Berlin ?, they might have info on Wilhelm.. Mvh Gunnar

Hi His Bama file mentioned the following awards during WW1, EKII 13.10.1914, EKI 04.03.1915, BeoAbz 22.07.1916, FzAbz 27.05.1917 and Hohx 01.10.1917. He also received EB and vwAbz but they are not mentioned in the file. Gunnar

Hi Reinhold Boehm (apparently correct spelling according to several sources) do have two files in Landesarchiv Karlsruhe. They might give added info on his post War service as well what he was doing during WW1. He does not have any BAMA file. His family file on ancestry.de gives good overall info about his living throughout his life. It also indicates that he was testflyer for Albatros Werken and Fluglehrer during WW1. I have diffucult to find him in my unit files as there too many Boehm/Böhm. So at moment I dont have any frontline units for him. Gunnar

Hi Matty Hptm dR Kurt Wegener from GGR 3 was the commander old Old* KG 3/18 during the later part of 1916. *It later existed a second unit with the same name. He was a well known physican, Dr, Prof. and he also received the Hohx Gunnar

Hi Deutschritter, Are you writing an article of Gerhard Hubrich for Propellerblatt ? http://www.propellerblatt.de/ There are much written about him in different sources throughout the Years where you can find good info. I probably have his book stored somewhere in my archive. He do have an BAMA file in Freiburg but I dont think this file deals with his WW1 service. It is about "Familieangelegenheiten" and the reason he left the Luftwaffe as Major dR. It is a chance that it could be related to his second marriage. The certificate for his first marriage can be found on ancestry.de. In this document he spells his first name as Gerhardt. Also his file in BA Berlin have this spelling. I dont have notes on his awards but he received the See.Abz on 23.12.1915. He rather certain exchanged it later for an LFAbz as he become an Land-flyer. Original Marine records only verify 11 probably victories during WW1. Gunnar

Hi It actually exist good records of Theodor Rowehl from WW1 as most of the Marine records have survived. He also have an BAMA file in Freiburg which normally gives rather complete award records. I have not checked his file yet. His long time pilot Gerhard Hubrich (later an Ace) mention him in his book. Born 09.02.1894 Barschlüte, Elsfleth, died 06.06.1978 Münster. Eintr 28.08.1914,Lt zS dR 10.06.1916,aD 31.12.1918. BeoAbz 21.10.1916,EKII x,EKI <1918 a brief summary of his WW1 career from other sources: II M.D., 28.08.1914 - 12.1914 "Westfalen", 12.1914 - 03.1915 "Kaiser Karl der Große", 03.1915 - 07.1915 "Ostfriesland", 07.1915 - 03.1916 II SFA, first at SFS Helgoland, ca 03.1916 - 09.1916 SFS Ney, 09.1916 - 10.1916 SFS Flensburg SdKdo also called "Torpedo Gruppe III", 10.1916 - 03.1917 T-Staffel I, 03.1917 - 23.11.1917 WIC, fell out of the a/c when his friend tried to kill him..:) T-Staffel I, returned from Lazarett, x - ca 03.1918 Seefrosta, 04.1918 - 31.07.1918, probably mentioned in the new book about this unit. From 04.07.1918 leader of the Festa/Fernsta which was a sub-unit within the Seefrosta. See III, 01.08.1918 - 24.08.1918, still leader of Fernsta/Festa. SFS Putzig lehrer at Flieger Schule, 09.1918 - 31.12.1918 Gunnar

Hi Jock, The observer is Lt dR Ernst Klenk from originally IR 115. Born 09.04.1893 Wimpfen, Heppenheim. After the War he served within Freikorps aviation. Gunnar

Hi Garfield I really like these Marine aviation badges. It is difficult for me to read the inscription for the second badge, but a strong candidate is StabsArzt(at that time) Alfred Meyra gen Meyr who received his badge on 05.07.1915. At this time he did fly within SFS (See Flugstation) Helgoland which was a part of II Marine Flieger Abteilung with base at Wilhelmshaven. He was born 27.05.1885 in Konstanz. He was later shot down, shortly captured but died of wounds as commander of SFS Duingi during 1917. He was "angestellt" within the Marine on 27.10.1915 as Kptlt dR MA mit Patent 22.03.1914. II M.F.A was renamed to II SFA at an unknown date in 09.1915. Btw, anyone who knew the exact formation date for II MFA/SFA ? I do think it was 25.10.1914 but so far I have been unable to find confirmation. Gunnar

aha, Erinnerungsabzeichen for flyers. Some were given out already during the War for "long-timers" who no longer were active flyers. Gunnar

Hi Matt Except the awards mentioned above he also received Fz.Abz on 04.12.1913 (should been replaced later on by the Err.Abz), EKII, EKI, RKr Löwe IIKl mit Schw, Öst MVKr III. I dont knew regulations for wearing awards during WW2, but when the Err.Abz was instituted it was forbidden the wear earlier normal flying badge. The earlier badge should actually be "left back" to the authorities and if you was awarded the ErrAbz you could only wear this. Gunnar

Hi Daniel, I refer to Gotthard Ammon. In his file there are no notes on any Hohenzollern award. He had a very short front line servicing time so any Hohx award is "impossible", also his EKI award is probably from 1919. The awards given in his file are : EKII, EKI, Meckl.V.Kr, Sächs.Albr.Kr, Baltenkreuz, ErrAbz, Silb.vwAbz. Dont knew if the Sächs. Alb.Kr was given out during 1919 Gunnar

Hi Matty He was a member of FFA 52 when he was brought down on 04.03.1915. The award info from his BAMA file differs from "your" list. I do think Hohenzollern should instead be Sächsiche Albrecht Kreuz and vwAbz should be in silber. After the War he lead an Freikorps aviation unit. Gunnar

Hi Dave, No direct hits, I have an Lt dR x Eichler (O) in FFA 23 (an famous unit) during summer 1916. I also have an Lt x Eichler in FAA 283 during summer 1917 but in both cases w/o known first names. It exist an BAMA file for an later Hptm dR zV Kurt Eichler born 08.04.1891 but I havent checked that file. It also exist non-military files in Berlin for Dr Kurt Eichler born 18.02.1893 and Kurt Eichler born 31.03.1895. In some cases these Berlin files could contain valuable military info like KRLs, Lebenslauf and similar but most of them are just civilian. Gunnar

Thanks again Dave, Yes I have access to ancestry.de so I could read his file there with his early career during the War. His later career I have from some other sources but I lack his complete War service. In my files I have a bunch of flyers born in Greiz who might be candidates for Reuss awards. Gunnar

Interesting info Dave ! After leaving Grufl 10 stab Schilbach ended up as leader of Grubist 135 during 1918. He apparently served with KG 4/19 (new Kasta 19) during spring 1917. This unit was renamed from Kasta-Sosta 2 on 01.01.1917. Is there indication in your records that he served in Sosta 2 during autumn of 1916 after leaving FFA 9 ? I am also interested if it exist an approximate date for his aerial victory. Gunnar

Hi I have that the pilot Oblt Prinz Heinrich XLII Reuss, received something called REK3 mit Schw on 17.9.1914 and R.Kv.K.I on 6.4.1918, but he was only a flyer during 1916. His photo differs from the photo posted by Matty, so not him. And he apparently did not receive either vwAbz or ErrAbz. Gunnar

Hi Chris The basic rule to get access to these Files is that you "must" visit the archive i Freiburg, then order the file and lastly order copies of that file. In some rare cases I have heard of they have made exception to this rule and have accepted that you order copies via mail/e-mail. I knew that the US military government in Washington have made copies of some of these files called NARA files, but I dont knew how to search there. Some files contains only a single small paper of like a transfer from WW2 or economic info etc. Others could be goldmines regarding info with hundred of pages The file number for this Oblt dR aD Franz Hocker is PERS 6/191585. I have no idea if it is a goldmine or trash. Gunnar Oh, I forgot to mention that it works like two or three researchers on Daily basis there, similar like "private investigator". I have seen them throughout the Years but I dont have their names. Probably you can get their contact info via the staff in the Archive. These people can do the job for you but they probably take some fee for it.. Gunnar