Soderbaum

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

Hi

A long-shot, but it existed an Franz Hocker who ended up as Oblt dR aD during WW2. Born 23.12.1893. He have an BAMA file, maybe your man ?

Gunnar

Hi Steve

If you have access to ancestry.de you can find good info on Gustav Brockhoff among Chroniken der Marine Besatzungen and a family tree. Here some short added info.

He was not Leutnant der MI, instead he started as Seekadett 010413, Fähn zS 030414,Vzfeuerw 280515,Lt dR MA 160316 (Reutlingen). Some awards: EKII 041016,LFAbz 191016,BMVO4 201216,EKI 181017,Bulg.Tapf.Orden 040418,EisHalbmond x

He was born 15.06.1895 Sayn-Neuwied, Coblenz and served through WW2 as Major dR. 

During his flying career in WW1 he served within the following flying units: MLFA J-thal, FEA 7, SFS A-see, Js 8, MFFA II, MFJ I, SFS Xanthi, Js 25, and lastly as leader of MFJ III.

There is no confirmation in German records that his claim on 08.05.1918 at Pervyse was confirmed so he apparently ended up with 4 victories.

Gunnar

Hi

I have some info regarding his WW1 awards.

EKII 23.06.1915

Wald.Offz.Verdienstkreuz 22.08.1915

Fz.Abz 05.12.1916

EKI 08.07.1919, got it after returning from captivity

VerwAbz no date given

Very nice item Alex !

Do you happen to knew when Martin Jahre joined LFS Barge ? I assume late 1918.

Gunnar

Hi Matt

I dont have a first name but he was promoted Lt dR on 31.10.1917 (I Hamburg). I dont knew if the award rolls for HHK still exists but he is probably there.

The first note I have him in FA 33 is in July 1917.

Gunnar

Hi Prussian, you probably noted that I wrote "I do think" but also Thorsten Pietsch on his website writes : 

This info is from Thorsten's site:

Heldmann, Aloys
* 02.12.1895
Grevenbrück
+ 01.11.1983
Grevenbrück

The MWB confirms his Bezirk as Siegen and Grevenbrück lies within this area. His birth certificate is not on ancestry.de. To check his BAMA file would rather certain confirm "my theory" about his birthplace 

Gunnar

Hi

I do think his birthplace should be given as Grevenbrück, Siegen. Promoted Lt dR 080817 (Siegen).

He have an personal in BAMA Freiburg which I havent checked yet which might give lots of added info..

Gunnar

Hi again

I also think that the group photo also includes officers from FFA 57, just discovered that this unit did not left Süd Army until the first Days of January 1916.

Gunnar

Hi

Was not FA 427 and Artillerie-Flieger Staffel 101 the same unit ?

Gunnar

Hi Matt

I dont have any Vogel in my FFA 54 list, but I dont have all names. Vogel is apparently neither one of the still unsolved signatures on the plate, but those left before Wilberg left are not there.

Gera is a town near the Sachsen border. It is possible that Vogel is an photographer working in Gera. Sorry cant help in this case.

Gunnar

Hi Matt

Interesting group photo indeed !  If we can give an approximate date to the photo it would be easier to identify some further flyers in the photo.

some thoughts: Quade did join FFA 54 in mid Dec 1915 so the photo is possible taken after that date. My guess it might Christmas 1915. 35 flyers are on the photo where one face is unseen. At that date Stofl Süd also consisted of FFA 59 and apparently an A-H Flik, anyone knew which Flik ?

Some "rather well known" flyers including later Aces ought to be identified due other often published photos. It apparently exists other photos for von Hünerbein, Alfons Nagler, Hans Hinsen,  Daum, Schleiff, Max Pollandt, Wolfgang Zorer, all from FFA 54.

From FFA 59 these flyers should exist on other photos: Sonnenburg(later General), Fahlbusch and Rosencranz(both later Aces), Hans-Max Lohmann(the commander), Leo Leonhardy (the Iron commander and later PlM holder), Victor Stresemann (the Saxon) and eventually the later Ace Alois Heldmann. For Rudolf Mothes who wrote a book about his War experiences I havent seen any photos.

I am no photo collector, but only remember seen photos from different sources.

Gunnar

Hi again

I am not good reading signatures so you might need an reading "expert" for the last unsolved names. However I have rather good unit rosters for the units involved, but not complete.

Here are some more "guesses", number 7 might be Rittm Voelkel who was a long timer within FFA 54, number 25 is probably Lt dR Fritz Imhausen, number 33 might be Lt Bodo Frhr von Lyncker and number 39 might be Ott.

Maybe someone else could solve the last signatures ?

Gunnar

Hi

Some names that I am so far rather certain of,

left side: number 2 = Braune, number 6 = Hptm dL Thiesing, number 9 = Lt dR Armin Löw, number 15 = Landwüst, number 16 = Lt Richard Kuhna, number 17 = Lt Fritz Schuster, von Kusel should be Lt Kurt von Kessel, 

right side: number 21 = probably Schleiff, number 27 = Lt Oskar von Lorne von St. Ange, number 28 = Hans Eick is also the name of his file in Stuttgart, number 29 = Schlemmer, number 30 = Lt Walter Mussäus, number 31 = von Münster, number 32 = Preiß, number 35 = von Blankenburg, number 36 = Dahm, number 40 = Wilhelm von Karstedt.

Some of the others should be able to solve but maybe need better close up for some.

As you see a mix of flyers from FFA 54, AFA 220, Stofl Süd and AFP Süd.

And thanks for providing all these photos of high quality !

Gunnar

Hi again

When looking further on that plate I am "now" convinced it have officers from both FFA 54 and AFA/FAA 220. When Wilberg left the command of Stofl Süd late May 1916 to take command of Stofl Mackensen the "Army" only had two flying units.

When AFA 220 was formed early 1916 it had four a/c and six officers. From the original officers I have five names but one was captured in April 1916. The four others officers from AFA 220 are all apparently on that plate, Hptm Walter Braune, Lt Wilhelm von Münster, Lt dR Alfred Preiß and Lt dR Emil Schlemmer.

Gunnar

Hi Dave

Lt Arndt is probably named Dietrich and named in the loss lists, eventually he have an file in Berlin

Lt Burgdorff is a new name for me, it existed an Obstlt Heinrich Burgdorf born 1881 who served in the Luftwaffe, but different spelling and rather old..

Lt Hans-Heinrich von Foerster from IR 24 did later became an leader of an Bomber-unit.

Reimund is a new name for me and tricky to find.

Germann Unger from IR 67 with two n in first name is often mis-spelled, he later became an General in Luftwaffe.

Gunnar

Very interesting plate Matt !

I can probably identify at least 10 more names on the plate, but I dont have Regiment for all. It seems basically officers from FFA 54 except Anslinger and Paul Pertermann with an unknown rank and maybe one more.(possible ROAs)

It might have been a gift to the Stofl Süd, Hptm Wilberg for his service in that position as period fits. He later became an General.

Unfortunate i cannot make the picture bigger so can you cut out all the rest of the names  as you have done with those identified ?

Gunnar

Hi

Dave Danner wrote :  I'm not sure about an Oldenburg connection, but the other officer has the Friedrich-August-Kreuz 1.Klasse, so maybe the Fliegerabteilung received some Oldenburg awards.

FFA 54/FA 24 was part of Süd Army from start 1915 until  late 1917. Maybe some Oldenburg Regimenten served within this Army ?

some short comments:

Gustav Meyer became Meyer-Spelbrink in mid 1920s and still hold that name during WW2, maybe changed his name a second time to Meyer zu Spelbrink after WW2..

Langhoff might be Oblt Georg Langhoff from IR 42 but I dont have him within this unit.

Oblt Hans Bergling was from IR 168.

Eicke might be the Württemberger Lt or Lt dR Hans Eick from IR 127 who was captured in the autumn of 1916.

Franz Schleiff, the later Ace came from FAR 73, also PlM candidate.

I have Oblt Herbert Sonnenburg from FAR 46 at AFP Süd and stab Kofl Süd but not within FFA 54, maybe a visitor ?

Gunnar

Hi Dave

Yes, it is Walter Pohl from earlier IR 136. Walter was the first commander FFA 64 which he lead to late 1916. He have an BAMA file which I have checked. He also had an background in the Air Force pre-War which made his "status" little higher.

The last known date I have for Haehner in FFA 64 is July 1916.

Gunnar

Thanks very much Dave 

With first names it will probably be an high chance to find his date and place of birth later on.

I have that he started as active officer in FuAR 10 and promoted Lt 19.11.1908 mit Patent 27.01.1908, then circa 1910 he went over to the Reserve of that Regiment.

Gunnar

Hi

Oblt dR x Haehner from FuAR 10 received the Das österr. Verdienstkreuz mit der Kriegsdekoration in spring of 1916 while serving on the Eastern front. Does it exist any award-list  for this award which can give a first name ?

He apparently later received the Hohx in late 1917 or early 1918. He is one a the few airmen mentioned in von Hoeppners book so he became "famous".  He was living in Straßburg but apparently it does not exist any on-line address books for this town. And sadly for me the archive in Straßburg is on French language so I am unable to find if he have an file there.

Anyone who have a first name for him and/or possible date and place of birth ?

Gunnar

Thanks ixhs

No it is only to find his date and place of birth, he apparently had an connection to Düsseldorf which maybe is his birth town.

Gunnar

Hi

In one source is the Apotheker and Lt dR Karl Dohmen from Köln-Sülz listed as receiving Badische Orden vom Zähringer Löwen mit Schwerten late 1914. Anyone knew the award and/or possible date and place of birth ?

His Regiment is IR 112.

Gunnar

Hi ixhs

As he was an flyer I have some minor adds on him. You probably knew that he have an file in BAMA Freiburg and one in BA Berlin, as well one in Karlsruhe and one in Stuttgart so you have a good chance find "complete" info on him. I havent checked any of these files yet.

Lt dR 30.03.1916. Before joining Js 37 he served in FA 38(ex FFA 69) on the Macedonian front, 15.02.1917 until 18.04.1917(maybe first crash). Then he joined Js 37 on 20.10.1917 coming from Jastaschule. I do think he was only "temporary" leader of Js 37 after Udet until the new leader arrived(Georg Meyer). He was apparently posted to AFP 2 on 16.04.1918. The Württemberger loss list dated 01.07.1918 says he was wounded. These WVL(as well Saxon loss list) were generally slower in reporting losses. 

No notes regarding aerial victories.

Gunnar