Hauptmann Mahs...?

[Mattyboy]

Hi all,

I have seen this photo of a Hptm Mahs taken around c1916, but unfortunately I cannot find anything more on him....

Does anyone have any details about him and his war career (first name, original regiment, etc)?

Thanks a lot,

Matt.

 

[Soderbaum]

Hi Matt

Interesting but also a bit "problematic" photo/s. FFA 71 was a "well known" unit which also was called the "Crown prince unit" in some German records. However I havent found any of the flying crown-Princes actually serving within the unit.

You dont see such hangars for an flying front unit but FFA 71 was an exception as they was stationed at Metz for a long time. So when was the photos taken ?. Because of the names on the photos, the clothes an guess would be a cold date late in spring 1916 ..?

The spelling and ranks given on the photo are also "problematic", Mahs should rather certain be Maaß which unfortunate is a very common last name in Germany. I have at least four different Hptm Maaß serving within the Air Force. The rank for Aigner dont fit the "only" known flying officer at this time. A more precise dating of the of the photos might help to come further. Another problem is that Metz also had an huge AFP and a flying school so sometimes photos from this place could contain flyers from different units..

Gunnar

 

[Mattyboy]

Hi Gunnar,

I was praying that it wasn't another Maaß! The photo is part of an album being sold on ebay - other personnel are named, some of which will be well-known to you I'm sure. Here is the link:-

http://www.ebay.de/itm/371563169911?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Best Regards,

Matt.

[Soderbaum]

Hi Matt

I also saw meanwhile that the photo album was on sale on ebay.de. The Album is rather certain assembled after the War but still have a "fair" time-line.

However the photo/s is rather certain not from FFA 71. None of five flyers mentioned on that photo have an proven link to FFA 71 (at least not for me). The hangars etc in background indicates Metz or some other huge aircraft facility. So a new guess is that the photo was taken in the autumn of 1914. Kirsch is apparently mis-spelling for Kirch.

Gunnar

 

[Mattyboy]

Hi Gunnar,

Thanks a lot.

[Mattyboy]

Hi Gunnar,

A few names in this album do appear to be related to FFA 71 - Lt von Mönsch, Uffz Sieberl and Sgt Assmann.

I have them as Lt von Münch, Uffz Siebel and a Werkmeister Assmann. Unfortunately I do not have the first names of many personnel in this unit, even the CO (Hptm Petri)...

Edited March 15, 2016 by Mattyboy

[Mattyboy]

Hi all,

Here are the names of the personnel I have serving in FFA 71 at the end of 1915.

If anyone has a first name or original regiment for any of these men, I’d like to hear from you:-

 

Hptm Petri (O) CO

Oblt Hellmuth Volkmann (P)

Oblt Jancke (O)

Oblt König (O)

Oblt Kurt von Schrabisch (O)

Lt von Münch (O)

Lt Gerlinghoff (O)

Lt Flügge (O)

Lt Grote-Hasenbalg (?)

Lt von Bismarck (?)

Vfw Neumann (P)

Vfw Kern (P)

Uffz Breitkreuz (P)

Uffz Siebel (P)

Gef Ey (P)

Gef Kairies (P)

Werkmstr Assmann

Zahlmstr Hoffmann

 

Best Regards,

Matt.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Mattyboy

[Soderbaum]

Hi Matt

For your first question ID 6 from Yesterday, I have that Egon von Münch joined the unit in April 1915. That was actually before the unit had been renamed to FFA 71. He left in the summer of 1915. He was from GR 8.

Gunnar

[Mattyboy]

Hi Gunnar,

That’s interesting because my source gives the date as Christmas 1914/15, and the rank of Hellmuth Volkmann as Oberleutnant. I had assumed that the date was actually 1915/16 because FFA 71 had not been formed until the summer of 1915, and Volkmann was not promoted to Oberleutnant until early 1915.

 

So perhaps these men were actually from 2. FeFA Metz while it was being renamed….

Thanks for the first name of von Münch !

 

Best Regards,

Matt.

[Soderbaum]

Hi again Matt

I have some material from an personal file for Egon von Münch, it is in bad shape and when I reread it, it seems he was back in FFA 71 in late Aug 15.(sloppy reading by me in first case)

Is your name list from one and same time Weihnachtskarte or photo with all names ?

Some notes about first names:

Kurt Jancke, Arnold Gerlinghoff (an Bavarian), Werner Grote-Hasenbalg (O), Peter Neumann, Willy Kern, Eduard Ey and Felix Kairies. 

 

Gunnar