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Name: Julius Buckler Balloon-Buster
Orden Pour le Mérite (Blue Max)
Golden Military Merit Cross
Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class
golden wound badge		 Julius Buckler
Country: Germany
Rank: Leutnant
Units: FA(A) 209
FEA 6
Jasta 17
Victories: 36
Born: 28 March 1894
Place of Birth: Mainz
Died: 23 May 1960
Place of Death: Bonn
 
 
At 15 years of age, Buckler worked for Anthony Fokker but abandoned an  interest in architecture to join the Infantry Life Regiment 117 in 1913. Badly wounded on the Western Front, he transferred to the German Air Service. Already wounded 3 times in 1917, he was wounded for the fourth time on 30 November. On that day he was wounded in the chest and both arms and crashed and broke both arms. When he recovered he rejoined Jasta 17, flying "Mops" and "Lilly" to score 3 more victories before he was wounded again on 6 May 1918.
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 17 Dec 1916 1620 Jasta 17   Caudron Bras
2 14 Feb 1917 Jasta 17   Caudron W of Facq Wood
3 15 Feb 1917 Jasta 17   Caudron Pont-a-Mousson
4 15 Apr 1917 Jasta 17   SPAD Prouvais
5 16 Apr 1917 Jasta 17   Nieuport Berry-au-Bac
6 26 Apr 1917 0920 Jasta 17   Balloon Bois de Genicourt
u/c 06 May 1917 Jasta 17   SPAD Pont-a-Vert
7 12 May 1917 1840 Jasta 17   Nieuport La Malmaison
8 11 Jul 1917 0850 Jasta 17   Sopwith Triplane SE of Zillebeke
9 13 Jul 1917 1320 Jasta 17   F.E.2d Stuivekenskerke
10 14 Jul 1917 1750 Jasta 17   B.E.2 Leffinghe
11 17 Jul 1917 0730 Jasta 17   Sopwith Pup (B1713) Keyem
12 09 Aug 1917 0745 Jasta 17   Sopwith Camel (B3870) SE of Nieuport
13 11 Aug 1917 1415 Jasta 17   R.E.8 W of Spermalie
14 29 Sep 1917 1805 Jasta 17   D.H.5 Fleubair
15 30 Sep 1917 1155 Jasta 17   Sopwith Lens-Arras
16 11 Oct 1917 0945 Jasta 17   R.E.8 Rodincourt
17 11 Oct 1917 1740 Jasta 17   Sopwith Camel Armentières
18 17 Oct 1917 1120 Jasta 17   Bristol F.2b Rocourt
19 24 Oct 1917 1620 Jasta 17   R.E.8 (B5896) Mericourt
20 28 Oct 1917 1705 Jasta 17   R.E.8 Mont St. Eloi
21 29 Oct 1917 0914 Jasta 17   Balloon Neuville
22 29 Oct 1917 1210 Jasta 17   Nieuport Scout E of Houthem
23 31 Oct 1917 1130 Jasta 17   A.W.F.K.8 La Bassée
24 31 Oct 1917 1620 Jasta 17   Balloon Laventie
25 12 Nov 1917 1545 Jasta 17   R.E.8 Oostkerke
26 15 Nov 1917 0845 Jasta 17   R.E.8 Ypres
27 18 Nov 1917 0910 Jasta 17   Balloon Ypres
28 18 Nov 1917 0925 Jasta 17   Balloon Dickebusch
29 18 Nov 1917 1415 Jasta 17   R.E.8 Bixschoote
30 29 Nov 1917 1205 Jasta 17   Balloon Bapaume
31 16 Apr 1918 1635 Jasta 17   Bréguet 14 Vaux
32 21 Apr 1918 1230 Jasta 17   Bréguet 14 Mareuil
33 03 May 1918 2100 Jasta 17   Balloon Tricot
34 05 Oct 1918 1715 Jasta 17   Salmson 2A2  
35 24 Oct 1918 Jasta 17   Bréguet 14 Méry
36 30 Oct 1918 Jasta 17   EA  
u/c 08 Nov 1918 Jasta 17   R.E.8  
 
Books
Franks, Norman. Julius Buckler: MALAULA!: The Battle Cry of Jasta 17. London: Grub Steet, 2007

Franks, Norman, Frank Bailey and Russell Guest. Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918. London: Grub Street, 1993

Treadwell, Terry C. and Alan C. Wood. German Knights of the Air 1914-1918: The Holders of the Orden Pour le Mérite. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1998
 
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