Manfred von Richthofen´s Squadron Mates

[rammjaeger]

Hello Forumites,

I am searching for the names of MvR`s mates in Feld-Flieger-Abteilung 69 on the Eastern Front between June and End of August 1915.

MvR had just left a 10 or 11 days observer training in Großenhain. He came to FFA 69 which was standing under the command of the Saxon top observer Hauptmann Kurt Müller. I remember also Zeumer and Schneider were serving in this unit.

Who can tell me more about other pilots and observers serving in this unit between June and August 1915?

Thanks in advance.

Hannes

[Soderbaum]

Hi
Lt Hans-Henning v Winterfeld(O) is reported in Eberhardt as KI in field hospital at Surdow on 25 July 1915.
Lt Alfred Gerstenberg is reported serving in FFA 69, later joined KG 2 but no date is given.
Oblt Graf Holck(P) and Fhr. v Zobel(O) is reported flying in FFA 69 in 1915(both later FFA 57).
Hptm Mueller(O) was reported killed on 15 Nov 1915 together with Oblt Wulfgar v Koerber.

Not so much but perhaps some were staffelmates

VBR
Gunnar

[rammjaeger]

Thanks, Gunnar.

No doubt that Holck was a pilot of Richthofen during Richthofen´s stay with FFA 69 (21.June-21.August 1915). Gerstenberg was already together serving with MvR in the Ulanen-Regiment "Kaiser Alexander III. von Rußland" before.

Three of my sources say Müller and von Koerber died already on 15 October 1915 immediately after Bulgaria stepped into the war. I was just writing a member of the family von Koerber in Hamburg and hope for more info.

Hannes

[rammjaeger]

The citation for the Military St. Henry Order of Oblt. Hans Schneider says he got the awyrd for his brave flight on 24th July 1915 when his observer was severly wounded. Schneider succeeded in returning to his own lines, handing the observer to the docs and delivering his report.
I guess the observer was von Winterfeld who was dying next day.

[Soderbaum]

Excuse me Hannes
The death day for Mueller is October also according to the Eberhardt list. It was a misprint by me.
I saw that when Rittm Erich von Holck was killed on the Western front on 30 April 1916 there is no mention of him as being Graf...ref Eberhardt.
Holck was born in Mexico..!

Do you have any notes of Schneiders later career..?

VBR
Gunnar

[Paul Forster]

Does anyone have more info on Graf Holck?I have read about MvR's adventures while flying as his observer and would like to know a little more about him.

[rammjaeger]

Oblt. Hans Schneider:
Pre-war flier, in 1914 with Saxon FFA 24, 1915 in FFA 69, later CO of FA(A) 238 and CO of FA(A) 282.
Finally Commander of the observer school in Warschau in 1918.

Known Awards:
Prussian Crown Order 4th class with Swords (Prussia),
Military St. Henry Order, Knight (Saxony),
Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knights Cross with Swords (Prussia),
Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class (Prussia),
Albert Order, Knight with Swords (class?, Saxony),
Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration (Austro Hungarian Empire).

I remember Holck on a photograph with a cat on the shoulder and a little young lion under the arm.
I can look at some info not before evening.

[Soderbaum]

Hi
Von Holck was born 5 Febr 1886 in Mexico.
He belonged to Drag.R 9 before becoming a flyer.
He was reported KI in Courrieres wood on 30 April 1916. Ref. Eberhardt
He belonged to FAA 203 at the time of his death flying in the Verdun area within 5 German Army.
But its a possibility that he was flew within a temporary KEK at this time. For example both Bölcke, Lörzer, v Althaus, v Hartmann etc.. flew officialy for FAA 203.

VBR
Gunnar