Hill near Moronvilliers?

[rammjaeger]

On 24.May 1916 achieved Baldamus his second air victory (a French aircraft) over the so-called "Fichtelberg" southeast of Moronvilliers (sp?). This hill (227 m) in the Champagne is situated ca in the middle of the way between Nauroy and Vaudesincourt. What is the French name of this hill? Which French losses occured on this date in this area? Is it possible to verify the loss?

[Soderbaum]

Hannes
I have two German victories and two French losses this Day in my notes.
The HB reported that two E/A were shot down, the first at St Souplet and the second at Herbebois.
The French reported that Lt Jean Robert of Esc N 57 was MIA. No place and time unfortunate..Ref CC 26/1.
The second loss was Sgt Kiffin Rockwell(US) of Esc N 124 who was reported shot down and WIA on a Nieup.17. No place and time....
But on the other hand Lt William Thaw(US) of the same escadrille shot down a Fokker E. North of Verdun as his first victory..
Perhaps a to small piece of the cake..?
VBR
Gunnar

Dear Hannes & Gunnar,

This is what I have for 24 May 1916. I hope this may help you !

Victories :
- S/Lt Thaw (N 124) : 1 Fokker E shot down North Vaux, in the morning (1st v.)
- Adj Tarascon (N 3) : 1 EA probable
- Patrol from N 124 : 2 EA FTL near Etain
Losses :
- Lt Jean Robert (N 57, pilot) : MIA (II° Armée sector)
- Lt Jean Roux (MF 8, pilot) & S/Lt Masson (MF 8, observer) : both MIA (place unknow)
- Lt Charles Dupuy (N 48, pilot) : WIA at Lunéville
- S/Lt William Thaw (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Kiffin Rockwell (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Victor Chapman (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- S/Lt Petit (MF 5, pilot) : injured in accident (place unknow)

VBR,
Christophe

Dear Hannes & Gunnar,

This is what I have for 24 May 1916. I hope this may help you !

Victories :
- S/Lt Thaw (N 124) : 1 Fokker E shot down North Vaux, in the morning (1st v.)
- Adj Tarascon (N 3) : 1 EA probable
- Patrol from N 124 : 2 EA FTL near Etain
Losses :
- Lt Jean Robert (N 57, pilot) : MIA (II° Armée sector)
- Lt Jean Roux (MF 8, pilot) & S/Lt Masson (MF 8, observer) : both MIA (place unknow)
- Lt Charles Dupuy (N 48, pilot) : WIA at Lunéville
- S/Lt William Thaw (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Kiffin Rockwell (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Victor Chapman (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- S/Lt Petit (MF 5, pilot) : injured in accident (place unknow)

VBR,
Christophe

Dear Hannes & Gunnar,

This is what I have for 24 May 1916. I hope this may help you !

Victories :
- S/Lt Thaw (N 124) : 1 Fokker E shot down North Vaux, in the morning (1st v.)
- Adj Tarascon (N 3) : 1 EA probable
- Patrol from N 124 : 2 EA FTL near Etain
Losses :
- Lt Jean Robert (N 57, pilot) : MIA (II° Armée sector)
- Lt Jean Roux (MF 8, pilot) & S/Lt Masson (MF 8, observer) : both MIA (place unknow)
- Lt Charles Dupuy (N 48, pilot) : WIA at Lunéville
- S/Lt William Thaw (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Kiffin Rockwell (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- Cpl Victor Chapman (N 124, pilot) : WIA, II° Armée
- S/Lt Petit (MF 5, pilot) : injured in accident (place unknow)

VBR,
Christophe

[Soderbaum]

Hi
I find a brief note of the incident when the three american pilots were wounded in a single action from the book by Trevor Henshaw "The sky their Battlefield" as follows:
..A patrol of five machines from Esc N 124 led by the commanding Officer Capt G Thenault, spotted several German 2-s near Etain and some Nieuports apperently broke formation in order to attack them. The whole patrol was therefore drawn into fight, most of the casulties,the first for the squadron, occured as the chasing aircraft passed down through the enemy group..
VBR
Gunnar
It seems from the material given by Christophe that none of these aircrafts were claimed by the German.

[rammjaeger]

Sadly enough, the weekly reports of the Stofl of the 3rd Army in the Archive in Dresden start with 30.July 1916 - so I can´t check that better until I have found more detailed info. Which French Army was fighting in this are (IV, VI?) in 1916?
A French map shows (I bought one for this area)the "name" of the hill was "Le Mont sans Nome" - called "Fichtelberg" by the Saxons - today some meters lower than 1916.

Maybe Frank Olynyk is right with his sources and the victory was already on 23rd May! Than we have to search for other losses...