LEADERSHIP

Regarding Richthofen's pilots:

Richthofen came to Jasta 11 in January 1917.

Allmenroder came to Jasta 11 in November 1916 and did not score a victory for 3 months until he began scoring under Richthofen.

Kurt Wolff came to Jasta 11 on 5 November 1916 and failed to score any victories until Richthofen came to the squadron.

Sebastian Festner came to Jasta 11 in November 1916 and scored his first victory on 5 February 1917.

Lothar von Richthofen's very first assignment as a fighter pilot was with Jasta 11, he did not transfer from another jasta as an already successful fighter pilot.

Schafer was handpicked for Jasta 11 by Richthofen from another unit but he had only one victory to his credit when he arrived at Jasta 11.


So these pilots who would eventually earn a combined confirmed score of somewhere around 130 had, at the time they came under the leadership of Richthofen, a combined confirmed score of 1.

Recognizing potential and developing it or recruiting it is also the trait of a great leader at any rate.

Regards,

MDD

Peter - glad you asked about Mulock. R.V. Dodds, in THE BRAVE YOUNG WINGS, devotes a chapter to Mulock (describing him as "the man who did everything", and he is often mentioned in S.F. Wise, CANADIAN AIRMEN IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR The following is in my data base; there is much more about him in other sources. Given the length of this entry, I am having to split it into two parts for acceptance by the Forum:

MULOCK, Flight Lieutenant Redford Henry - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 22 June 1916. Born 11 August 1888. Home in Winnipeg (electrical engineer); taken on strength at Eastchurch, 20 January 1915; to Westgate (submarine and Zeppelin patrols), April 1915; to No.1 Squadron, 8 July 1915; to Dunkirk Headquarters, 21 May 1916; to Air Ministry, 19 July 1918; to Independent Force, 29 August 1918, to command No.82 Group; to Air Ministry and No.27 Group, 25 October 1918; to Headquarters, Northern Area, 26 January 1919; Colonel as of 29 August 1918. His exploits included pursuit of a German bomber (16 April 1915); pursuit of a Zeppelin from Ramsgate to Belgian coast while it fired on him (17 May 1915), bombing Brussells Zeppelin sheds in daylight despite enemy fire and rain (8 July 1915). Active in aircraft industry and RCAF Auciliary postwar; died in Montreal, 23 January 1961.

In recognition of his services as a pilot as Dunkirk. This officer has been constantly employed at Dunkirk since July 1915 and has displayed indefatigable zeal and energy. He has on several occasions engaged hostile aeroplanes and seaplanes, and attacked submarines, and has carried out attacks on enemy air stations, and made long distance reconnaissances.

MULOCK, Wing Commander Redford Henry - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 11 August 1917. Public Records Office Air/74 has a letter from the Admiralty to Vice-Admiral, Dover Patrol, Dover, dated 6 August 1917 (signature illegible):

I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that they note with pleasure the letter from General Trenchard testifying to the very fine work performed by all ranks of Number 3 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service during their four months' service with the 5th Brigade of the Royal Flying Corps.

I am to request that you will convey to Squadron Commander Mulock, and the Officers and men of this Squadron, Their Lordships' high appreciation of their good service.

Squadron Commander Mulock's name will be "mentioned" in the "Gazette".

NOTE: The following extract from Routine Orders of 4th Army (General Sir H.S. Rawlinson), 28 August 1917 was thought to have been related to this MiD award; he was then in command of No.3 (N) Squadron. Although not directly bearing on his MiD, it illustrates his overall leadership qualities.

The Army Commander wishes to express his appreciation of the courage and devotion to duty displayed by the following officer in rescuing the wounded and salving ammunition under shell fire at an ammunition railhead on July 10, 1917 -Squadron Commander R.H. Mulock, DSO, RN.

Folio 187 of Air 1/74 has a related letter (referring to a missing document), from Senior Officer, RNAS Dunkirk to Commodore, Dunkirk, dated 27 July 1917:

The Naval Officer referred to is undoubtedly Squadron Commander Redford Henry Mulock, DSO.

He proceeded to the vicinity of the ammunition train accompanied by Surgeon Arthur Edward Panter, RN, and the following mechanics:-

L.M. "D" H.G. Larter O.N. F.5996
AM2 "SD" A.F. Walker O.N. F.19380
AM2 "SD" J.T.P. Wilson O.N. F.19382

Surgeon Panter and one Driver took the first wounded man they found away in an ambulance, and after this I was unable to get any definite statements, as Squadron Commander Mulock is very reticent on the subject. I gather from the remaining drivers, however, that he went alone and searched the Dump for wounded and would not allow the drivers to accompany him.

MULOCK, Wing Commander Redford Henry - Chevalier, Legion of Honour (France) - awarded as per London Gazette dated 14 September 1917. NOTE: Public Records Office Air 1/74 has a recommendation sent 24 March 1917 by the Senior Air Officer, Dunkirk to Commodore Exelmans, "Capitaine de Vaisseaux", in Dunkirk, which is almost certainly resulted in this award:

Has been in command of the Escort Squadron at St.Pol for a year and is a conspicuously gallant and expert pilot.

MULOCK, Wing Commander Redford Henry - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 16 March 1918.

MULOCK, Wing Commander Redford Henry - Bar to Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 26 April 1918. NOTE: although this DSO citation was only one line, it would appear he was recommended for a DSC as follows: "For untiring energy and power of command. He has brought his squadron to a very high pitch of efficiency. He is mainly responsible by his spirit and personality for its great success as a fighting unit." See AIR 1/1155/204/5/2441 (MG.40 D.1 Volume 20).

In recognition of services as Dunkirk.

MULOCK, Wing Commander Redford Henry - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 16 June 1918.

MULOCK, Colonel Redford Henry - Commander, Order of the British Empire - - awarded as per London Gazette dated 3 June 1919. No citation other than "in recognition of distinguished services rendered during the war."

Other outstanding leaders present themselves as soon as one turns from fighter pilots. Strasser of the German airship fleet might be cited - although his dedication to the Zeppelin as a weapon, verging on blind enthusiasm, may have prolonged their use well past their viability in battle, and resulted in many needless deaths (himself included).

Amazed that no-one has mentioned Barker. Never lost a wing-man, and was absolutely revered by his men - even 70 years later when they were very old men and were interviewed by Wayne Ralph for his excellent biography of Barker.

I have read three biographies of Richthofen i.e Gibbons, Vigilantand Burrows. I never came across any reference to MvR giving away victories to others. Can you quote your source?
I probably have been prejudiced by Ira Jones complaints that he only shot down B.E.2C's. and never crossed the lines.
By now you must be convinced I am anti.
In order to show that perhaps I am not.Here's an unverifiable snippet:
A friend of mine is a Social Worker and some years ago he visited an elderly and bed-ridden man, who had been a P.O.W. in W.W.1. He was a simple private and had been sent on a work detail to Jasta 11 and it was a week before MvR was killed. He stated that MvR had inspected the work in his role as C.O. That he was very formal and Prussian and had asked if they had been properly treated and whether they had any complaints.He thought that he was a "good bloke".
I realise that this is only third hand but I have no reason to doubt its veracity but it does show that all is not "into the blue with all guns blazing" and admin has to be carried out regardless.
Incidentally what about Voss and Udet. Who recruited them?
With regard to Barker there is his last battle with the Snipe and the accusation that he was "Grandstanding." That is mentioned in Barker's biography.
Kind regards,
Peter S.

Hi Hugh,
Thanks for the info. on Mulock. I must confess I have never heard of him but from what you write he would seem to be a contender for 'Leadership'.
He seems to be in the same mould as Romney Sampson. I only thought of him after your notes. He also would probably be a contender. What do you think?
I don't think I could go along with you regarding Strasser.
VBR
Peter S

[Richard_Schrader]

Peter;
I am work now so I can't be sure, but I think my source was the latest book by Peter Kilduff.
Richard

I agree that labeling someone as 'anti' or 'pro' Richthofen or anything else is often a distraction from the points being discussed.

The point I am making regarding pilots like Voss and Udet is that they came into the jasta or JG long AFTER Richthofen had established his unit as the best fighter unit in the German air force.

Voss came into JG1 (jasta 10) on 30 July 1917 and certainly contributed to the successes of that unit and JG1 in general.

Udet came into JG1 in March of 1918 and stayed off and on, I think, through August.

Both of these pilots certainly were handpicked by Richthofen and contributed to the successes of JG1 in late 1917 through 1918, but Richthofen was able to handpick such pilots for his units at that point in time precisely because he had, in early 1917, taken a unit that had ZERO victories during its existence, and in a short time turn it into the highest scoring unit in the German airforce. This he did for the most part with pilots who had already been members of the unit when he arrived (i.e. Wolff, Allmenroder, Festner)
and new arrivals who were not established successful fighter pilots like Udet and Voss (Schafer and LvRichthofen).

I think Richard is referring to Richthofen's combat report of 18 March 1918 where he and Gussmann fired on a Bristol which crashed and Richthofen gave credit to Gussmann in his report.
In the same report Richthofen also states he and LT Lowenhardt fired upon another Bristol which crashed and Richthofen again credits the victory to Lowenhardt. This incident is related on pp187 of Kilduff's biography of Richthofen.

Regards,

MDD

[Richard_Schrader]

Michael;
Thank you, those were the two I was making reference to.
Richard