Windisch saved Thom

[rammjaeger]

Plm-holder Thom reported in a letter to the historian Beck short before WWII that he was saved in aircombat once by Rudolf Windisch. I remember also that Zuerl was reporting this incident in his book "Pour le mérite-Flieger" but have no access to the book currently. Do I remember right that Windisch was shooting down 2 of Thoms opponents in this action? If this assumption is true than this incident occured maybe on 21.April 1918 near Guy (Windisch-victories 16 and 17)?

Any ideas? Comments? ...

While on the subject of Windisch does anyone have any details about the Spad 7 he flew in combat.
Did he score while flying it, and how long did he fly it for?

andy

[Soderbaum]

Hi Hannes

The book about Thom by Hangeorg Buchholtz from 1937 names this incident but not the specific date....but it is mentioned after his triple on 18 Sept 1917 and his award of Goldene Militärverdienstkreuz on 11 Oct 1917..

Here is the incident from my notes of the Thom book:

One time I was surprised over Noyon wood by 4 french 1-s...they have nearly finished me off when out of the sky one German(Lt Windisch) suddenly appeared ..Windisch shot down one of the french 1-s in flames and hunted away the rest of them...

So I think this incident probably occured some day in Sept 1917...?

VBR
Gunnar

[rammjaeger]

Hi Gunnar,

maybe one of the three Windisch-victories in November 1917 IF the award was in October ...

Andy,
the Spad was his victory number 6 (18.November). The OHL stopped his use of the Spad still during W.s stay with J32b and forced him to use the Albatros D.V again. W.s #7 was a balloon on 3rd January and Nr.8 an aircraft on 4th January. On 10th January he left Jasta 32b.
I do not believe that he was using the Spad 6+ weeks. Therefore I think he got not offical credit for a victory with the Spad. Also he was at first using the machine with the symbols of the enemy (!!) - a good reason to shot him if he would become a POW in this time. Additional: How could he report victories and fill in the form for the claims with using an e/a and using enemy insignia? He could only get unconfirmed victories on this way! Also after painting the German Cross on the airframe the OHL was refusing the use of the Spad.
VBR

Hannes

Thanks Hannes

andy