hesselink, Fflabt 57, Jasta 33, Jasta 39

Who can help me with information concerning Leutnant Hesselink and the units he flew with, where were the units based, who were the CO's, what type of planes this units flew with, is there any information about his victories.
Johan Frederic Hesselink born 1894 in Haarlem the Netherlands, for a reason I do not know he joined the german army, July 1914 he became a Fahnenjunker and ended the war as a Leutnant.
The last half of 1915 and 1916 he was with Feldfliegerabteilung 57, beginning of 1917 he was with Jasta 33, october 1917 wounded in an airbattle, february 1918 till the end of the war he served with Jasta 39, in his Feldpost letters for a part written in dutch and german language, some victories are mentioned and that he is waiting for his iron cross first class.
Thank you for your help.

[Ron_F]

Hi,
Ltn Johann Hessenlink
FA 57 -
Jasta 33 May 1917- 4Feb 1918, Acting CO of J33 18 June 1917 - 14 July 1917.
CO Jasta 39 4 Feb 1918-11 Nov 1918.
1 unconfirmed victory over a spad on 25 May 1917 1400 hrs near Quemappe.

1 confirmed 27 May 1917 over a Pup (A7340, 66 Sqn RFC, Lt S S Hume, Pow) 0730 hrs , SE Hamblain.

'Jasta War Chronology' 'The Jasta Pilots' 'The Sky thier battlefield'

Hope this helps.

Ron F.

Hi Ron F,
Thank you for your information

[Soderbaum]

Hi Eric

Hellelink was wia on 18 Oct 1917.

Some short notes of his flying career could be find in the book "Flieger an allen Fronten" by Friedrich Schilling.

I have a note that he did not joined FFA 57(later FAA 256) until autumm 1916.

Thanks for information abouy birth-date etc.

VBR
Gunnar

[Soderbaum]

Hi again Eric

If you have more information about his victories and later career You are really Welcome to publish it here on the Forum.

Regarding Jasta 33 is that is one of the least known Jastas in the German Air Service.

VBR
Gunnar

Hi Gunnar,
I'll read his letters again, and will give some more information about his writing on the forum (when it is interesting enough)
There are also a few photos of him, one aircraft photo, one crashed aircraft photo, one photo of him in front of an aircraft together with an officer wearing the observersbadge, I know that he also wrote about a new type of aircraft he was flying with, but I have to look in his letters, who are sometimes hard to read, but I'll do my best, Thank you for your reply.

[wings]

Is there anything in the photos or letters that would indicate the colors and markings of Jasta 33 during 1917?

[Soderbaum]

Eric

There is also a photo of Hesselink in the book by
Friedrich Schilling but I am unsure if I have made a copy of it.

VBR
Gunnar

For all who are interested !!!
Information from his sister Anna.
On October 7. 1941 his sister Anna wrote in the family chronicle: Father luitenant in the dutch army Gerrit Hesselink, mother Jonkvrouw (Lady) Quintis. Anna and Johan had a nephew in Germany, (as she wrote it =) Mann der Base von Gizycki, Leberecht von Blücher, Oberstleutnant und Chef des Stabes 18.Korps (I think this could be the reason why Johan became a german soldier)
She writes my brother in July 1914, 19 years old, dutchman, became Fahnenjunker with Ulanen 6. tradition der Luetzower Jaeger, Hanau am Main.
March 1915 he became leutnant and went to pilotschool, he ended school end of 1915 in Adlershof. In 1917 he became a fighterpilot.
Johan CO.Staffel 33 died in December 1918 in Oberstdorf - Influenza.
At the end of the war he brought his Staffel back to the Heimat -Without Red Badge- (question: was it ordered to paint this on the plane by the new gouverment???) -and had thrown his own plane in the river Rhine.
In the night of the revolution he got the message-order from O.H.L.- Soldierscouncils must be formed, his men refused that and choose Johan as their leader.
Information taken from Johan's letters.(at the moment Idon't have them all)
16.5.1915 letter to his parents, I have decided to become a fighterpilot.
16.6.16 First flight over the Englishlines, hit by Artilleryfire in my tail, unit stamp FflAbt.57.
29.8.16 yesterday and the day before yesterday our maschines of 57, each time downed an Englishman, 3 officers taken POW.
No date, Photocard Leutnant Parchau with a dog, Johan wrote on it: dogs name is Greif and a put cross + near Parchau.
14.9.16 Dear parents please send me new flying goggles.
2.10.16 Feldflieger Abteilung 57 is now part of Armee Gruppe Stein. My new plane is very fast and can go up to 5000 meters.
7.10.16 I have a very good beobachter his name is Oberleutnant Schilling, on the Kaiser's birthday he will be captain. Yesterday 3 men got the iron cross first class, Schilling got his one too. I hope to get it next month or in December.
11.11.16 unit stamp is Feldflieger Abteilung 57, but address on the back of the letter is Flieger Abteilung A256.
25.8.17 unit stamp is Jagdstaffel 33
Oberleutnant Lorenz is on leave 15.8 to 15.9 so I lead the Staffel. There is here another Oberleutnant but I'm his superior.
I have no victories because there are no confirmation.
18.10.17 Feldpostkart Jagdstaffel 33
Letter written by Beckmann (who is he ???)
Johan wounded in airbattle etc etc
(Johan did put a few words at the end of the writing).
6.2.18 Jasta 39
Yesterday 1 killed, 2 wounded.
Schilling got the Abteilung 4230 from Jasta 33.
5.3.18 Since 3.3 I'm Staffelführer
7.5.18 Lorenz wrote me in his letter that he again had lossess, also Leutnant Hoevelhaus - severe legshot, bonesplinter and very serious pane.
Friedel wrote about his Schlachtstaffel.
So this is all for the moment. Eric
ps who can tell me more about where the bases were, and the types of planes he flew with etc etc.

[Reinout]

Well, well, well,

Hi Eric,

That is some fascinating data on Hesselink you got there! I had until now no knowledge on any countrymen flying for the Germans, so this is a welcome addition. Furthermore, it appears that he knew Otto Parschau, the 8-victory PlM-ace. Parschau was wounded in an air battle just days after getting his PlM and he died of wounds later that month (July 1916), so the photo with the cross along with the letter of August 1916 matches pretty well. And then there is the name Schilling. Since I am without my sources now I cannot check whether this man was Hans Schilling who was once a member of the succesful crew Dossenbach-Schilling (if my memory doesn't play with me). Dossenbach was credited with 9 planes and is one of the very few German two-seater aces. My memory tells me that 8 of them were scored with Schilling who didn't get credit for the victories (at least not for all of them). So it could be that Hesselink served or knew some of the early stars of the Fliegertruppe/Luftstreitkräfte.

P.S: wat heb je eigenlijk voor spullen van Hesselink en hoe ben je eraan gekomen?

Kind regards,

Reinout