Unknown German naval air personnel ?

Regulus · 11 April 2002, 03:39 AM

Hi,

On the 16th of March 1918 a Flugmeister Nartschis (or another first letter instead of the N, not clear, overtyped) was heavily wounded and a Lt. Graf slightly wounded. Does anyone know what unit they belonged to ? Did they fly together as would be logical ?
On the 18th Graf seems to be missing together with a Flugmaat Meyer. No more is found on them. Anyone knows what happened to them ?

Thanks and best from

Regulus

Rick · 11 April 2002, 07:05 AM

Regulus,

I show a Ltn.z.S. Graf (O) and Flugzg.Mt. Meyer (P) from M FA I taken POW on 18Mar18. I do not have the loss of (N)artschis on 16Mar18. Thanks. R.

Soderbaum · 11 April 2002, 10:37 AM

Hi Regulus

Willy Bartschis was one of the most highly decorated German Marine Flyers during WW1...He received the GMK...so he is in the class with Sachsenberg, Christiansen and Osterkamp...

Probably his biography could be find in one of the O´Connors books (not in the ones I have..

..)

He hit a telephone wire while landing and was badly wounded, so this was an accident..

:

Gunnar

Regulus · 12 April 2002, 12:16 PM

Hi Rick and Gunnar,

Do you know anything more on the units of these men ?

And about Bartschis, funny that you tell me that about the telephone wire accident.
I know of a story at Snellegem Flugplatz of such an accident. Some local people told me about the fact that a telephone wire was hanging over the ground instead of on the ground and that a pilot was wounded when landing at the airfield and that his undercarriage did hit the wire just after touching the ground, turning the plane upside down with quite some damage.

Could this possibly be the same accident ?

Best from Regulus

Regulus · 12 April 2002, 12:24 PM

Forgot this, as Bartschis was flying with I MFFA it could have been indeed that the accident happened at Snellegem Flugplatz. Do you know when it happened ?