German Honor Trophies

[ehrenpries]

GDay
This gets more intersting all the time.

I would love to read the Osterkamp "You or I" book but I dont think there is an English translation?!

I was particularly fascinated when Gunnar pointed out that Oncle Theos' 30/4/17 victory was not confirmed and he was disappointed for a long part of his life.

Surely pilots and observers had to accept unconfirmed as unconfirmed even though that would be very annoying.

Why was this particular claim so important to Oncle Theo? Can you elaborate please Gunnar?

Regards from Downunder

Tony

[Soderbaum]

Hi Tony

Sorry, I dont knew the reason that Theos unconfirmed claim in April 1917 was so important for him, that he wrote about it in his book 20 years later and mentioned it in a short "interview" over 40 years later..

As Klaus says he had other claims which went unconfirmed or confirmed to other flyers..

Perhaps, he thought it was stolen from him in an injustice way, or that he needed that claim trying to show the audium that he had more victories than Sachsenberg or that he tried to convince others that he scored the first victory for MFJ or some other reasons....but this thoughts from my side are pure speculations... :-X

:-/
Gunnar

[Regulus]

Hi,

Concerning Sachsenberg :
Awarded the Pour le Mérite in recognition of distinguished naval service and leadership. The award was also given in recognition of his 15th aerial victory.

However there seems to be a difference with Osterkamp, just found the text :
Awarded the Pour le Mérite for distinguished military service and leadership. The award was also given in recognition of his 19th aerial victory.

Now on Christiansen :
Awarded the Pour le Mérite for outstanding leadership and successfull operations. Lt. Christiansen flew 440 flights against allied aircraft totalling 1164 flying hours, bombed Dover in England and rescued 27 survivors from a German ship sunk by the British. He was also instrumental in the capture of six enemy ships, working with German submarines, and shot down a British airship.

The recommendation for the award was the following :
Since 16 September 1917 he is Station Master/CO of the sea-fighting station Flanders. Since 12 February 1915 he has flown 440 flights against the enemy, his total flying hours are 1164. He has many air victories to record. He has dropped bombs on Dover, etc. He kept 27 shipwrecked persons, who met with an accident throught English monitors, with his squadron at the accident site over water until boats came to save the crew. Seven men still drifting in the water later were fished out by his squadron, and sheltered in the planes. He himself brought three of the men in his plane to Zeebrugge. Furthermore, together with U-boats he brought in five steam ships and one Dutch sailboat. Throught him five damaged aircraft and their crews were saved. In December 1917 he attacked an English airship off the coast of England, and destroyed it. Christiansen counts as the best and most successful German seaplane pilot.

If I'm not mistaken he was promoted to Kap.lt for the attack on the British sub C25.

Best from Johan

[KlausTho]

Hello, together:

I dispose only of a more or less good library, therefore my remarks are all based on reports over WWI and biographies, sometimes not very exact and egocentrics. I think that this dates have to be compared always with the existing documents, this year I plan my first visit in Freiburg, looking naturally for my most favored point, my father.

The first victory of Osterkamp on 29.04.17 at 6.20 pm was confirmed, as he wrote, by an observation post at the frontline.
Next day, 30.04.17 there were three victories more,
one of them made by Sachsenberg.
But sometimes the memory fails, as I noted also
in a tale of my father in "Flieger am Feind", where
he described a dog fight in the first days of August 1918. Looking the documents, it was 31.07.1918.

Regards Klaus

[Soderbaum]

Hi Regulus

I just found a copy of Christiansen proposal for being promoted to Kapitänleutnant dR MA.

It is rather general, with the remark "wegen Tapferkeit vor dem Feinde"..
It is dated 15 Aug 1918 and signed by Stubenrauch.

Also the daily order from the Marineflugchefs gives the same "reason" for his promotion when it was published.

It does NOT mentioning anything about Airship C27, but it mention that he together with his flight(*) since Dec 1917 had brought down 7 Curtis FBA, 2 Short and 1 U-boat UC 25.
All these victories were confirmed by photographs and agent reports...
It also mentioned that he had over 1900 offensive patrol hours since joining See I, his awards etc...
It also mentioning his high age, 39 Years...

*Christiansen usually lead I C-Staffel(later Kasta I)

:
Gunnar

[KlausTho]

Hi together:

One short note from J. Buckler, Malaula!
First victory 24.12.1916. He received as christmas gift his first silver cup. One year later it would be an iron one.
In the Nimmergut catalogue 1979: Orders and Honor trophies 1800-1945 are mentioned
Silver cup US$ 1200, zinc silver plated US$ 1000,
brass silver plated US$ 1000, iron silver plated US$ 1200.
Regards Klaus