Jastas based near Fleurbaix & Estaires in mid-June 1918

22 May 2007, 02:26 AM

Hi,

Can anyone tell me or point me in the right direction about where to find out which Jastas were stationed near Fleurbaix and Estaires (5km South-west of Armentieres) in mid-June 1918 and flew Pfalz D.IIIs?

A distant relative, Markus Scheckenbach, was claimed as kill 60 by

Billy Bishop (see the Aces page on this site). I am hoping to be able to track down his unit and maybe figure out his aircraft's markings.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Alan Scheckenbach

Taz · 22 May 2007, 08:33 AM

Aaln- Welcome to the Forum. Here is a website showing Jasta locations by date which should help.

http://patriot.net/~townsend/WW1AirMap/

Markus Scheckenbach is not listed in The Jasta Pilots by Franks, Duiven, and Bailey, or any of the related titles. I suggest you put a query in the "people" section where you may find more information. The Pfalz D.III/IIIa was still in wide use on 15 June, with 13 D.III and 289 D.IIIa aircraft still at the front on 30 June 1918. Only the Albatros D.V/Va (695) and Fokker D.VII (407) were more numerous at the front.

Taz
Terry Phillips

26 May 2007, 01:11 AM

Terry,

Many thanks for your welcome.

Also thank you for the additional information about the number of various aircraft at the front.

I'll take your advice and post in the people forum and see what happens.

I had a look through the suggested site and came up with four or five possible Jastas that he may have been in. That narrows it down sonewhat.

Thanks for your help.

Alan

Dan_San_Abbott · 29 May 2007, 07:09 PM

Alanscheckenbach:
On 15 June 1918, Jasta 30 based at Phalempin Airfield with Pfalz D.IIIa aircraft and Jasta 52 at Provin Airfield equipped with Pfalz D.IIIa and Fok.D.VII machines were in the Gruja 3 commanded by Ltn.Hans-Georg von der Marwitz would have been operating against RAF units in the 1st Brigade of the British First Army in the area opposing the German 6.Armee.
Jasta 14, 29, 30, 43 and 52 made up the Jagdstaffelgruppe Nr.3.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Trebrys · 30 May 2007, 05:19 AM

Drifting slightly away from the thread, but I found a gravestone in North Wales a fortnight ago that recorded the death of an observer, 2nd Lt. R. Emrys Owen from 103 Squadron who was shot down and killed in September 1918. His name is on his parents' gravestone and it records him as being buried at Fleurbaix.

I have a letter by him written in Welsh dated 28 August 1918 that talks about flying over that region and how much of a buzz he got out of it. He was only 19 years old and it all seems a great adventure for him. He'd only been over for a short time and possibly the horrors hadn't really hit home yet.

He was hit by anti-aircraft fire whilst on the way to bomb Harbourdin on 18 September 1918 and he was killed with his fellow Welshman, pilot Lt. Thomas Martin Phillips of Swansea.

Trebrys