René Fonck's 6th Victory

Scott · 21 February 2005, 05:44 PM

I'm stumped... In his combat memoirs (

, edited by Stanley M. Ulanoff, Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1967)

René Fonck describes a patrol on the morning on 12 June 1917 when he encountered and shot down two Albatros scouts.

"Information found on one of my two victims showed that my victory was going to take on the proportions of a catastrophe in Germany. I had brought down Captain Von Baer, commanding officer of one of their best fighter squadrons. He had twelve victories to his credit and was considered one of the enemy's most skillful pilots. I was warmly congratulated."

Over the Front

credits Fonck with one victory for 12 June 1917 but doesn't identify the victim. Anyone know who Fonck shot down and why he thought he'd downed a 12 victory ace? The closest I can come to "Von Baer" would be Friedrich Bär of Jasta 81 who was killed in combat over Reims with a SPAD (

The Jasta Pilots ) but he doesn't fit the bill.

Immo_Frese · 22 February 2005, 02:15 AM

One of his victims on this date was probably Hptm. Eberhard von Seel, CO of Jasta 17. Probably the french soldiers had some difficulties to read the german handwriting in von Seels personal papers or there was a transcription fault later when publishing the book

Immo