Jasta 1

[R Gannon]

Digit

I am not insulted by your German text, but how are we non-German speakers -the vast majority of Forumites - to make full sense of your 'uncited' but interesting German text. Surely WW1 air war afficianado's should be sharing data, not hoarding it as some kind of emerald tablet?

Cheers Russ

Joe

Didn't we jump one? The Staudacher claim on 14 Aug 18?

[digit]

Originally Posted by R Gannon

' …but interesting German text…'

Interesting German Text? A glimpse at the end of the tunnel view? How about that for a non-German reader (the step to a 'German speaker' is far, far away), who cries for the administrator?

Emerald tablet. Yes. But who cares, if you are happy in your world of WWI Aviation History?

Sorry for the small visit here, sorry for the wasted time.

[Joe M]

Hi Digit,

Many thanks for the information, I presume that it from Georg Staudacher's log book. I used Google to translate it (God help us) so I got the gist of what was said.

I am sure that he claimed it in good faith 10 km on the British side of the lines but the problem that we have is that even though both the Jasta War Chronology and Above the Lines give this as an RE8 from 6 Sqn. TSTBF shows no RE8 losses at all in fact only lists two aircraft lost by the RAF on this day, an SE5a from 29 Sqn and a DH9 from 108 Sqn.

So where do we go from here? Georg Staudacher seemingly claimed and was awarded an RE8 but there is no record of a corresponding loss on the British side. That is why I question it as a 'moral' victory. He obviously fired at an RE8, perhaps it dived away and was lost in ground mist unharmed.

Come back and give me your thoughts.

Happy Hunting
Joe

[digit]

Originally Posted by Joe M

Graeme you suggest that 6 Sqn did have a loss in a flying accident on this day, a 2Lt. W Fitton, but the CWGC and Airmen Died in the Great War give his date of death as the 19th of August. Possibly he died the day after his crash?

How about this?

[UPZZZZ]

Is there a possibility that G. Staudacher mistook a DH 9 for a RE 8? German pilots often get confused with allied planes.


@ Joe M. Even that I'm able to read old german "Sütterlin" text this example and the other one in the other post of digit was very very difficult to me. Where will I find a google-translation possibility to translate a "Sütterlin writing" into english or even better modern german.? Thank you for any help.
Perhaps I have to ask my father for he had learned to write and read it as a schoolboy.

[digit]

From the unpublished "Jasta Pilots" of the late Rick Duiven. Some people will be aware of it.

[fetubi]

As far as I understand it, 2Lt Fitton was killed practicing his landings on his airstrip..

19 August
C2426 RE8 6Sqn - Pracldgs cr fire (2Lt W Fitton KIFA)
(Hence not in the original TSTB)
Trevor

[digit]

Stand: 18.8.1918
Kofl 17 - feindliche Ballone vor der 17. Armee

This is a cutting from the original map of Kofl 17, dated 18th of August 1918, when Uffz. Staudacher claimed his victory at Beaumetz (left) in British held territory. The German frontline was in a distance of about 12 kilometers at the right.

It shows definitely that German Jasta Pilots fought also behind the British front. Due to shortage of men and machines only 3 pilots of Jasta 1 were at hand for intercepting, a fourth one (Ltn. Branning) had to left for home with engine trouble.

[Graeme]

Rick had passed me copies of his Jasta histories and I had appended the comment "Fitton was killed in a flying accident on 19 August" to the details of Staudacher's claim when I returned the history of Jasta 1. I'm not sure that Rick had the opportunity to update his records before his untimely death.

Also, I believe that the location of Staudacher's claim is actually Beaumetz-lès-loges.

Thanks to Trevor for providing more details of Fitton's death; I've a note that he was given a temporary commission as a 2nd Lt on 2 June 1918, so it seems that his service career was quite brief.

Graeme

[digit]

Deadline for the quoting above was the 6. January 2005.

Interesting to know where Rick Duiven got his information about the 18th of August from. He knews for sure that 2/Lt. W.Fitton, No.6 Squadron, died on 19th, the War Diary listed his death, and this document is widespread.

Re: "Sütterlin Schrift".
"Sütterlin" was only one font among the handwritten German script, and not always used. With the loss of most printed documents we have to rely on the handwritten. The ability to read German script is indispensable for a serious researcher.