Evidence that German ace Uffz Marwede machine-gunned parachuting balloon observer

[bjomanson]

On Sept 14, 1918, members of 33rd Division AEF, witnessed a French balloon shot down in flames from the village square of Fromereville. The event was recorded by two independent witnesses. One witness, Lt Will Judy, said the balloon was only about 300 yards from the village square. Both witnesses report that the German plane strafed the observer as he descended by parachute. Lt Judy reported that the German plane flew off and immediately shot down a second balloon.

The German pilot was most likely Unteroffizier Hans Heinrich Marwede, of Jagdstaffell 67, who was credited on Sept 14 with shooting down three balloons in a space of five minutes, at about 4:35 in the afternoon, southwest of Verdun. (Fromereville is just over 7 kilometers west of Verdun).

The French records show three balloons shot down in flames-- all probably by Uffz Marwede-- on Sept 14. Neither the location of the balloons nor time of their destruction is provided, but the units are identified, as well as the observer killed in each case. They are:

---1. S/Lt Boret of 25 Cie d'Aerostiers

---2. Adj Andre Lurcat of 30 Cie d'Aerostiers

---3. Cpl Guilbert of 31 Cie d'Aerostiers

If possible, I would like to identify the observer whose death by strafing was observed by the two witnesses from the 33rd Division. Of the three French balloon units listed above, can anyone tell me which was located closest to Fromereville?

Thanks very much.

BJ Omanson

[Barrett]

Only indirectly related, but there's a series of photos of Marwede at time of his capture by US troops, including pix of his Fokker. He appears to be well treated despite his alleged killing of a defenseless observer.

[bjomanson]

Of course the Americans who captured Marwede on Oct 3 wouldn't have known about his alleged machine-gunning incident on Sept 14. The two Americans (33d Div) who recorded the incident on Sept 14 had no idea who the German pilot was.

Are there any descriptions of Marwede's Fokker DVII? -- its markings or color scheme?

[Gregvan]

Hi There,

Thanks for providing this fascinating information.

According to Jon Guttman's book "Balloon-Busting Aces of WWI,". Jasta 67 launched an all-out attack on the French balloon line between Clermont and Verdun on 14 September. Ltn d R Christiansen was credited with a balloon at 1630 hrs, but in fact the 57e Compagnie balloon he attacked did not flame. At the same time Marwede attacked the 25e Compagnie balloon and destroyed it. Then he flew on to burn another from the 30e Compagnie at 1634 hrs, and a third from the 31e Compagnie four minutes later.

Unfortunately, not much is known about the markings of Marwede's OAW-built Fokker D.VII, or those of Jasta 67 in general. There are several good photos of Marwede's Fokker D.VII (OAW) 4092/18 overturned and in American hands; however, the hundreds of Yanks who swarmed to the spot had already stripped off much of the fuselage fabric by the time the photos were taken. By the way, there is also some incredible motion picture footage taken of Marwede's Fokker spinning down, and Marwede himself sitting dejected amidst his Yank captors.

The intact fabric undeneath the tailplane shows only the factory finish lozenge fabric. The side cowling panels were apparently painted a dark (unknown) color, while the radiator shell area and cowling around the propeller shaft was painted white. The 'polka dot' pattern seen on the upper cowling panel was actually the OAW factory camouflage pattern in green and mauve.





Marwede was lightly grazed by a bullet on his cheek during his attack on 3 October, before he was brought down by American AA fire. His bloodied face is visible in the photos taken just after his capture:




Of course, we could get into a discussion about the correct 'rules of engagement' and proper military action when it came to balloon observers hanging in their parachutes. As they were combatants, coming down within their own territory, many officers on both sides thought it was perfectly acceptable to go after them as well as the gasbags; after all, trained observers were harder to replace than the balloons. I recall some story told by a British fighter pilot (Taffy Jones, I think) in which a high-ranking officer specifically told his pilots to shoot the observers.

This controversial topic of shooting parachuting observers also formed the subject for scenes in the BBC TV series "Wings" and in the old classic Frederic March movie "The Eagle and the Hawk".

Greg

[bjomanson]

Lt Judy, of the 33rd Div AEF, stated that the French balloon was only 300 yards from the village square in Fromereville. He said that after the Fokker flamed the balloon, it practically grazed the roof of their headquarters, then flew directly to the next balloon in the line, flamed it as well, then flew off toward the German lines.

Marwede attacked three balloons of the 25e, 30e and 31e Compagnies, in that order, most likely following the balloon line and flying from east to west. (Marwede was flying from his aerodrome at Marville, 40 k north of Verdun).

The fact that Lt Judy states the Fokker turned back north toward the German lines after flaming the second balloon (suggesting that he had completed his strafing run of three balloons & was returning home), and because two of the three balloons were in sight of Judy, suggests that Marwede had already flamed the balloon at 25e Compagnie before arriving at Fromereville, so that the two balloons witnessed by Judy were probably those from 30e and 31e Compagnies, respectively. If that much is true, then the observer machine-gunned by Marwede would have been Adj Andre Lurcat of 30e Cie d'Aerostiers.

Many thanks for helping me work that out with the information from Guttman's book, and many thanks for the terrific photos. I found the film of Marwede's crash.

[Froggy]

Bonjour à tous

On that day,14 september 1918,the French daily record of II armee(JMO)
said

"....,par contre les allemands ont abattu en flammes nos trois ballons de Parois,de Fromereville et du Pied de Gravier (observateurs indemnes)"

"But germans flamed our three balloons of Parois,of Fromereville and of Pied de Gravier (observers safe)

Mémoire des hommes

So, may be Marwede straffed one of the 3 observers ,but (luckily) he missed him
I have checked records for French casualties (Morts pour la France site)
and no trace for these 3 observers

Cordialement
Bruno

[bjomanson]

Thank you very much, Bruno, for the II Armee record. I appreciate knowing the location of those three balloon squadrons, though it's too bad they didn't specify which squadron was in which location.

I've located Parois midway between Fromereville and Clermont.

Pied de Gravier is not a town but a ravine, and the only clue I have to its location is that is near Verdun and at some point it intersects a road going to Bras. Can anyone provide more information about the Pied de Gravier ravine?

My information that all three observers whose balloons were flamed by Marwede were killed, comes from Bailey & Cony's THE FRENCH AIR SERVICE WAR CHRONOLOGY 1914-1918: DAY-TO-DAY CLAIMS AND LOSSES BY FRENCH FIGHTER, BOMBER AND TWO-SEAT PILOTS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, p. 300.

[bjomanson]

I think your records are correct, Bruno, which indicated all three observers survived.

I checked Bailey and Cony again. It appears I misread the abbreviation. For each of the three observers shot down by Marwede, the abbreviations are "XF" (destroyed in flames), and "OK" (which I took to mean 'observer killed"). However, on checking the "Abbreviations" page, I don't find "OK" listed at all. So evidently "OK" means simply okay. The observers survived.

[Froggy]

Bonjour

Here is exact location of Ravin Pied du Gravier
4 Km North of Verdun




Bruno

[bjomanson]

Many thanks again, Bruno. Now Marwede's flightpath can be approximated. Probably Pied de Gravier to Fromereville to Parois.

Do you think there are any records or maps that would specify which balloon squadron was in which location?