Info on Oberleutnant Friedrich Freiherr v. Berchem

[landsknechte]

Does anyone have -any- information on Oberleutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Berchem? I've found one website that lists him as Staffelführer of Schutzstaffel 24 in January of 1918, but doesn't provide much more than that. Apparently he had served in Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment 7 before the war, was born 1890, served 1910-20...

I believe him to be the officer with the cane in the image below:
http://www.flugbeobachter.de/Kriegszeit/1918/Januar_1918/Berchem/Berchem.jpg

I know this isn't all that much to go on, but I'm trying to rule him in or out as one of the four possible individuals that could have been the original owner of a ribbon bar that I own.

Thanks,
--Chris

[Rick]

Chris,

You're lucky, Berchem is one of my Schusta/Schlasta guys!

Oblt. Friedrich Frhr. von Berchem, obs.:

FFA 1b_______________ 26May15 - 23Jan17
FEA 1b ______________ 23Jan17 - 30Jan17
Neuruppin____________ 30Jan17 - 17Feb17
BS Warschau (FT Course) 17Feb17 - 2Mar17
FA 295(A)b ____________ 2Mar17 - 7May17
FEA 1b _______________ 7May17 - 29Jul17
Flg.Funker Schule_______ 29Jul17 - 22Oct17
BS Warschau __________ 22Oct17 - 28Oct17
FEA 1b _______________ 28Oct17 - 5Jan18
Schusta 24b C.O. _______ 5Jan18 - 20Apr18
AFP 6 ________________ 20Apr18 - 25Apr18
Kofl 6 Stab ____________ 25Apr18 - 10Oct18
FEA 1b FBS Instr. _______ 10Oct18 - EOW

Sorry, I have no information on any awards he may have received. R.

[landsknechte]

Here's the ribbon bar in question:

http://www.imperialorders.com/ebaypix/185121.jpg

One researcher was able to nail it down to four possible Bavarians that couldn't be ruled out, however there's no trace yet found of any of them after 1926.

Joseph BAUCH of Bavarian Foot Artillery Regiment 3, born 1888, served 1908-20. Charakterisiert Hauptmann aD

Friedrich Freiherr von BERCHEM of Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment 7, born 1890, served 1910-20. Charakterisiert Hauptmann aD

Karl SCHRÖDER of Bavarian Jäger Battalion 2, born 1888, served 1908-20. Charakterisiert Hauptmann aD.

Kornelius VOGELEY of Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment 12, born 1889, served 1908-20. Charakterisiert Hauptmann aD.

Berchem is the likely candidate in my mind at the moment, as he's the only one that's been tracked down some sort of an aviation role. There's another von Berchem that I've found references to, probably an older brother, that ended up as a Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe.

Thanks for the info, and if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you be so kind as to translate the abbreviations for the benefit of a near complete newbie to WWI German aviation? :)

--Chris

[Glenn]

Chris,

although this does not confirm that he actually entered the Luftwaffe, I have a copy of the 1932 member list of the association of officers of the former 7th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. Listed is one Hauptmann aD. Friedrich Frieherr von Berchem. His address: Schleißheim Flying School. So it would seem he was still probably active in the aviation field.

Regards
Glenn

[Rick]

Chris,

Just to complicate your life a little, Oblt. Cornelius Vogeley also had an aviation connection. I also know he won the Hessian Warrior's Honor Decoration in Iron on 5Sep17 as the leader of Schusta 29b. Now you only need to convince yourself that one of the awards on the ribbon bar is that one :D .

Oblt. Cornelius Vogeley, Obs.

FLA 1b ________________ 28Jun15 - 18Aug15
Artillerie _______________ 18Aug15 - 9Sep15
FFA 2b ________________ 9Sep15 - 17May16
KG 1/Ks Hoffmeister ______ 17May16 - 23May16
FFA 2b _________________ 23May16 - 21Jun16
FEA 1b _________________ 21Jun16 - 22Sep16
BS Instructor ____________ 22Sep16 - 26Nov16
Stofl von Strantz Stab _____ 26Nov16 - 26Feb17
Bild Offz. Stofl von Strantz __ 29Dec16 - 26Feb17
FEA 1b _________________ 26Feb17 - 1Mar17
Schusta 29b C.O. _________ 1Mar17 - 15Dec17
FA 293(A)b Stv. C.O. _______ 20Oct17 - 10Nov17
FA 296(A)b C.O. ___________ 15Dec17 - 29Oct18
Üfla Sonthofen C.O. ________ 29Oct18 - EOW


Abbreviations, huh. Let's see,

FLA = Feld Luftschiffer Abteilung, FFA = Feld Flieger Abteilung, FA = Flieger Abteilung, FEA = Flieger Ersatz Abteilung, Flg = Flieger, BS = Beobachter Schule, FS = Flieger Schule (or Flugzeugführer Schule), KG = Kampfgeschwader, Ks = Kampstaffel, Kofl = Kommandeur der Flieger, AFP = Armee Flug Park.

That should pretty much do these guys. R.

[Rick]

Chris,

Oops, it gets worse. As it turns out all four men had an aviation connection. This should complicate your hunt some what :rolleyes:

Oblt. Josef Bauch, Obs.:

FFA 3b ______________ 23Nov14 - 16Jun16
FEA 1b, BS I Instructor _ 16Jun16 - 11Dec16
FS IV ________________ 11Dec16 - 18Dec16
FEA 1b ______________ 18Dec16 - 30Jan17
Neuruppin ___________ 30Jan17 - 20Mar17
BS I (FT Course) _______ 20Mar17 - 28Mar17
Schusta 23b C.O. ______ 28Mar17 - 22Jun17
FA 291(A)b C.O. _______ 22Jun17 - EOW


Oblt. Karl Schröder, Obs.:

FEA 1b ________________ 18Jan15 - 25Feb15
FFA 5b ________________ 25Feb15 - 1Jun15
FEA 1b ________________ 1Jun15 - 12May16
FFA 5b ________________ 12May16 - 6Sep16
KG 6/Ks 35 C.O. _________ 6Sep16 - 25Nov16
FEA 1b ________________ 25Nov16 - 2May17
FBS I __________________ 2May17 - 2Jul17
FEA 1b _________________ 2Jul17 - 1Aug17
FBS I __________________ 1Aug17 - 12Aug17
Schusta 24b C.O. _________ 12Aug17 - 2Jan18
FA 286(A)b C.O. __________ 2Jan18 - EOW


Sorry about that :D . R.

[landsknechte]

When it rains... It pours... :blink:

Where is this information coming from?

--Chris

[Rick]

Originally posted by landsknechte@Apr 12 2004, 02:42 PM
[b]
Where is this information coming from?

--Chris


From Harald Potempa's book on the Bavarian Fliegertruppe. (See your own thread on the "Medals" forum). I would be happy to discuss this off-line (or in person for that matter, after all Santa Cruz ain't THAT far from Cupertino :D ) R.

Duiven@Yahoo.com

[landsknechte]

Sorta what happens when you're having a discussion on two different forums at the same time. Posts passing in the night...

--Chris

P.S.
I live in Santa Cruz, but still work on the smoggy side of the hill. I'm a Homestead grad, so I've spent my fair share of time in Cupertino over the years.

[Rick]

Originally posted by landsknechte@Apr 12 2004, 04:20 PM
[b] Sorta what happens when you're having a discussion on two different forums at the same time. Posts passing in the night...

--Chris


Ain't that the truth. Time to go watch the Sharks!! (Inside joke, guys). R.

[landsknechte]

The following email landed in my inbox this evening. Pardon me while I toddle off and dance a happy historian dance...

Hallo,
sie wollten über Oberleutnant Friedrich von Berchem etwas erfahren.
Gerne komme ich Ihrer Bitte nach.

02.05.1890 in Schalkhausen
Leutnant im 7.FAR
27.05.1915 bay. Feldflieger Abteilung 1 kommandiert
03.06.1915 " " " " versetzt
16.03.1916 Oberleutnant
23.01.1917 bay. Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 1 Schleißheim
30.01.1917 F.T. Kurs Neuruppin kommandiert
17.02.1917 Beobachterkurs Warschau kommandiert
02.03.1917 bay. Fliegerabteilung (A) 295 versetzt
29.07.1917 Führer der Fliegerfunkerschule
05.01.1918 Führer der bayer. Schutzstaffel 24
11.04.1918 Armee Flug Park 6 versetzt und zum Kofl 6 kommandiert
09.10.1918 bay. Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 1 Schleißheim versetzt
00.11.1918 zur FAR zurückverstzt

12.12.1911 Prinzregent Luitpold Medaille
15.08.1914 bMVO 4b
22.07.1915 Beobachterabzeichen
10.01.1917 bMVO 4 mit Krone
20.11.1914 EK 2
14.03.1916 EK 1
30.04.1918 Hamburger Hanseaten Kreuz
16.07.1918 Hausorden vom Hohenzollern

Ich hoffe ich konnte Ihnen etwas helfen

Schöne Feiertage
R. Kastner

[Rick]

Reinhard should know. He probably is looking at the Personal Bogen of von Berchem. I'd trust anything he provides over my synopsis taken from Potempa. R.

[landsknechte]

Bogen?

[Rick]

Record.

[landsknechte]

23.01.1917 bay. Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 1 Schleißheim
30.01.1917 F.T. Kurs Neuruppin kommandiert
17.02.1917 Beobachterkurs Warschau kommandiert
02.03.1917 bay. Fliegerabteilung (A) 295 versetzt

My high school German has damn near faded into uselessness...

Do the references for "F.T. Kurs Neuruppin" and "Beobachterkurs Warschau" represent courses that he attended, or really short stints as C.O.?

Thanks,
--Chris

[Rick]

Chris,

"Kurs" = course or study course, FT - wireless telegraphy and Beobachter is observer. So he attended short courses in telegraphy and observing. R.

[landsknechte]

Again, thanks. :)

...and for the benefit of anyone following this thread, it's been established that none of the men in that photo that I posted are von Berchem. I received some photos from a descendent of one of von Berchem's squadronmates that shows the same folks, minus heavy jackets, and reveals that they're all NCOs.

--Chris