German claims 6 Sept 1915

[ONEALM]

Does anyone have a list of German claims for 6 September 1915 ?

I'm piecing together the death of Capitaine Albert Fequant so famously saluted in Farre's painting. If we can believe Farre's account of the event which he had related to him, Fequant died of three bullet wounds - two the head and one to the body. If so, it implies a combat with German aircraft.

Fequant was a member of VB 102 at the time and I believe the mission was to Saarbruck. Fequants place of demise is listed as Dompierre - don't know if that's where the combat took place or VB102's field.

Another crew, lost on the same mission but from VB105, was supposively downed by FA 6.

I saw this painting and it's companion "the tragic death of Capitaine Fequant" which shows the VB102 aircraft returning with Fequants dead body hanging over the side of the airplane, in Lancaster California this past weekend. Both are tremendous. The story as known is powerful enough, but I'd love to fill in the blanks.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[Rick]

This is really a Frank Olynyk question, but I'll jump in. The VB 105 crew was Capt. Paul Bousquet (P) and Lt. Prosper Jamaux (O) claimed by Offz.Stv. Heinrich Merz (P) and Ltn. Walter Ritter von Lichtenberger (O) of FFA 6b. Fequant's pilot was Sgt. Charles Noix who delivered him "home".

It is remotely possible (very remote) that the loss of Fequant and Noix may have been the unconfirmed claim of Ltn. Paul von Osterroht (P) and MvR (O) of BAO. Their unconfimed Voisin (or Farman, depends on who you read) ended up on the French side in a shell hole on the Champagne front. The date is given only as Sep15 (no exact day), so clearly speculation.

I have no other German claims for 6Sep15 (but since the French aircraft wasn't downed, one wouldn't expect any). R.

[ONEALM]

Rick -

Thanks for the reply.

I have the JWC but was hoping someone would have a record of an unconfirmed "gitterschwanz". Noix did make it back to his airfield so I think we can discount the von Osterroht/MVR claim.

Still digging .....
Mike

[gilles]

Hello

According to the book "l'aviation française de bombardement" by René Martel (1939),based on the escadrille's journal de marche, the bombers were attacked by Aviatiks (could be any german biplane two-seaters in my opinion) during the return flight, over the Saar valley (south of Saarbrucken).
Maybe this can help to identify the german unit.

On his (on-line) death certificate, Fequant died between Saarbrucken and Nancy (GB1 was based just outside this city). I don't know the relation with Dompierre.

The pilot, adj Niox, was captured just one week later ,september 13th, after a raid over Trier/Trèves.

Gilles

[rammjaeger]

Reinhard Kastner gave a report of 5 pages about the day in "Das Propellerblatt" Nr.1 (Sommer 2001).

Capitaine Féquant was hit by Oberleutnant Hock (o)

but another French aircraft attacked the Aviatik C.I of the crew Vfw. Georg Schöner/Oltn. Ernst Hock (bFFA 6) from behind and hit Hock by a shot in the head. Schöner was wounded in the leg and Hock died next day in hospital.

So we have two pilots coming back with dead or dying observers.

Maybe Reinhard can elaborate a bit more.

[ONEALM]

Gilles & Rammjaeger -

Thanks for the update - the complete picture is just about formed. I'm working on a short article about those two famous paintings both as art and as history so it will be tremendously helpful to use what you've both provided to complete the "picture" (no pun intended).

Many thanks to you both,
Mike

[gilles]

Capitaine Féquant was hit by Oberleutnant Hock (o)

but another French aircraft attacked the Aviatik C.I of the crew Vfw. Georg Schöner/Oltn. Ernst Hock (bFFA 6) from behind and hit Hock by a shot in the head.

In one of his book, Mortane said that Féquant's attacker was driven down by another Voisin. I did not pay too much attention to this because there is no claim in FASWC, but if there is a known german casualty...
What is really odd is that, according to Mortane, the Aviatik's victor is capitaine Philippe Féquant, VB101 CO and Albert's brother :blink: .

Gilles

[Frank_Olynyk]

I have a single German claim credited on Sept 6, 1915, at 0830 hours. A Voisin two seater, French, at Cappel (SE of St Avold), ds. The crew was from ffla 6b, ofstv Heinrich Metz (pilot) and Ltn Walter Lichtenberger (obs). The first and only victory for each.

Frank.

[Taz]

Mike- You could make a great painting yourself showing the actual engagement and completing the story. This was a pretty big fight for September 1915 and certainly shows that all the air to air fighting was not confined to fighters.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[rammjaeger]

TAZ is right!

As well I really advice to read/translate Mr Kastners article (Feindliches Geschwader im Anflug) in "Das Propellerblatt"! Don't know if this early issue of the magazine is still available but you should look at the homepage of the magazine.

The article provides stuff for at least another painting too, e.g if the crew Merz/von Lichtenberger was encircelled and fired at by 8 French airplanes. :blink:

http://www.propellerblatt.de/

VBR
Rammjaeger

[ONEALM]

Just back from a week away from email....

Thanks Taz, Frank and Rammjager for the updates. It would make an interesting painting to "fill in" the story. If I'm going for a ride on someone's coattails, Farre is a great choice !

I will look for the Propellerblat article as well.

Gilles - The connection between the two brothers and the loss/victory is one of the interesting components of the story. They were in different squadrons, but both units were involved in the action that day.