100 years ago today

[Wilhelm]

100 years ago today Manfred again penned a letter to his mother.

January 15, 1918

Liebe Mamma;

You will wonder why you have been so long without news from me, but that is always an indication that I am well. In this case, however, I have been seeing much. Lothar has already written you that we were in Brest-Litovsk. There we saw and were introduced to all the prominent diplomats. I should like very much to tell you all about it. As it is, I can only write you that peace was concluded along the lines laid down by Ludendorf. For a few days, we roamed through the forests around Bialowicza, where each of us shot a stag. The stay in the quiet forest has done us both a world of good. I will be in Berlin for a fortnight after the twentieth, when I hope to be able to see you.

Manfred

[Erickn]

Manfred & Lothar

[Erickn]

General Karl Ernst Freiherr Manfred von Richthofen

January 1918 (13) Pour le Me’rite were granted, (9) to the Army, (3) to the Navy, (1) Foreign.

<O</O100 years passed on 18 January 1918 General der Kavallerie Karl Ernst Freiherr Manfred von Richthofen was granted the Orden Pour le Me’rite. General Richthofen (24 May 1855-28 Nov 1939) was the great uncle of his more famous namesake Manfred von Richthofen who was granted his Pour le Me’rite just one year earlier on 12 January 1917 after his 16<SUP>th</SUP> aerial victory. (His current tally on this day was 63) The General had no children of his own and legally adopted his nephew Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen who later became a Generalfeldmarschall of the Luftwaffe in the 1939 war.<O</O
General der Kavallerie Richthofen participated in the Battle of the Frontiers, First Battle of the Marne and the Battle of Łódź in Poland. He accumulated an impressive array of awards during his career;
<O</O
Order of the Red Eagle II Klasse w/ Oakleaves
<O</OPrussian Order of the Crown, II Klasse w/ Star<O</O
Order of Saint John, Knight of Justice<O</O
Prussian Dienstauszichnungskreuz<O</O
Prussian Ehrenkreuz I Klasse w/ Crown<O</O
Waldecksches Militar-Verdienstkreuz III Klasse<O</O
Waldecksches Verdeinstkreuz I Klasse<O</O
Wurttemberg Ritterkreuz of the Order of the Crown w/ Lions<O</O
Bulgaria Commander of the Order of St. Alexander
<O</OCommander of the Order of the Crown of Italy<O</O
Austria-Hungary Ritterkreuz of the Order of Franz Joseph<O</O
Persia Commander of the Order of the Lion and the Sun<O</O
Russia Order of St. Anna I Klasse<O</O
Spain Military Merite Order III Klasse<O</O
1914 EK 1<SUP>st</SUP> and 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Klasse<O</O
Orden Pour le Me’rite awarded 18 January 1918
<O</O
<O</O(David Edkins, Aerodome, Wikipedia, Google Images)<O</O
<O</O


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<O</O

[Erickn]

100 years ago 22 January 1918

This EK I from my collection commemorates today’s date 22 January 1918 one hundred years ago. <O</O
In the Infantry Regiment 56 regimental history book; Dr.Phil. Martin Schultz: Das Infanterie-Regiment Vogel von Falckenstein (7. Westfalisches) Nr.56 im Grossen Kriege 1914/18 Berlin, Albrecht Blau Verlag, Seiten. Ltn d.Res. Enger is shown as number 103 on the list and mentioned at least three times. Ltn. Enger was the leader of MWK 14 assigned to the Infantry Regiment 56 in Feb.1917. He became involved in a Storm Troop Assault on 25 July 1917. The account is provided in detail and this is no doubt one of reasons for him receiving the EK1. He survived the war.<O</O

[Wilhelm]

That is a fine Kreuz! Very nice.

[Erickn]

Ltn.d.Res.Enger # 103

[Erickn]

That is a fine Kreuz! Very nice.

Thanks

[Wilhelm]

100 years ago Manfred took time to write another letter to his mother. One sentence, in hindsight, was prophetic.

At the Front, Feb. 11, 1918

Liebe Mamma;

I am sorry that I was kept in Berlin so long that I could not come to Schweidnitz to say good-bye. It would have been so pleasant, and I was looking forward to it.
Now I think I will not come back to Germany for a long, long time. Keep Lothar with you as long as possible. He is rather negligent with his ears and does nothing to cure them. He loses nothing here. Tell him for me, he should not leave before the first of March. Should things become more lively here, I will advise him by wire.
I am afraid Bolko is angry with me, but it was really impossible to make a landing in Wahlstadt. In the fall, with the crops off the fields, I will do it surely.

Manfred

[Erickn]

Feb.1918 was a slow month regarding Orden PLM granted with a total of four. One Army, Lt. Hans Markmann on 12 Feb. One Air Service, Oberlt.Bruno Loerzer also on 12 Feb. (41) victories. Two Navy, Commander of Cruiser Raider WOLF, August Nerger, 24 Feb. and KaptLn. Hans von Mellenthin, UB 49 on 25 Feb. Three Oakleaves were granted in February to C.I.C. High Seas Fleet Ludwig von Schroeder and Chief of Adm. Staff Georg von Mueller both on 1 Feb. One OL to Army, Duke Albert of Wurttemberg on 25 Feb.<O</O
<O</O
100 years ago, today, 3 March 1918 - OberLt. Wolfgang STEINBAUER, U-boat Commander, UB.47 and UB.48 was granted Orden Pour le Me’rite for outstanding leadership, distinguished naval planning and successful submarine operations..Sinking’s listed by Uboat.net are 49 merchant ships of 170,432grt (or 170,000<?xml:namespace prefix = "st1" /><st1:stockticker>BRT</st1:stockticker>) and 1 warship of 11,100 tons - French battleship Gaulois in 1916, also damaged 1 warship of 18,400 tons (kt – 140,000grt in 10 patrols). He died in 1978.<O</O
Naval History.net, D.Edkins, Uboat.net, google images<O</O
<O</O

[Wilhelm]

The air war was picking up after a long winter 100 years ago. Not only was there fighting at the front but engineers and efficiency experts were on the job as well. New, better, and faster planes were reaching the front. The Germans were suffering from shortages of essential materials, but did not give up on research and development. As spring began things were not going as the Germans wished. On March 8th and 9th, 44 German planes were shot down. This trend would continue.

[Erickn]

Ludendorff would soon launch the first major offensive in two years on the Western Front to include the Luftstreitkrafte for maximum effect.

Richthofen brothers on a better day. Events will change soon.

[Wilhelm]

The Baron had not downed an enemy flyer since Nov. 30. His dry spell ended 100 years ago today. He was flying with his brother Lothar and Lieutenant Steinhauser far behind their lines at 16,000 feet.

Victory #64 Mar. 12, 1918, N. of Nauroy; Bristol Fighter 2; Second Lieutenant l. C. F. Clutterbuck, pilot, made prisoner, and Second Lieutenant H. J. Sparks, observer, wounded and made prisoner.

March 1918 would be another banner month for Manfred. Much better than April.

[Erickn]

100 years ago today Lothar scored his 28th (B1247) & 29th (B1250) ariel victories. On 11 March he scored his 27th victory (A7227). Here is an interesting read by Stephen Sherman.

"March 1918 - As the Germans built up their forces for their upcoming offensive, the British increased their aerial reconnaissance over German lines in the second week of March. Jasta 11 responded defensively and the Richthofen brothers were in the thick of it. Lothar downed three Bristol F2.B's on the 11th and 12<SUP>th</SUP>. <O</O
After the war, Lothar wrote of his battle with the British two seaters. His account is summarized here. The fliers of Jasta 11 spotted about ten British machines heading over the lines flying at 17,000 feet. According to his account, Jasta 11 attacked, with Manfred duly in the lead. The Red Baron cut one Englishman out of the pack, stayed on his tail firing, and forced the plane down on the German side. <O</O
Lothar looked for a target of his own and shortly found himself all alone ahead of his Staffel surrounded by British airplanes. He dived away from them and one of the F2.B's bravely or foolishly stayed with him, as Lothar later recounted the event. At the lower altitude, the two adversaries flew straight at each other head on shooting. A deadly game of chicken, in which the English two seater had the advantage of a rear-firing observer, able to shoot at the German the moment the planes passed each other. Just before collision, von Richthofen's bullets hit home and the combustible Brit caught fire. Quickly engulfed in flames the stricken machine turned away and the doomed aircrew briefly pondered their choice of deaths. They jumped. "<O</O

[Wilhelm]

Manfred was flying again today 100 years ago.

Victory # 65 Mar. 13, 1918, between Gonnelieu and Banteux; Sopwith Camel 1; Second Lieutenant J. M. L. Millett, killed.

[Erickn]

March 13, 1918 Lothar's Staffel encountered Camels of No 73 Sqn and Brits of No 62 Sqn. A quick encounter, Lothar and his Staffel mates attacked the British planes, which dived away. As Lothar pursued one, a loud crash rent his machine. It had been hit. At 4000 meters, with the top wing shredded and the rudder useless, the plane could barely glide. "My triplane became a biplane." He spotted a clearing to land in and crash-landed, narrowly avoiding some high tension wires. He suffered multiple injuries to his face and was hospitalized in Duesseldorf. Camel pilot Augustus Orlebar and B.F.2b crew Geoffrey Hughes and Hugh Claye claimed the victory. (Note the high tension wires in the background of first image)

Stephen Sherman<O</O