100 years ago today

[Erickn]

[gregM]

Nice picture Erich.

[Wilhelm]

Manfred was using his pen instead of twin Spandaus 100 years ago today.


In the field, Dec. 11, 1917

Liebe Mamma,
There is little doing here at present and things are consequently rather dull. I am leaving for Speyer today to look over an airplane plant.
Christmas I intend spending with my squadron, together with Papa and Lothar. My orderly has already sent a Christmas parcel to Bolko, and I trust I have succeeded in meeting a cadet's tastes.

Manfred

So, another young Richthofen was now learning the arts of war.

[Erickn]

MvR and Anthony Fokker

MvR and Aircraft genius Anthony Fokker

[Erickn]

December 1917

During the month of December 1917 (37) Pour le me’rite were granted. 18 to the Army, 14 to the Air Service and 5 to the Navy. One Eichenlaub zum Orden Pour le Me’rite was granted to the Army. Any award of the PLM was very notable but, several of these men became more recognized or notable than others.<O</O
Lt. Hans Klein, CO Jagdstaffel 10, (22) victories, PLM 2 Dez. 1917. To his credit became the last war-time commander of the famous Richthofen Squadron ranking #58 on the confirmed victory list. He served in the 1939 war achieving the rank of Generalmajor assigned as Deputy Commander in Chief of Fighters.
Image of Klein's PLM courtesy of Blind Pew<O</O

[Erickn]

Han's Klein Goblet

..

[Erickn]

OberLt. Eduard Ritter von Schleich “The Black Knight” CO Jagdstaffel 21, (35) victories, PLM 4 Dez. 1917 presented by the King of Prussia. By the end of the war he ranked #20 on the confirmed victory list. In 1943 he achieved the rank of Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe.<O</O

[Erickn]

Lt. Ferdinand Schoerner, PLM 5 Dez. 1917 granted for his part in the Austro-Hungarian and German Battle of Caporetto which shattered the Italian lines in the autumn of 1917 capturing Hill 114 on the infamous Kolovrat Ridge. Years later in his career he became one of Hitler’s favorite commanders, highly decorated with das Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes earning the infamous title “Blutiger Ferdinand” (Bloody Ferdinand). Despised by his men, he was “extraordinarily brutal”, after the war convicted by the Soviets, sentenced to 25 years, served 10. After his release, returned to Mittenwald and was convicted for manslaughter of Wehrmacht troops.<O</O

[Erickn]

Generalmajor der Infanterie Arnold Lequis, das Eichenlaub zum Orden Pour le Me’rite, 5 Dez. 1917 after the successful participation in the 12<SUP>th</SUP> Battle of Isonzo.

<O</O
<OOberLt. Friedrich Christiansen, Imperial Germany’s most successful Seaplane Pilot, CO of Seeflugstation Flandern. PLM 11 Dez. 1917 after 440 flights against the enemy. Christiansen, the first of three PLM granted to the Naval Air Service. He went on to serve as the Commander in Chief of occupied Holland in 1939/40 achieving the rank of Generalmajor in 1939. In Arnhem 1948 sentenced 12 years imprisonment for war crimes, released early in 1951.<O</O

</O

[Erickn]

On this day 18 Dez. 1917, 100 years past, one of the most famous personalities in military history was granted Orden Pour le Me’rite. OberLt. Erwin Rommel for actions taken at Mountain Matajur on the Italian front resulting in the capture of the 1<SUP>st</SUP> Italian Infantry Division of 10,000 men by using a small attacking force.<O</O
Later in his career Rommel became known to fight with chivalry earning respect from his opponents. He was very resourceful, and it was said that he never left the battlefield in North Africa without scavenging anything of future use. “The Desert Fox” extremely popular in Germany, highly decorated with das Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, eventually became a victim of the regime although, his legend lives on.
<O</O

Aerodome, WW2 Graves, Wikipedia, D.Edkins, C.Hackney, Blind Pew, Google Images<O</O

[sshort]

December 23, 1917 A recently awarded EK1, young, brave soldier writes home from Flanders!

[Erickn]

Feldflieger Abteilung 7

Dezember 1917 (www.buddecke)

[Wilhelm]

Great stuff guys! 1918 was a day away, lots to come.

[Erickn]

.

[Wilhelm]

The Baron was on the Ostfront once again, at Brest-Litovsk. Germany was finalizing the peace terms on Russia. He found the diplomats boring. So he asked permission of the commander in chief of the Eastern Front to hunt in the forest of Bialowicza, the old hunting preserve of the Romanoffs. He and Lothar made the trip in a sleigh, through cold, wind, and snow. They were after bison and red stag. The silent, snowbound forests were much more to his tastes than dinners and diplomatic receptions.