It’s April 1917 in France.
Bedraggled souls tangled by wire
and sucked down by mud
look up to see an epic battle
taking place in the heavens.
Angels and Demons
locked in mortal combat
lifted up on wings of wood, wire and cloth.
A great red beast is seen whirling
and swooping in the sky.
Spitting fire
it is heralded by all sides
in equal measures of fear
and awe.
His name inspires admiration and dread
and it’s heard on everyone’s lips.
A name that holds as much fame and respect now
as it did over a century ago.
The Red Baron...
THE RED BARON!
Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen
was born on the 2nd of May, 1892
into a noble Prussian family.
He was the eldest son.
At the age of 11
he started his military training
in the Cadet corps
where he became known for his fearlessness.
He excelled at sport.
He was a skilled horseman
and enjoyed all the outdoor pursuits.
At the age of 17
he joined the German calvalry unit
as an officer
and was assigned to number 3 squadron.
As hostilities broke out in 1914
Richthofen served as a cavalry reconnaissance officer.
Due to the nature of combat at the time,
the unit was forced to abandon their horses
and instead were serving
as dispatch runners and telephone operators.
Bored and frustrated
he decided his calling was in the air
after seeing the german military aircraft.
Unable to contain his eagerness
and frustration
he applied to Imperial German Army Air service.
In his application he wrote:
“I have not gone to war
in order to collect cheese and eggs…”
He was accepted
and in May, 1915
he joined the flying service.
Initially he was to be in the observers seat.
That still didn’t stop him
from getting involved in the fight,
engaging with a Farman over the French lines.
He met the German air ace,
Oswald Boelcke,
and that meeting inspired him.
He eagerly entered training
as a pilot in October, 1915.
Richthoffen wasn’t the most accomplished trainee
by a long way.
He struggled
and was considered a below average pilot
and even crashed on his first solo flight.
After a time though
his skills grew
and he became an accomplished pilot
in the Kampfgeschwader 2,
Number 2 Squadron,
flying a 2 seater albatross.
Richthoffen got himself noticed
and was recruited by Boelcke
to join the newly formed Jagdstaffel or Jasta 2.
Jasta 2 was an incubator
for Germany’s top flying talent.
It’s commander, Boelcke,
was a supreme aerial tactician
and a hero in the eyes of the German public.
He was ahead of his time
and his dictates formed the foundation
of modern aviation battle tactics.
He drilled them into the entire Jasta
and Richthoffen’s victories began to rack up.
Try to secure advantages before attacking.
If possible,
keep the sun behind you.
Always carry through an attack
when you have started it.
Fire only at close range,
and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.
Always keep your eye on your opponent,
and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.
In any form of attack
it is essential to assail your enemy from behind.
If your opponent dives on you,
do not try to evade his onslaught,
but fly to meet it.
When over the enemy's lines
never forget your own line of retreat.
For the squadron:
Attack on principle in groups of four or six.
When the fight breaks up
into a series of single combats,
take care that several do not go for the same opponent.
Richthofen received the Blue Max
in January, 1917
after his 16th confirmed victory.
That same month he was given command
of his own squadron...
the Jasta 11
It was at this time
that he was inspired
to take the daring move
to paint his aircraft bright red.
In his own words,
“For whatever reasons,
one fine day I came upon the idea
of having my crate
painted glaring red.
The result was that absolutely everyone
could not help but notice my red bird.
My opponents also seemed
to be not entirely unaware.”
The Red Baron’s and his squadron’s success
came in April, 1917
where he had 22 confirmed victories
including 4 in a single day.
In June he was given command of JG 1
which included several squadrons
including Jasta 11.
JG 1 became famously known as
“The Flying Circus”
due to its bright painted planes
and the supporting tents and caravans
that formed the mobile camp.
On July the 6th, 1917
Richthofen was hit
causing partial blindness.
His aircraft fell into a spin
and he just managed
to regain control
and land in friendly territory.
After several operations
and against doctor's orders
he went back to active service
within 3 weeks.
The injury caused him repeated issues
including headaches and nausea
and changed his mood and temperament
which became darker.
He was forced to take convalescence
due to these problems in the late summer,
during which time he wrote
"I am in wretched spirits
after every aerial combat.
I believe that the war
is not as the people at home imagine it,
with a hurrah and a roar;
it is very serious,
very grim”.
Despite his health issues
he continued to rack up multiple victories.
On April the 20th, 1918
Richthofen in his red Fokker triplane
spotted and attacked
two Sopwith camels.
Richthofen loved to duel with the English.
He said:
"The French attacking spirit
is like bottled lemonade.
It lacks tenacity.
The Englishmen, on the other hand,
one notices that they are of
Germanic blood.
Sportsmen easily take to flying,
and Englishmen see in flying
nothing but a sport”.
Dispatching both British planes
within a short time
he racked up his 79th and 80th victories.
He had one more day of flying
before he was due to go on leave.
His mother had been imploring the Kaiser
to remove Germany’s top air ace
from active service.
Richthofen took off on the morning
of April the 21st, 1918.
It was the flight
that would bring his career
and life to an end.
He spotted a Sopwith camel
and gave chase.
This time it seems
he may have not realised
he was behind enemy lines
while chasing the Sopwith
at a very low altitude.
At the time due to wind conditions
and the moving of the front lines
he uncharacteristically continued the chase too far.
Whether the shot came from a plane
or from the ground
is open to debate.
In the last moments of his life,
he managed to make a rough landing
in a field north of the village of Vaux-sur-Somme.
Several Australian servicemen
rushed up to the downed triplane
to hear the Red Baron’s last words…
“Kaputt”
The Red Baron was treated with great respect,
and was interred
with full military honors
by the personnel of No. 3 Squadron
Australian Flying Corps.
Allied squadrons stationed nearby
came to pay their respects.
Memorial wreaths were laid...
one of which was inscribed with the words,
"To Our Gallant and Worthy Foe".