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phililphall
03-09-2011, 13:31
Vickers No. 7018 Motor No.701
Machine guns Nos. 17314, 10372
near Villers Plouich, 1100 hours

When patrol flying I detected shrapnel clouds in
direction of Cambrai. I hurried forth and met a squad
which I attacked shortly after 1100. I singled out
the last machine and fired several times at closest
range (ten metres). Suddenly the enemy propeller
stood stock still. The machine went down gliding
and I followed until I had killed the observer who had
not stopped shooting until the last moment.
Now my opponent went downwards in sharp
curves. At approximately 1,200 metres a second
German machine came along and attacked my
victim right down to the ground and then landed
next to the English plane.

Weather: Bright morning with clouds in the afternoon.



The victim was FE2b 7018 if 11 Squadron
von Richthofen was flying Alb DII Nr. 491/16
Richthofen landed also and was present when pilot2nd Lt. Lionel Bertram Frank Morris, 19, was extricated from the wreckage. He died before the ambulance could get him to the hospital. Observer Captain Tom Rees died in the air, having received notice of his promotion to Captain the day he died. This was Richthofen's first kill.

MayorJim
03-09-2011, 14:07
Phil...nice exerpt...thanks!

phililphall
03-09-2011, 15:57
His second kill.

Sept.23, 1916

Martinsyde G. 100 No. 7481
27 Sqd RFC

1100 hrs. One-seater Martinsyde, GW No.174
1100 air fight above Bapaume. Adversary dashed,
after 300 shots, mortally wounded, near Beugny
(Street Bapaume-Cambrai) to the ground.
Two machine guns recovered, will be delivered.
Dead occupant buried by 7th Infantry Division.

Weather: bright and clear all day: ground mist in early morning.

Richthofen was flying Alb D-II Nr 491/16

The victim was 28 year old Sgt. Herbert Bellerby

Fourth victory

7 October 1916

BE 12 No 6618
No 21 Sqd RFC


Machine type: New and not seen up till now.
Plane No. 6618 a two deck plane with 12 cyl.
Daimler Motor No.25 226d

0910 hrs, near Equancourt.
About 0900 I attacked at 3000 metres altitude
and accompanied by two other machines, an
English plane near Rancourt. After 400 shos enemy
plane dashed downwards, the pilot having been
mortally wounded. Occupant: Lieutenant Fenwick,
killed by shot to the head.

Weather: Low clouds and strong winds-stormy all day

Richthofen was flying Alb D-II 491/16

The victim was 2nd Lt. William Cecil Fenwick, age 19.



The things about these personal reports I find interesting is the number of shots he records as having fired and the weather they flew in as well as the aircraft that he was flying.

If you folks would like, I have all of his reports and it would be no problem to post a couple a day.

tuladin
03-09-2011, 16:07
You skipped a page - October 7 was victory #4.

Source - Under the Guns of the Red Baron by Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCrery

phililphall
03-09-2011, 16:10
Ooops. So it was. Just a quick correction and voila.

No three is 30 Sept, 1916

FE2b No 6973
11 Sqd RFC

1150 hrs. near Lagnicourt

About 1150 I attacked, accompanied by four planes
of our Staffel abour our aerodrome at Lagnicourt and
3000 metres altitude, a Vickers squadron. I singled out
a machine and after some 200 shots, the enemy plane
started gliding down towards Cambrai. Finally it began
to make circles. The shooting had stopped and I saw
that the machine was flying uncontrolled.
As we were already rather far away from our front
lines, I left the crippled plane and selected a new adversary.
Later on I could observe the aforementioned machine,
pursued by a German Albatros machine, crash burning to
the ground near Fremicourt. The machine burnt to ashes,

Weather: Bright and fine all day, with occasional clouds
in the afternoon.

Richthofen was flying Alb 461/16

The victims were Lt. Ernest Conway Lansdale, age21 and Sgt Albert Clarkson, age 22, an observer credited with three kills.