1938 Analysis of April 21, 1918
Event ID: 680
Categories:
21 April 1918
Source ID: 58
“It was now certain that he was no longer among the living, but had entered the silent realm of the frontline soldiers who had given their lives for their country.
But how had it happened?
First Lieutenant Fabian’s report turned out to be not entirely accurate. The baron had been fatally wounded in the air, and the aircraft had been severely damaged during landing. This was later proven beyond doubt by photographs.
During the war, it was not possible to fully clarify the circumstances of his death. The last commander of the Frhr. von Richthofen fighter squadron, then First Lieutenant Göring, now Reich Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, never gave up searching for the true cause of the fatal crash. He contacted numerous English fighter pilots who were convinced that Captain A. Roy Brown had fired the fatal shot in aerial combat. However, after careful further research, this conclusion could no longer be upheld. The dispute between air victory and ground defence, which arose so often during the war, had to be re-examined after detailed letters from England, Canada and Australia. After two decades, rigorous scientific research has now decided in favour of ground defence. Cavalry Captain Baron von Richthofen fell undefeated after 80 aerial victories.
The map sketch opposite shows the combat zone where Richthofen’s last flight came to a tragic end.
In pursuit of two fleeing enemies, Richthofen flew over the front line at an altitude of barely 300 metres, firing his machine guns. Close behind the front line, he encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire from two companies, which created a barrage between the enemies and was aimed at the pursuer, who had to fly into it. Recognising the danger, Richthofen banked sharply to avoid the hail of bullets.
It was too late. A shot from the right shoulder to the heart ended the hero’s life.
This account is from an artillery observer of the 10th Company of Foot Artillery Regiment 6, from gunners of the English 24th Machine Gun Company (number 2 on the map), the Lewis Battery (number 3 on the map), from gunners of the Australian 108th Howitzer Battery (number 5 on the map), and the 11th Section of the ‘F’ Anti-Aircraft Battery (Royal Garrison Artillery), which was stationed on the Bray-Corbie road.
No other aircraft were over this part of the combat zone during this hour.
A few days after Richthofen’s crash, a Canadian pilot who had escaped came to the crash site with his squadron commander. They expressed their gratitude for the help they had received from the ground defences, as they were defenceless against their pursuers due to their machine guns jamming.
This is the historical truth, which can no longer be disputed by either side.
Richthofen fell fighting for a new victory, undefeated in his element, in which he had so often risked his life for his ground-based comrades. They witnessed his last flight into eternity.”
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