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Andre Tudesq – Special Rapporteur

Event ID: 657

Categories: 

Ein Heldenleben, Ullstein & Co, 1920

23 April 1918

49.97323642687367, 2.2927864127167634
Bertangles

Source ID: 55

Ein Heldenleben, Ullstein & Co, 1920 p.  249 

‘Andre Tudesq, special correspondent for the Parisian newspaper ‘Journal’ on Richthofen’s funeral

Before the funeral, we wanted to pay our last respects to the mortal remains of Cavalry Captain von Richthofen on his deathbed. He lay beneath a tall, deep tent. Nothing was in the room with the linen walls fluttering in the wind except for a pile of boxes in the middle on which the body was laid out. The faint ray of light that stole through the tent opening illuminated his powerful athletic body and his sharply chiselled face. The funeral was scheduled for five o’clock and, of course, took place with military honours. We arrived on time. A guard of honour of twelve men formed a guard of honour and presented arms. Six English air force officers, all six outstanding squadron leaders, lifted the coffin onto their shoulders and carried it, striding between the soldiers’ guard of honour, to the truck, a so-called tractor, which slowly began to move. The Anglican clergyman had gone ahead. Wearing a surplice over his khaki uniform decorated with the English War Cross, he waited for the procession at the entrance to the churchyard. Behind the hearse marched the twelve men of the funeral parade, their eyes lowered to the ground and their rifles pointed downwards under their arms. Fifty airmen, officers and non-commissioned officers formed the funeral procession. Four airmen had rushed from their southern bases to pay their last respects to the brave and distinguished enemy. Five enormous wreaths, woven from immortelle flowers and bound with the German colours, lay on the coffin. One was sent by the British Air Force headquarters, the others came from neighbouring airfields. All bore the same inscription: ‘To Cavalry Captain von Richthofen, the brave and worthy enemy.’ After the clergyman had said the funeral prayers, the funeral procession fired three volleys of honour over the grave. An aluminium plaque was nailed to the coffin bearing the inscription in German and English: ‘Here lies Cavalry Captain Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, fallen in the field of honour at the age of 25 in aerial combat on 21 April 1918.’ Aircraft with the tricolour cockade circled above our heads before setting off for new battles. The young hero slowly sank into his grave. The clods of earth fell heavily onto the coffin. He rests not far from Amiens in a small grave whipped by the wind. A hawthorn hedge casts its blossom shadow over the final resting place of a king of the skies.’

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