The Fall of the Red Baron

On 21 April 1918, the infamous Red Baron, named after the red Fokker Dr I he flew, was shot down and killed. Manfred, Baron von Richtoven was the most famous of German fighter pilots of the First World War, with 80 victories to his name.

Black and white photograph of a wrecked aircraft. — View image →

Early Years

Richthofen was born on 2 May 1892 in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland). His was a prosperous family and one of his great joys was hunting in and around the family estate.

Richthofen first saw action in the First World War with a cavalry regiment of the Prussian army and fought in Russia at the start of the war and during the invasion of Belgium and France. In the cavalry he won the Iron Cross for courage under fire. His role in the cavalry soon become one of transporting supplies rather than action as most fighting was taking place in trenches. He wanted to see action so in May 1915 he joined the Flying Service and undertook his first solo flight on 10 October 1915.

Black and White portrait photograph of a man in uniform wearing a medal. — View image →

The Flying Circus

Richthofen was known as a deadly shot, a skill he gained while hunting, and a great tactician. By early 1917, he had become Germany’s highest scoring pilot with 16 confirmed victories. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite, more commonly known as the Blue Max, after the great German fighter pilot Max Immelmann. In January 1917 Richthofen was given command of his own fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 11 (No. 11 Fighter Squadron). His aircraft was painted red and was nicknamed by the allies, ‘the Red Baron’. The pilots of this squadron were handpicked from the leading fighter pilots of their day, including Richthofen’s younger brother Lothar. Lothar later shot down the great British ace Captain Albert Ball VC, who trained at Hendon in London where the RAF Museum is now located. Of the 26 pilots who were attached to this Jasta, 20 achieved five or more victories. The squadron were known for their colourfully painted aircraft and soon gained the nickname ‘The Flying Circus’.

a bi-plane painted in bright colours with German markings — View image →

Respect in time of war

‘The Flying Circus’ was so successful under the Red Baron’s leadership in April 1917 that the month was dubbed ‘Bloody April’ by the Allies. It is estimated that between January and the end of May the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) lost 708 aircraft, of which 275 fell in April. There were 1,014 casualties of whom 473 were killed, 317 were wounded and 224 became prisoners of war. Despite the large numbers of casualties, there was mutual respect between the pilots on all sides. When Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, known as ‘the father of the German fighter air force’ was killed in a mid-air collision, he was honoured by the RFC. They dropped a wreath with the wording: ‘To the memory of Captain Boelcke, our brave and chivalrous opponent’.

Waist length black and white photograph of man in uniform looking into camera. — View image →

A Lucky Pilot

Perhaps one of the luckiest pilots of the First World War was RFC pilot Wilfried Reid May. It was May that the Red Baron was attacking when he was himself shot down. May went on to become an ace with 13 confirmed victories, earning him a Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he undertook a mercy flight in Canada, in atrocious winter conditions, delivering serum that saved men, women and children from an outbreak of diphtheria. May was a pioneer in the field of bush pilots and set up the first air service out of Edmonton in Canada. During the Second World War he worked with the Royal Canadian Air Force training pilots. In 1973 he entered the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. By this time, he had also been awarded an OBE. Of course, none of this would have happened if he had not turned his aircraft the correct way at the exact time required to avoid becoming the 81st victory of the Red Baron.

Buried with Honour

A great deal of ‘souveniring’ took place when Richthofen’s aircraft crashed inside allied lines on 21 April 1918. Captain Roy Brown was credited for shooting down the Baron. Eyewitnesses recalled that when the aircraft’s fabric was torn off, a bystander made away with the propeller. The Red Baron was given a military funeral with full honours. ‘The Times’ of 24 April 1918 paints a rather beautiful and moving picture of the funeral:

‘Captain Baron von Richthofen’s funeral yesterday afternoon was a simple but impressive ceremony. The coffin, which was borne by six officers of the Royal Air Force, was deposited in ground in the corner of the French cemetery in a little village from ground near which, before the ceremony, one could look at Amiens Cathedral, standing very clear and beautiful in the afternoon sun. The English Service was read, and the last salute fired over the grave.’ At his death Richthofen was just 25 years old.