Manfred von Richthofen

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (May 2, 1892 – April 21, 1918) was a German pilot and is still regarded today as the "ace of aces". He was a very successful fighter pilot, military leader and flying ace who won 80 air combats during World War I.

Death

On April 21, 1918, von Richthofen was hit by a single .303 calibre bullet — the standard ammunition for all machine guns and rifles used by British Empire forces — while flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River. He died soon afterwards. At the time, the baron was pursuing a Sopwith Camel piloted by a Canadian, Lieutenant Wilfrid "Wop" May of No. 209 Squadron, Royal Air Force. In turn the baron was chased by a Camel piloted by a school friend of May, Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown; the Red Baron turned to check the tail of his plane, that is, in the direction of Brown. He was then caught by the bullet, shot from behind and below, which passed diagonally through his chest.

Related Topics:
April 21 - 1918 - .303 - British Empire - Morlancourt Ridge - Somme River - Sopwith Camel - Canadian - Lieutenant Wilfrid "Wop" May - Royal Air Force - Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown

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Von Richthofen then made a hasty but controlled landing, in a field on a hill near the Bray-Corbie road, just north of the village of Vaux-sur-Somme, in a sector controlled by the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). His Fokker was not damaged by the landing. One account claims that von Richthofen died a few moments after Allied soldiers reached the plane and that before he died, von Richthofen said a few words including "kaputt" ("broken"). Most authorities, however, believe that he was already dead or unconscious by that time.

Related Topics:
Vaux-sur-Somme - Australian Imperial Force

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No. 3 Squadron (3 Sqn) of the Australian Flying Corps, the nearest Allied air unit, assumed responsibility for the Baron's remains.

Related Topics:
No. 3 Squadron - Australian Flying Corps

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It is now considered most likely that von Richthofen was killed by an anti-aircraft (AA) machine gunner, probably Sergeant Cedric Popkin of the Australian 24th Machine Gun Company.http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/comment/richt.htm Popkin is the only ground-based machine gunner known to have fired at Richthofen from the right, immediately before he landed. Many other Australian riflemen were also shooting at the baron at the time, so one of them may well have fired the fatal shot. The Royal Air Force gave official credit to Brown. However, it has been calculated that Richthofen would have lived for only 20-30 seconds after he was hit — due to the severity of his wound — and Brown did not fire at him within that time frame.

Related Topics:
Anti-aircraft - Cedric Popkin - Riflemen - Royal Air Force

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The commanding officer of 3 Sqn, Major David Blake suggested initially that the baron had been killed by the crew of one of his squadron's RE8s, which had also fought Richthofen's unit that afternoon. However, following an autopsy which he witnessed, Blake became a strong proponent of the view that an AA machine gunner had killed the baron.

Related Topics:
David Blake - RE8 - Autopsy

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In common with most Allied air officers, Blake regarded von Richthofen with respect and he organised a full military funeral. The baron was buried in the cemetery at the village of Bertangles near Amiens on April 22, 1918. Six airmen with the rank of captain — the closest peers of Richthofen — acted as pallbearers and an honour guard fired a salute. Other Allied squadrons presented memorial wreaths.

Related Topics:
Bertangles - Amiens - April 22 - 1918

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After the war, the Red Baron's remains were exhumed and reburied in the Richthofen family cemetery in Wiesbaden, Germany.

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