Fritz Otto Bernert
Encyclopedia
Oberleutnant
Fritz Otto Bernert (6 March 1893 – 18 October 1918) was a leading German
fighter ace
of World War I
. He scored 27 victories despite being essentially one-armed.
, Poland. At the time of his birth, Ratibor was German and part of the Kingdom of Prussia
.
Bernert was commissioned into the 173rd Infantry Regiment in 1912. He was serving with them when World War I began. He was wounded in ground combat in both November and December 1914; his fourth wound, inflicted by a bayonet, severed the major nerve in his left arm. Upon recovery, it became apparent his left arm was essentially useless, and he was invalided out of the infantry.
and trained to be an aerial observer. Upon graduation, he flew reconnaissance missions for Feldflieger Abteilung 27 from February through July 1915. He then transferred to FFA 71, where he served through November. He then applied for pilot's training; he hid his disability successfully and was accepted. The fact that he wore glasses also did not bar him from service.
He transferred to Kampfeinsitzerkommando Metz
, a temporary grouping of pilots mostly from FFA 71, for his initial assignment to a fighter unit. By March, 1916, he had his pilot's license and was assigned to KEK Vaux. On 17 April 1916, he scored his first victory while flying a Fokker Eindecker
, over a Nieuport
fighter.
Because KEK Vaux was an ad hoc fighter unit, it was equipped with Halberstadt D.II
planes and reorganized into a full-fledged Prussian fighter squadron. It became Jagdstaffel 4
on 25 August 1916. On 6 September, Bernert scored the new squadron's first victory. He became an ace on 1 November, scoring his fifth, sixth, and seventh triumphs.
In February, 1917, he was transferred to Jagdstaffel 2. This squadron was named in honor of Oswald Boelcke
, the founder of fighter aviation tactics and strategy, and was considered the premier unit of the German Air Service. Bernert scored his first victory in this unit on 19 March; on 1 April, he achieved the status of Überkanone with his tenth win.
He scored 14 more times in April, including a record five victories on 24 April, all in a twenty minute span, to run his total to 24. He was awarded the Pour le Merite
on 24 April.
On 1 May, Bernert was appointed to command Jagdstaffel 6. His final three victories came in May, with an unconfirmed 28th on 19 May. In mid-May, Bernert crashlanded behind German lines after his engine quit in mid-combat. A few days later, he landed long, ran out of airfield, and crashed next to his home aerodrome, breaking his jaw and bruising himself severely. Although unable to fly, Bernert did not give up his command. However, he did host some pilots from Austria-Hungary.
On 9 June 1917, Bernert was transferred back to Jasta 2, and would command it to the end of his flying career. The previous commanding officer had scored no victories to inspire his pilots; as it turned out, because of his injuries, Bernert could do no better.
However, he once again hosted several pilots from Austro-Hungary during his tenure, and thus influenced the fighter tactics of Germany's allies. He also took some leave during June and July.
Bernert was severely wounded again on 18 August 1917. This wound removed him from command and kept him in the hospital for three months. It took him off flight status. He was promoted to Oberleutnant
upon release from the hospital, and was transferred to Berlin as Inspector of Air.
He died of the Spanish flu
in his home town on 18 October 1918.
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Fritz Otto Bernert (6 March 1893 – 18 October 1918) was a leading German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He scored 27 victories despite being essentially one-armed.
Early life and service
Fritz Otto Bernert was the son of a Bürgermeister (mayor). He was born in Ratibor, Silesia, which now is RacibórzRacibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
, Poland. At the time of his birth, Ratibor was German and part of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
.
Bernert was commissioned into the 173rd Infantry Regiment in 1912. He was serving with them when World War I began. He was wounded in ground combat in both November and December 1914; his fourth wound, inflicted by a bayonet, severed the major nerve in his left arm. Upon recovery, it became apparent his left arm was essentially useless, and he was invalided out of the infantry.
Aerial service
He then applied to the LuftstreitkräfteLuftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
and trained to be an aerial observer. Upon graduation, he flew reconnaissance missions for Feldflieger Abteilung 27 from February through July 1915. He then transferred to FFA 71, where he served through November. He then applied for pilot's training; he hid his disability successfully and was accepted. The fact that he wore glasses also did not bar him from service.
He transferred to Kampfeinsitzerkommando Metz
Metz-Frescaty Air Base
Metz-Frescaty Air Base is a front-line French Air Force base. The base is located approximately south-southwest of Metz ; about east of Paris....
, a temporary grouping of pilots mostly from FFA 71, for his initial assignment to a fighter unit. By March, 1916, he had his pilot's license and was assigned to KEK Vaux. On 17 April 1916, he scored his first victory while flying a Fokker Eindecker
Fokker Eindecker
The Fokker Eindecker was a German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker. Developed in April 1915, the Eindecker was the first purpose-built German fighter aircraft and the first aircraft to be fitted with synchronizer gear, enabling the pilot...
, over a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
fighter.
Because KEK Vaux was an ad hoc fighter unit, it was equipped with Halberstadt D.II
Halberstadt D.II
The Halberstadt D.II was a biplane fighter aircraft of the Luftstreitkräfte that served through the period of Allied air superiority in early 1916, but had begun to be superseded in the Jagdstaffeln by the superior Albatros fighters by the autumn of that year.-Design and development:The D.II was...
planes and reorganized into a full-fledged Prussian fighter squadron. It became Jagdstaffel 4
Jagdstaffel 4
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 4, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 4, was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe. The unit would score 192 confirmed victories; in turn, it would suffer 11 Killed in Action, 9 Wounded in Action, and two Prisoners of...
on 25 August 1916. On 6 September, Bernert scored the new squadron's first victory. He became an ace on 1 November, scoring his fifth, sixth, and seventh triumphs.
In February, 1917, he was transferred to Jagdstaffel 2. This squadron was named in honor of Oswald Boelcke
Oswald Boelcke
Oswald Boelcke was a German flying ace of the First World War and one of the most influential patrol leaders and tacticians of the early years of air combat. Boelcke is considered the father of the German fighter air force, as well as the "Father of Air Fighting Tactics"; he was the first to...
, the founder of fighter aviation tactics and strategy, and was considered the premier unit of the German Air Service. Bernert scored his first victory in this unit on 19 March; on 1 April, he achieved the status of Überkanone with his tenth win.
He scored 14 more times in April, including a record five victories on 24 April, all in a twenty minute span, to run his total to 24. He was awarded the Pour le Merite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
on 24 April.
On 1 May, Bernert was appointed to command Jagdstaffel 6. His final three victories came in May, with an unconfirmed 28th on 19 May. In mid-May, Bernert crashlanded behind German lines after his engine quit in mid-combat. A few days later, he landed long, ran out of airfield, and crashed next to his home aerodrome, breaking his jaw and bruising himself severely. Although unable to fly, Bernert did not give up his command. However, he did host some pilots from Austria-Hungary.
On 9 June 1917, Bernert was transferred back to Jasta 2, and would command it to the end of his flying career. The previous commanding officer had scored no victories to inspire his pilots; as it turned out, because of his injuries, Bernert could do no better.
However, he once again hosted several pilots from Austro-Hungary during his tenure, and thus influenced the fighter tactics of Germany's allies. He also took some leave during June and July.
Bernert was severely wounded again on 18 August 1917. This wound removed him from command and kept him in the hospital for three months. It took him off flight status. He was promoted to Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
upon release from the hospital, and was transferred to Berlin as Inspector of Air.
He died of the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
in his home town on 18 October 1918.