Jasta 13
Encyclopedia
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 13 was a World War I "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
. The unit would score 108 aerial victories during the war, at the expense of twelve killed in action, one killed in a flying accident, two wounded in action, and two taken prisoner of war.
After extensive campaigning within France, including the German Spring Offensive
1918, the squadron became a sort of "fire brigade" on loan to various Armees and rotated frequently among airfields. It retreated with the German forces, eventually being stationed in Luxembourg, and finally back in Germany. They demobilized at FEA 14, Halle-an-der-Salle
, Germany by the end of November 1918.
Staffelführer
1. Oberleutnant
Erhard Egerer: ca 16 September 1916–26 December 1916
2. Eduard Ritter von Dostler
: 27 December 1916–ca 19 February 1917
3. Leutnant de Reserves Wolfgang Güttler
: ca 20 February 1917–KIA
29 October 1917
4. Oberleutnant Alex Thomas: 21 February 1918–01 May 1918
5. Leutnant de Reserves Wilhelm Schwartz: 1 May 1918–WIA
15 June 1918
6. Leutnant Franz Büchner
: 15 June 1918–11 November 1918
and a knighthood; Guttler, Thomas, and Buchner were all decorated for their services. The squadron also contained other decorated aces who did not succeed to its command, in Kurt Hetze
, Reinhold Jörke
and balloon buster
Hans Martin Pippart
.
triplane, and ended the war using mostly Fokker D.VII
s.
Jasta 13 did not score its first victory until 22 January 1917. In Spring 1917, the squadron was assigned to support of 7th Armee. In September, it joined Jagdgruppe von Braun, along with Jasta 14
, Jasta 16
, Jasta 21, Jasta 22, Jasta 23, Jasta 32, and Jasta 34.
In February 1918, it was assigned to Jagdgruppe II at Marle, along with Jasta 12, Jasta 15, and Jasta 19. When the German March offensive began, Jasta 13 was shifted to 18th Armee, and lived an itinerant existence, being moved among various airfields. By June, it had been assigned to 1st Armee at Mesnil. The squadron then became an itinerant unit, supporting at various times 2nd Armee, 3rd Armee, 1st Armee again, and 5th Armee. The squadron moved to its last base at Trier the day before the armistice.
Luftstreitkräfte
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...
, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. The unit would score 108 aerial victories during the war, at the expense of twelve killed in action, one killed in a flying accident, two wounded in action, and two taken prisoner of war.
History
Jasta 13 was formed on 16 September 1916. Its founding personnel came from the Fokkerstaffel attached to FFA 9, and from other aviation units in the area of Army Department C. They were operational by 15 October 1916.After extensive campaigning within France, including the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
1918, the squadron became a sort of "fire brigade" on loan to various Armees and rotated frequently among airfields. It retreated with the German forces, eventually being stationed in Luxembourg, and finally back in Germany. They demobilized at FEA 14, Halle-an-der-Salle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
, Germany by the end of November 1918.
StaffelführerStaffelführerStaffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
s (Commanding officers)
1. OberleutnantOberleutnant
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...
Erhard Egerer: ca 16 September 1916–26 December 1916
2. Eduard Ritter von Dostler
Eduard Ritter von Dostler
Oberleutnant Eduard Ritter von Dostler , Pour le Mérite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Military Order of Max Joseph, Iron Cross, was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 26 victories.-Early service:...
: 27 December 1916–ca 19 February 1917
3. Leutnant de Reserves Wolfgang Güttler
Wolfgang Güttler
Leutnant Wolfgang Güttler was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.-Sources of information:...
: ca 20 February 1917–KIA
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
29 October 1917
4. Oberleutnant Alex Thomas: 21 February 1918–01 May 1918
5. Leutnant de Reserves Wilhelm Schwartz: 1 May 1918–WIA
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
15 June 1918
6. Leutnant Franz Büchner
Franz Buchner
Franz Büchner was one of the most successful German fighter aces of the First World War, shooting down 40 enemy aircraft.-Early career:...
: 15 June 1918–11 November 1918
Duty stations (airfields)
- Mars-la-TourMars-la-TourMars-la-Tour is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in northeastern France.-History:The Battle of Mars-La-Tour was fought on 16 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War near the town of Mars-la-Tour....
, France - La Selve, AisneLa Selve, AisneLa Selve is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
, France - Le Clos Ferme, Boncourt
- Marle, AisneMarle, AisneMarle is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
, France - CambraiCambraiCambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, France - Reneuil Ferme: 13 February 1918
- AutremencourtAutremencourtAutremencourt is a commune in the department of Aisne in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
, France - GuiseGuiseGuise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
, France - RoupyRoupyRoupy is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
, France - Guisecourt
- BalâtreBalâtreBalâtre is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, France - Boneuil Ferme
- Le Mesnil, Nesle
- Mesnil-BruntelMesnil-BruntelMesnil-Bruntel is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the D88 road, some west-northwest of Saint Quentin, about a mile from the banks of the Somme River.-Population:-External links:*...
, France - LeffincourtLeffincourtLeffincourt is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...
, France - Chéry-lès-PouillyChéry-lès-PouillyChéry-lès-Pouilly is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
, France - ForesteForesteForeste is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
, France - Fontaine-Notre-DameFontaine-Notre-DameFontaine-Notre-Dame may refer to the following places in France:* Fontaine-Notre-Dame, Aisne, a commune in the department of Aisne* Fontaine-Notre-Dame, Nord, a commune in the department of Nord...
, France - NeuflizeNeuflizeNeuflize is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-External links:* * * *...
, France - Tichémont
- StenayStenayStenay is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It was one of the last villages to experience fighting during World War I. Stenay was captured on 11 November 1918 by the American 89th Division under General William M. Wright only hours before the Armistice went into...
, France - Carignan, ArdennesCarignan, ArdennesCarignan is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France. It is the seat of a canton.-History:Carignan was, under the name Epoissium, Eposium, Epusum or Ivosium, a military settlement of the Romans. Gaugericus, bishop of Cambrai, was born in Eposium around 550. As Yvois, it was part of...
, France - FlorenvilleFlorenvilleFlorenville is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. On 1 January 2007 the municipality had 5,448 inhabitants. The total area is 146.91 km², giving a population density of 37.1 inhabitants per km²....
, Luxembourg - TrierTrierTrier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, Germany
Personnel
A number of notable aces flew with Jasta 13. Indeed, four of the Staffelführers were renowned aces. Eduard Ritter von Dostler won a Pour le MeritePour 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....
and a knighthood; Guttler, Thomas, and Buchner were all decorated for their services. The squadron also contained other decorated aces who did not succeed to its command, in Kurt Hetze
Kurt Hetze
Leutnant Kurt Hetze was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
, Reinhold Jörke
Reinhold Jörke
Offizierstellvertreter Reinhold Jörke was a World War I flying ace credited with 14 aerial victories.He was posted to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 12 on 27 February 1917, and scored his first victory with them on 24 March 1917 by downing British ace Cyril Lowe. Jörke ran up nine victories by 18...
and balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
Hans Martin Pippart
Hans Martin Pippart
Leutnant Hans Martin Pippart Iron Cross was a pioneer aircraft manufacturer and early pilot. As a World War I fighter ace he was credited with 22 victories.-Early life:...
.
Aircraft and operations
Early aircraft assigned to Jasta 13 are unknown, though its foundation from a Fokkerstaffel strongly hint of Fokker Eindekkers. It later operated the Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
triplane, and ended the war using mostly Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
s.
Jasta 13 did not score its first victory until 22 January 1917. In Spring 1917, the squadron was assigned to support of 7th Armee. In September, it joined Jagdgruppe von Braun, along with Jasta 14
Jasta 14
Jasta 14 was a hardcore band from Connecticut that existed from 1991 to 1996. Over the years it included members that went on to play in such bands as Hatebreed, Red Sparowes and Orthrelm.-Members:* Jamey Jasta* Mick Barr* Joel Chialastri* Greg Burns...
, Jasta 16
Jasta 16
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 16 was a "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the World War I forerunner to the Nazi Luftwaffe.-History:...
, Jasta 21, Jasta 22, Jasta 23, Jasta 32, and Jasta 34.
In February 1918, it was assigned to Jagdgruppe II at Marle, along with Jasta 12, Jasta 15, and Jasta 19. When the German March offensive began, Jasta 13 was shifted to 18th Armee, and lived an itinerant existence, being moved among various airfields. By June, it had been assigned to 1st Armee at Mesnil. The squadron then became an itinerant unit, supporting at various times 2nd Armee, 3rd Armee, 1st Armee again, and 5th Armee. The squadron moved to its last base at Trier the day before the armistice.