Edmund Nathanael
Edmund Nathanael | |
|---|---|
Bourlon Wood, Belgium | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
| Service/ | Luftstreitkräfte |
| Rank | Offiziersstellvertreter |
| Unit | Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 42, Jagdstaffel 22, Jagdstaffel 5 |
| Awards | House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross First Class, Wilhelm Ernst War Cross, General Honor Decoration in Gold with Swords |
Offiziersstellvertreter Edmund Nathanael (18 December 1889 – 11 May 1917) was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories. He flew both two-seater reconnaissance aircraft and single-seater fighter craft. He scored all his victories while flying for Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 5, and received a rare award of the House Order of Hohenzollern for his valor. He was killed in action while serving the German Empire.
Early life
Edmund Nathanael was born on 18 December 1889 in Dielsdorf, the German Empire.[1][2]
Reconnaissance service
It is not known if Edmund Nathanael first served in a ground unit, although that was the usual practice for German aviation volunteers. However, Nathanael's first aviation service was with Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 42 (FAA 42). This unit operated two-seater
Service in fighters
Nathanael was forwarded to a fighter unit in late 1916; it was then customary to reassign a pilot to one of the four national air forces that constituted the German Air Service. In Nathanael's case, his native Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach adjoined the Kingdom of Saxony. He was not only assigned to a Saxon squadron, he seemed to be a founding member of Royal Saxon Jagdstaffel 22, which formed in November 1916. He would serve with this unit until March 1917. He gained no victories while with this squadron.[1][2] The squadron itself would amass 57 victories by war's end.[4]
However, he served well enough that in March 1917, he transferred to the prestigious Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 5. With this reassignment, he was posted to serve with some very successful aces—Renatus Theiller, Werner Voss, Hans Karl Müller, and Hans Berr among them.[5] Nathanael was assigned to fly an Albatros D.V.[6] In contrast to Jagdstaffel 22, Jagdstaffel 5 would be credited with 253 victories during World War I.[7]
Nathanael scored his first aerial victory with Jagdstaffel 5 on 6 March; he would run his
Nathanael was one of only 18 German fliers to receive the House Order of Hohenzollern during the First World War.
Controversy on jewish faith / origins
Nathanael was listed, without proof of sources and likely because of his surname, as a German of jewish faith / origins in the media on occasions.[1] Extensive recent archival research has proven this to be untrue, he was of protestant faith and no jewish family connections could be traced over the last ca. 200 years.[2]
Aerial victories of Edmund Nathanael
All victories were scored while flying with Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 5.[2]
| No. | Date | Time | Opponent | Squadron | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 March 1917 | 1345 hours | Morane-Saulnier serial number A268 | Aéronautique Militaire
|
North of Guedecourt |
| 2 | 11 March 1917 | 1245 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b | No. 23 Squadron RFC | North of Beugny, France |
| 3 | 24 March 1917 | 0900 hours | Sopwith 1½ Strutter | No. 70 Squadron RFC | Écoust-Saint-Mein, France |
| 4 | 25 March 1917 | 0920 hours | Sopwith 1½ Strutter | No. 70 Squadron RFC | Vélu, France |
| 5 | 25 March 1917 | 0925 hours | Nieuport 17 | No. 29 Squadron RFC | East of Beugny, France |
| 6 | 2 April 1917 | Morning | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 6953 | No. 22 Squadron RFC | Northeast of Gouzeaucourt Wood |
| 7 | 3 April 1917 | 1635 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 4987 | No. 23 Squadron RFC | North of Boursies, France |
| 8 | 6 April 1917 | 0820 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n A6388 | No. 57 Squadron RFC | Douchy |
| 9 | 13 April 1917 | 1935 hours | Observation balloon s/n 34-16-4 | West of Saint Quentin | |
| 10 | 22 April 1917 | 1410 hours | Observation balloon s/n 3-13-5 | Bus, Pas-de-Calais, France | |
| 11 | 22 April 1917 | 2005 hours | Spad
|
No. 23 Squadron RFC | Ribecourt |
| 12 | 28 April 1917 | 1315 hours | Sopwith 1½ Strutter s/n/A993 | No. 43 Squadron RFC | Vacquerie-le-Boucq, France |
| 13 | 29 April 1917 | 2100 hours | Nieuport fighter s/n A6745 | No. 40 Squadron RFC | Beaumont |
| 14 | 30 April 1917 | 1005 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 s/n A4866 | No. 56 Squadron RFC | East of Fresnoy, France |
| 15 | 6 May 1917 | 1840 hours | Nieuport 17 | No. 60 Squadron RFC | North of Bourlon, France |
References
- ^ a b c d "Edmund Nathanael". theaerodrome.com. The Aerodrome. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Norman Franks (1993). "Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918". pp. 171–172.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Jon Guttman (2011). "Spad VII Vs Albatros D III 1917–18". p. 8.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Norman Franks (1993). "Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918". pp. 38–39.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Norman Franks (2000). "Albatros Aces of World War I". pp. 19–23.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Jon Guttman (2011). "Spad VII Vs Albatros D III 1917–18". pp. 9, 20.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Norman Franks (1993). "Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918". p. 31.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "William John Charles Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick". theaerodrome.com. The Aerodrome. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ Jon Guttman (2011). "Spad VII Vs Albatros D III 1917–18". p. 45.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help)
Further reading
- Albatros Aces of World War 1: Part 1 of Albatros aces of World War I. ISBN 978-1-85532-960-7.