Walter Göttsch
Walter Göttsch | |
|---|---|
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern; Iron Cross |
Leutnant Walter Göttsch
Early life and service
Walter Göttsch was born in
Service as a fighter pilot
After training as a fighter pilot, Göttsch was assigned to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 8 on 10 September 1916. On 4 November 1916, he destroyed a Belgian observation balloon for his first victory. He then scored twice more before winning a momentous dogfight on 7 January 1917; his opponent that day was Thomas Mottershead, who won a posthumous Victoria Cross. Göttsch won a double victory on 1 February, but then was shot down and wounded in action for the first time two days later.[3]
Because of his wounding, he would not score again until 6 April 1917. By 5 May, he had doubled his victory total to twelve. He was once again downed, probably by the observer of
Command and death
Göttsch would not return to action until January 1918. On 14 February, he was given command of Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 19.[2] The new Staffelführer would score only twice before his end, with back to back triumphs on 31 March and 1 April.[1]
Göttsch was killed in action on 10 April 1918 over
Honors and awards
- Iron Cross Second and First Class
- Knight's Cross with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern: 23 August 1917[3]
Notes
References
- ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
- Franks, Norman; Van Wyngarden, Greg (2001). Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces # 40. Botley, Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-223-4.
- Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell. Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.