HISTORY

INDESTRUCTIBLE

RUDOLF BERTHOLD

photo: Author collection

„It is sweet and fitting to die for one's Fatherland”. In case of

matured man and soldier there is nothing special, if he decides to use such a words as personal motto. But it is something

different, when 14-years guy, student at secondary school for

the humanities does so. Rudolf Berthold had strong patriotic

feeling from his childhood, and it did not change until his death.

He was one of few Great War aces fighting from beginning till

the end and surviving.

Author: Richard Plos

Rudolf Berthold (full name Oskar Gustav Rudolf Berthold) was born on

March 24, 1891 in Ditterswind (Bavaria) as a son of Head Forester Oskar

Berthold as his fifth child and first one of his second wife. After finishing his

humanitarian secondary school in Bamberg in 1909 he decided to enter army

and became member of 3rd Brandenberg Infantry Regiment in Wittenberg.

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1912. When the Fliegertruppe

(Flying Troops) was set as the part of the German army, young Berthold was

impressed. He started with private pilot training on his own and received pilot

license number 538 in September 1913. It is worth mentioning Oswald Boelcke

was one of his fellows.

Just a year later was Rudolf Berthold sent for military pilot training, but

the beginning of the war interrupted the course. He returned to the unit, and,

after fortnight spell was sent back to aviation school and transferred to Fliegertruppe. Two weeks interruption of training was crucial nevertheless and

Berthold was assigned to Feldflieger-Abteilung 23 (Field Flier Detachment 23)

with the base at Grossenhain as the observer only. When the bad weather

prevented any operational flying, Berthold was able to finish his training at

the base nearby. There he made himself friend with Hans Joachim Buddecke,

another future ace.

Pilot finally!

Starting January 18, 1915 Rudolf Berthold was a military pilot. He returned

to the FFA 23 and was given observer Josef Grüner for flying reconnaissance

sorties. They quickly became friends. During August 1915, the unit re-equipped with AEG G.II twin engine bombers manned by a pilot and two or three

observers with two swivelling machine guns. The unit also got one Fokker E.I Eindecker with synchronised machine gun. Berthold preferred to fly the bomber,

as it was intended to get over enemy territory, while Fokker was used as a patrol aircraft on the safe side of the front. Berthold hoped he had better chance

for combat behind the lines and left the Fokker to Buddecke. Berthold flew

several bombing or gunship missions until November 6, when his friend Grüner

died in the battle with Vickers F.B.5. Berthold was so devastated by death of

his friend that he had to take a leave. Later he wrote to his diary: „I cannot

recall what happened in the following weeks. Almost aimlessly I wandered

24 eduard

around Germany. Everywhere I looked I saw in my mind’s eye the cockades

of the Vickers and my observer hanging over the edge of the aeroplane. All

I thought about were vengeance and combat! Sleep soundly, my friend Grüner,

you will be avenged!“

Shortly after Berthold´s return to the unit, Buddecke was seconded to the Turkish Air Force and Berthold overtook his missions with Eindecker. It was a time

when the German Army officials started to understand the need of specialised

fighter units. Predecessors of later formed Jagdstaffeln were the Kampfseinsitzer Kommando (Single seater fighter detachment) abbreviated KEK, set ad

hoc for limited period. One KEK was also set at the Château Vaux close to the

FFA 23 airbase and Berthold was put in command of it because of his combat

experience. He was waiting for his first aerial victory until February 2, 1916,

when he sent down French Voisin LA. Three days later second victory came,

but he was shot down himself on February 10, surviving with slight injury. After

receiving Iron Cross of second and first class for his observer achievements, he

was now decorated by Military Merit Order 4th Class as only one of twelve

aviators during WWI.

Berthold conducted flying with both Fokker and AEG during following months,

then April 25 came, the day, which was really bad for him. His Fokker was hit

during the battle with British observer. He was forced to land with silent engine,

but that could not prevent him from further combat. Using the backup Pfalz E.IV

(No. 803/15), he took off, but the engine stopped… The airplane fell from

some 330 feet (100 m) and crashed. What happened after crash was unbelievable. When his limp body was pulled from the wreckage, he was believed

dead until he revived momentarily with cursing and swearing. After another

blackout Berthold awoke to find himself blind and begged onlookers to shoot

him. Then he swooned again and reawakened two days later in Kriegslazarett

7 (Military Hospital 7) in Saint Quentin. His left leg was seriously broken, he

also suffered a broken nose and upper jaw, causing the damage to his optic nerves, resulting in temporary blindness. The sense of sight returned after

couple of days, but Rudolf was to spend long time in hospital with four moths

of subsequent convalescence. During this period famous Max Immelmann was

killed and Oswald Boelcke, another prominent German ace, was banned operational flying due to the concern about impact on the Fliegertruppen morale

in case of his death. Berthold was also scheduled to be sent back to Germany,

INFO Eduard - January 2021