A 1916 photo features Gotthard Sachsenberg during the engine test of his Fokker E.III

"LF 196". The letters "LF" during this period were used by the German navy to identify

landplanes (Landflugzeug).

Shearman’s kill was listed as confirmed. Two days later, however, he

was shot down by Flgmt. H. Hackbusch of Sachensberg’s MFJ I. He

was seriously hurt in the incident, was captured, and died shortly afterwards in an infirmary. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

There was a massive naval aviator gathering for a celebration of

Sachsenberg’s Pour le Mérite on the night of August 12th. The night

was helped along into reality by the aerial victories the unit achieved

over the course of the day. However, the morning after, which included some monumental hangovers, brought an unpleasant awakening. The base was the target of a retaliatory raid by Camels of the

17th Aero Squadron, followed by the completion of the destruction

by crews of DH 9s from No. 211 Squadron, RAF. One hangar was damaged, as were several quarters. Twelve Fokker D.VIIs were written

off and five were damaged. Three fighter pilots and a mechanic did

not survive the attack. Only Sachsenberg was able to exact some revenge on the 13th of August by way of two further kills, but he was

credited with neither.

In September, 1918, the Marine Jagdgeschwader was finally formed,

that had under its control five naval Jasta units. The command of the

Photo: Neal W. O'Connor via Greg VanWyngarden

Pour le Merite and the Marine Jagdgeschwader

As the five-hundreth officer of the Imperial Armed Forces and the

second naval aviator, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite on August

5th, 1918. He was so honored after his eighteenth kill. The celebration

was planned for the evening of August 12th.

During the course of that day, German naval fighters claimed a total

of eleven kills without a loss. Sachsenberg took part with his 20th and

21st kills. This occurred in the afternoon hours over Ostende during

an attack by Sachsenberg and his wingman on DH 9 bombers from

No.218 Squadron RAF being escorted by American flown Camels of

the 17th Aero Squadron, USAS. The goal of the enemy aircraft was to

bomb targets in Bruges. The pair of German naval flyers achieved notable success. Sachsenberg first downed Camel D9507, flown by 1st

Lt. Ralph D. Gracie, who crashed into the sea off Ostende at 1145 and

was listed as missing in action. Another three Camels were hit, but

their pilots were able to get back to their base, but all were in need of

hospitalization. The Germans claimed no further Camels.

Sachsenberg then attacked a British DH 9, D1691. An American was

the pilot of that aircraft as well. It was US Navy Ensign George C. Moseley, a former member of the Lafayette Flying Corps and a pilot with

the French Esc. N. 150. The gunner’s position was occupied by Lt. M. M.

Lowry. Sachsenberg hit their aircraft hard, but the crew did manage

to get back to safety unscathed.

During the attack on the DH 9, Sachsenberg attracted the attention

of a Camel flown by Sgt. W.H. Shearman. He described his foe as

a Fokker biplane camouflaged with broad irregular blotches of black

and cream white. That tends to sum up accurately the colouring of

Sachsenberg’s Fokker D.VII, which was in fact painted with black and

yellow squares. After the encounter that began at an altitude of some

15,000 feet, Shearman reported:

"While on O.P. (offensive patrol) cooperating with D.H.9 Bombing

Squadron two Fokker Biplanes dove on rear D.H.9. We turned to meet

them. As Fokker turned to fire on one of our formation, he passed

below me and in opposite direction. I fired burst as he passed and

swung around on his tail opening fire a second time at about fifty

yards, my tracers going directly into enemy aircraft (E.A.). Fired 130

rounds from this position at point blank range. E.A. went into straight nose dive slowly revolving about its longitudional axis until he

disappeared into ground haze. I was at that time at about 10000 feet."

Photo: Neal W. O'Connor via Greg VanWyngarden

HISTORY

Gotthard Sachsenberg (standing on the right) with members of a Marine Feldflieger Abteilung in front of a LVG C.II.

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INFO Eduard - April 2021