HISTORIE

Thanks to Trevor Henshaw and Greg VanWyngarden for their help in

preparing this article. If you are interested in the subject of Jasta 18,

Greg's book on this unit is something you should not miss.

Notes:

1) The full name of the first unit is Grenadier-Regiment "Königin Olga" (1. Württembergisches)

Nr. 119. The honorary name was given after the Russian Grand Duchess and Queen of Württemberg, Olga Nikolayevna Romanova, who was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas I. The second unit

is Infanterie-Regiment „Kaiser Wilhelm, König von Preußen“ (2. Württembergisches) Nr. 120.

2) For more on Rudolf Bethold, see article by Richard Plos in

https://www.eduard.com/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2021/info-eduard-2021-01cz-m9f.pdf

https://www.eduard.com/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2021/info-eduard-2021-01en-j9z.pdf

3) After World War I, Gurdon became a journalist and writer. His eldest son John Robert Gurdon was killed in April 1943 in a Wellington of No. 166 Squadron.

Sources:

FRANKS N., BAILEY F., GUEST R.: Above the Lines

FRANKS N., BAILEY F., DUIVEN R.: Jasta War Chronology

FRANKS N., BAILEY F., DUIVEN R.: Jasta Pilots

HENSHAW T.: The Sky Their Battlefield II

RENNLES K.: Independent Force

VAN WYNGARDEN G.: Jasta 18 The Red Noses

VAN WYNGARDEN G.: Jagdgeschwader Nr II, Geschwader ´Berthold´

Chaplaincy Profile The Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket, Hamburg

Evangelisches Kirchenbuchamt Hannover

Staatsarchiv Hamburg

buddecke.de/jasta18.htm

frontflieger.de/3monku0t.html

Photo: IWM

aircraft were credited to Monnington as his fifth and sixth victories.

Monnington achieved his seventh victory on October 10th when he

shot down in flames on the enemy side of the front a DH 4, probably

from an American squadron. Thanks to Monnington, Jasta 18 scored

its last confirmed victory on October 23rd, 1918, again in combat with

No. 104 Squadron. Several German units were pursuing a formation

of twelve bombers that were about to attack rail targets near Metz.

One bomber, due to damage from enemy fighter, landed on the Allied

side of the front. The crew of 2/Lt. Case and observer 2/Lt. Bridger,

however, were wounded in combat with the Germans and fell into

captivity. The victory was claimed by Monnington and two airmen

from other units, but it was recognized as Monnington's eighth and

final victory.

During the war, eight members of Jasta 18 were killed, eleven were

wounded and two were captured. However, the unit won at least 112

confirmed victories and the total may have been as high as 126. Kurt

Monnington, with eight kills, ranked fourth among the eleven airmen

who achieved ace status with this Jasta. August Raben achieved only

two aerial victories with Jasta 18 of his total of four, but he was an

outstanding commander who, in the spring of 1918, gave the unit not

only the distinctive look of its aircraft but a fighting spirit that it retained to the end of the war. In engagements with brave IAF bomber

crews, Jasta 18 achieved numerous victories with minimal losses.

Kurt Adolf Monnington married in December 1922, but the marriage

remained childless. He died of pneumonia on February 17th, 1939 in

Hamburg. The Monnington family home was hit by bombing during

World War II and most of the mementos of his air service were destroyed.

Observers and pilots of No. 22 Squadron at Vert Galand aerodrome, April 1st, 1918. Left to

right: Lt. W. S. Hilltout, 2/Lt. G. N. Traunweiser (KIA on April 15th), Capt. S. H. Wallage (10 v.),

Lt. B. C. Budd, Lt. G. S. Hayward (24 v.), Lt. Hunter, Lt. R. Critchley (7 v., KIA next day), Capt.

W. F. J. Harvey (26 v.), Lt. J. L. Morgan (12 v.), Lt. H. F. Moore (6 v.), Capt. H. F. Davison (11 v.),

Capt. J. E. Gurdon (28 v.), Major J. E. McKelvie, Lt. Berington, Capt. R. S. P. Boby, Lt. Harrison

and Capt. D.M. McGoun (9 v.). Kurt Monnington claimed Gurdon´s plane on June 5th, 1918 but

Gurdon, like in many other cases, survived.

Lt. d. R. Kurt Monnington, Jasta 18, Montoy-Flanville, France, August 1918

18

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INFO Eduard - June 2021