Eduard Ritter von Dostler
Encyclopedia
Oberleutnant Eduard Ritter von Dostler (3 February 1892 - 21 August 1917), Pour le Mérite
, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Military Order of Max Joseph
, Iron Cross
, was a German World War I
fighter ace credited with 26 victories.
Dostler's brother was a pilot who was killed in action. Eduard Dostler decided to switch to the aviation service because of his brother's death.
He then transferred to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 13, which was a newly formed squadron. On 22 January 1917, he scored Jasta 13's initial triumph. At that time, he was already an oberleutnant.
On 22 February 1917, Dostler assumed command of Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 34
, just two days after its official formation. He had it in action in three days, and scored its first victories on 24 March, shooting down a pair of Caudron G.IV bombers. By the time he left the Jasta, on 10 June 1917, he had become an ace, with eight confirmed victories, and one claim unconfirmed.
Dostler transferred to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 6. He scored a double on 16 June, making him an Uberkanone, with further wins on the 17th and 20th. On the 24th, Dostler took command, succeeding Fritz Otto Bernert
. Two days later, Jasta 6 was incorporated into Germany's first fighter wing, Jagdgeschwader I.
By 26 July, when Manfred von Richthofen
took command of JG I, Dostler's score was up to 18. The following day, Dostler was awarded the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern. He finished the month of July 1917 with 21 victories.
On 6 August, he received Germany's highest award for valor, the Pour le Mérite
, which is also nicknamed the Blue Max. Dostler's famous commanding officer, the Red Baron himself, Manfred von Richthofen
took his personal Pour le Mérite
from around his own neck and placed it around Dostler's throat.
Dostler shot down five enemy aircraft in August, extending his list of victims to 26. His final victory was scored on 18 August. He was awarded the Military Order of Max Joseph the same day; its award both entitled him to a lifetime pension and knighted him. As a visible sign of his honor, his name now became Eduard Ritter von Dostler.
Three days later, Dostler attacked an obsolete British R.E.8 of 7 Squadron, flown by Lts. MA. O'Callaghan and N. Sharples. Observer Sharples shot Dostler down.
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Military Order of Max Joseph
Military Order of Max Joseph
The Military Order of Max Joseph was the highest purely military order of the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded on 1 January 1806 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the first king of Bavaria...
, Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
, was a German World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
fighter ace credited with 26 victories.
Early service
Eduard Dostler was commissioned in the 4th Pioneer Battalion of the Bavarian Army on 28 October 1912. He was awarded the Bavarian Lifesaving Medal for saving two of his men from drowning in the Danube River in August 1914.Dostler's brother was a pilot who was killed in action. Eduard Dostler decided to switch to the aviation service because of his brother's death.
Air service
Dostler scored his first victory while flying a Roland D.II two-seater fighter for Kasta 36. He downed a Sopwith Scout on 17 December 1916.He then transferred to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 13, which was a newly formed squadron. On 22 January 1917, he scored Jasta 13's initial triumph. At that time, he was already an oberleutnant.
On 22 February 1917, Dostler assumed command of Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 34
Jagdstaffel 34
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 34, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 34, was a World War I "hunting group" of the Luftstreitkräfte, which was the forerunner to the Luftwaffe. The unit would score 89 confirmed aerial victories during the war, including three enemy observation balloons...
, just two days after its official formation. He had it in action in three days, and scored its first victories on 24 March, shooting down a pair of Caudron G.IV bombers. By the time he left the Jasta, on 10 June 1917, he had become an ace, with eight confirmed victories, and one claim unconfirmed.
Dostler transferred to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 6. He scored a double on 16 June, making him an Uberkanone, with further wins on the 17th and 20th. On the 24th, Dostler took command, succeeding Fritz Otto Bernert
Fritz Otto Bernert
Oberleutnant Fritz Otto Bernert was a leading German fighter ace of World War I. He scored 27 victories despite being essentially one-armed.-Early life and service:...
. Two days later, Jasta 6 was incorporated into Germany's first fighter wing, Jagdgeschwader I.
By 26 July, when Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
took command of JG I, Dostler's score was up to 18. The following day, Dostler was awarded the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern. He finished the month of July 1917 with 21 victories.
On 6 August, he received Germany's highest award for valor, the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, which is also nicknamed the Blue Max. Dostler's famous commanding officer, the Red Baron himself, Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
took his personal Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
from around his own neck and placed it around Dostler's throat.
Dostler shot down five enemy aircraft in August, extending his list of victims to 26. His final victory was scored on 18 August. He was awarded the Military Order of Max Joseph the same day; its award both entitled him to a lifetime pension and knighted him. As a visible sign of his honor, his name now became Eduard Ritter von Dostler.
Three days later, Dostler attacked an obsolete British R.E.8 of 7 Squadron, flown by Lts. MA. O'Callaghan and N. Sharples. Observer Sharples shot Dostler down.