Hans Bethge (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Oberleutnant Hans Bethge was one of the first World War I flying ace
s, as well as an aerial commander. He was credited with 20 aerial victories. He was also a squadron commander for the unusually long term of fourteen months.
on Lake Constance
and, in 1911, went to high school in Ravensburg
. At this time, his father died. The younger Bethge could not enlist in the navy because of mild near-sightness, so he enlisted in Eisenbahnregiment 1 (Railway Regiment 1) and was appointed an ensign
. In 1912, he transferred to Eisenbahnregiment 4, underwent training, and was commissioned.
When World War I began, he went into action on the Western Front
. His unit moved into action on the very first day of the war, serving as sappers (combat engineers). His service with them was ended by an ankle injury that sent him to hospital first in Maubeuge
and then back to Germany. It was then he applied for pilot's training.
, he trained at Poznan
for three months. After that, his first flying assignment was to fly LVG
bombers with the world's first strategic bombing unit, the so-called "Ostend Carrier Pigeon detachment". From there, he went into fighter aviation on 4 August 1916, flying a Fokker Eindekker for a few weeks. On 22 August, he was selected to be one of the founding members of Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 under Otto Parschau
; the jasta was one of the first German fighter squadrons formed. A week later, he shot down a B.E.2c near Auchonvillers
for his first victory. He followed up by scoring two more confirmed victories before the end of 1916.
claimed his next victim on 28 March 1917, and began a steady scoring pace that had him showing a tally of 18 wins by 31 October 1917. It was during this stretch that he claimed three opposing aces as victims; Royal Naval Air Service
ace Philip Andrew Johnston died in a collision with a wingman on 17 August, and Bethge shot down the Bristol F.2 Fighter
crew of Thomas Frederick Stephenson
and Sidney Platel on 31 October.
Bethge commented about the death of Johnston:
"I have my 12th and 13 shot down. The aircraft crashed together and both were gone. I do not want to hurt anyone. But I fly with an iron will and deepest sense of duty ..."
By early 1918, Bethge had been equipped with a new Pfalz D.III
fighter. It featured tapering longitudinal gray and white stripes the length of the fuselage, with a dark gold diamond on the exterior cockpit walls. He scored twice more with this new machine, on 19 February and 10 March. He was recommended for the Pour le Merite
, Germany's highest award for valor.
. His funeral procession took place a few days later; Air Force General Ernst von Hoeppner
and Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen
attended the march to the railway station. Bethge's body was sent home to Berlin, where it was buried in Jerusalem's Church
cemetery near the Halle Gate.His mother was told on 18 March that her son would receive the Pour le Merite; however, it was not customary to award it posthumously.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
s, as well as an aerial commander. He was credited with 20 aerial victories. He was also a squadron commander for the unusually long term of fourteen months.
Early life and ground service
Hans Bethge was a Berlin native, born on 6 December 1890. He was the second son of Lieutenant William Bethge. Hans Bethge grew up in FriedrichshafenFriedrichshafen
This article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the...
on Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
and, in 1911, went to high school in Ravensburg
Ravensburg
Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...
. At this time, his father died. The younger Bethge could not enlist in the navy because of mild near-sightness, so he enlisted in Eisenbahnregiment 1 (Railway Regiment 1) and was appointed an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
. In 1912, he transferred to Eisenbahnregiment 4, underwent training, and was commissioned.
When World War I began, he went into action on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. His unit moved into action on the very first day of the war, serving as sappers (combat engineers). His service with them was ended by an ankle injury that sent him to hospital first in Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is situated on both banks of the Sambre , east of Valenciennes and about from the Belgian border.-History:...
and then back to Germany. It was then he applied for pilot's training.
Aerial service
After transferring to the LuftstreitkräfteLuftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
, he trained at Poznan
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
for three months. After that, his first flying assignment was to fly LVG
LVG
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was...
bombers with the world's first strategic bombing unit, the so-called "Ostend Carrier Pigeon detachment". From there, he went into fighter aviation on 4 August 1916, flying a Fokker Eindekker for a few weeks. On 22 August, he was selected to be one of the founding members of Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 under Otto Parschau
Otto Parschau
Leutnant Otto Parschau was a German World War I Flying Ace and recipient of the Pour le Mérite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and Iron Cross, First Class. He was noted as one of the pre-eminent aces on the Fokker Eindecker...
; the jasta was one of the first German fighter squadrons formed. A week later, he shot down a B.E.2c near Auchonvillers
Auchonvillers
Auchonvillers is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France....
for his first victory. He followed up by scoring two more confirmed victories before the end of 1916.
Command
In January, he was appointed to the command of a new jasta being formed, Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 30. The new StaffelführerStaffelführer
Staffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
claimed his next victim on 28 March 1917, and began a steady scoring pace that had him showing a tally of 18 wins by 31 October 1917. It was during this stretch that he claimed three opposing aces as victims; Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
ace Philip Andrew Johnston died in a collision with a wingman on 17 August, and Bethge shot down the Bristol F.2 Fighter
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
crew of Thomas Frederick Stephenson
Thomas Frederick Stephenson
Sergeant Thomas Frederick Stephenson was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.Stephenson was a sergeant pilot in 11 Squadron . He was teamed with 1st Air Mechanic Sydney Platel as his observer/gunner in a Bristol F.2 Fighter. The duo garnered five victories together between...
and Sidney Platel on 31 October.
Bethge commented about the death of Johnston:
"I have my 12th and 13 shot down. The aircraft crashed together and both were gone. I do not want to hurt anyone. But I fly with an iron will and deepest sense of duty ..."
By early 1918, Bethge had been equipped with a new Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
fighter. It featured tapering longitudinal gray and white stripes the length of the fuselage, with a dark gold diamond on the exterior cockpit walls. He scored twice more with this new machine, on 19 February and 10 March. He was recommended for the Pour le Merite
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....
, Germany's highest award for valor.
Death in action
A week after his final victory, Bethge once again led his fliers into combat. When he was still 200 meters from the British formation they were attacking, his Pfalz curved sharply downwards and out of sight. His body was found at Passchendaele and laid out in the church nearest his jasta, in PhalempinPhalempin
-References:*...
. His funeral procession took place a few days later; Air Force General Ernst von Hoeppner
Ernst von Hoeppner
General of Cavalry Ernst Wilhelm von Hoeppner was a German cavalry officer who served as the Commanding General of the German Air Service during World War I.-Early life and military career:...
and Rittmeister 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...
attended the march to the railway station. Bethge's body was sent home to Berlin, where it was buried in Jerusalem's Church
Jerusalem's Church
Jerusalem's Church is one of the churches of the Evangelical Congregation in the Friedrichstadt , a member of the Protestant umbrella organisation Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia. The present church building is located in Berlin, borough Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, in...
cemetery near the Halle Gate.His mother was told on 18 March that her son would receive the Pour le Merite; however, it was not customary to award it posthumously.