Heinrich Gontermann
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Gontermann was a German
First World War
fighter ace
credited with 39 victories during the war.
, Southern Westphalia
, Heinrich Gontermann grew into a tall slender man, full of vitality. He abstained from smoking and was only a social drinker. He was a patriotic, religious introvert.
Gontermann's father, a cavalry officer, pushed him towards a career in the military. After leaving school, Heinrich enlisted into the 6th Uhlan Cavalry Regiment in Hanau
on 14 August 1914. Only days after arriving in his regiment, he was sent into action.
Gontermann had a reputation for being aloof, but during his time with the Uhlans he displayed leadership abilities. He was slightly wounded in September 1914, and he was promoted to Feldwebel
. Early in the spring of 1915, he was given a field commission as Leutnant and he was also awarded the Iron Cross
Second Class. While he continued to lead his men through 1915 Gontermann applied for a transfer to the newly formed German Army Air Service, but in October 1915 he was transferred to the 80th Fusilier Regiment.
as a reconnaissance pilot flying the Roland C.II. Later that spring he was posted to Jasta FA 25 where he flew both as a pilot and as an observer on AGO C.I
s.
Gontermann applied for Jastaschule and a transfer to a fighter unit. He was accepted and in November 1916 joined Jasta 5. Three days later he shot down his first aircraft: an FE.2b on patrol over Morval
.
There was a lull in his scoring until 6 March 1917, when he shot down an FE.2d of 57 Squadron the day after being awarded the Iron Cross First Class. He scored regularly in March, becoming an ace on the 24th by downing a Sopwith 1½ Strutter
. He added a second one the following day. It was after this victory that he wrote home, "Today I shot down a two-seater.... He broke up into dust in the air.... It is a horrible job but one must do one's duty."
During Bloody April
, 1917, Gontermann had 11 victories. On the 8th, he achieved his first success as a balloon buster
, with all its extraordinary hazards, by downing an observation balloon. He shot down 4 others within the month, including a double victory on the 16th.
On 26 April 1917, he brought his kill tally to 17 victories; he was also made Staffelführer
of Prussian Jasta 15 the same day. He replaced Max Reinhold, who was killed in action.
In May, he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern on the 6th. He scored his 21st triumph, over five-victory ace Didier Lecour Grandmaison
, and received his native Bavaria's Military Order of Max Joseph
, all on the 11th; the Max Joseph made him a lifetime knight with a pension. The Pour le Merite
followed on the 17th. He was granted four weeks leave upon receipt of the Blue Max
.
Gontermann left Ernst Udet
in charge during his absence in May 1917. Udet wrote of Gontermann, "Before he opens fire, he defeats his enemy by outflying him. When he finally fires, he requires, at most, a dozen rounds to tear apart the other's machine."
Upon Gontermann's return to the Jasta on 19 June, he found that Udet had requested a transfer. Under his leadership the Jasta had suffered three demoralizing losses.
For the remainder of June, Gontermann again targeted observation balloons, shooting down one on both the 24th and the 27th. He also scored two triumphs in July, one of which was a balloon.
August was as productive a month for Gontermann. After shooting down a Nieuport on the 5th, he shot down two balloons each on both the 9th and the 17th. The 19 August saw the peak of Gontermann's career. He shot down a Spad in the morning, while at 1923 hours, he took out an observation balloon south of Aisne-Tal; three others were destroyed in as many minutes. A single-handed victory over four balloons in three minutes was unprecedented, and an obvious illustration of his gunnery tactics at point-blank range; he was known to down a foe with as few as five shots. The downing of the balloons brought his score to 35.
In September, he shot down three more enemy aircraft.
By October 1917, Gontermann had become a celebrated ace with 39 victories. He was credited with defeating 21 enemy aircraft and 18 balloons, plus an unconfirmed balloon shot down.
. He had not yet recovered fully from a bout of dysentery. Nevertheless, he was anxious to try his new airplane, despite misgivings about it. After a few minutes, he tried aerobatics at 700 meters altitude. He pulled out of the second loop and dove into a left turn. The upper wing collapsed and broke completely off. His airplane plunged into the ground.
Gontermann was pulled from the wreck alive, though with severe head injuries after slamming into the machine gun breeches. He was taken to the Jasta's medical bay, where he died from his injuries several hours later. Some sources say his death occurred the day after his accident.
Gontermann was only one of several German pilots killed testing the new Dr.I. As a result, Fokker was accused of shoddy construction and directed to change production methods for the manufacture of the plane.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
First World War
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
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
credited with 39 victories during the war.
Early life
Born in SiegenSiegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
, Southern Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, Heinrich Gontermann grew into a tall slender man, full of vitality. He abstained from smoking and was only a social drinker. He was a patriotic, religious introvert.
Gontermann's father, a cavalry officer, pushed him towards a career in the military. After leaving school, Heinrich enlisted into the 6th Uhlan Cavalry Regiment in Hanau
Hanau
Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :...
on 14 August 1914. Only days after arriving in his regiment, he was sent into action.
Gontermann had a reputation for being aloof, but during his time with the Uhlans he displayed leadership abilities. He was slightly wounded in September 1914, and he was promoted to Feldwebel
Feldwebel
Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually translated as sergeant being rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to the British Army Sergeant and the US Army...
. Early in the spring of 1915, he was given a field commission as Leutnant and he was also awarded the 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....
Second Class. While he continued to lead his men through 1915 Gontermann applied for a transfer to the newly formed German Army Air Service, but in October 1915 he was transferred to the 80th Fusilier Regiment.
Aerial service
He was finally accepted for pilot/observer training, and apon his graduation in early 1916 was posted to Kampfstaffel TergnierTergnier
Tergnier is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
as a reconnaissance pilot flying the Roland C.II. Later that spring he was posted to Jasta FA 25 where he flew both as a pilot and as an observer on AGO C.I
AGO C.I
- See also :...
s.
Gontermann applied for Jastaschule and a transfer to a fighter unit. He was accepted and in November 1916 joined Jasta 5. Three days later he shot down his first aircraft: an FE.2b on patrol over Morval
Morval
Morval is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Morval is situated south of Arras, on the D11 road, completely surrounded by the department of the Somme...
.
There was a lull in his scoring until 6 March 1917, when he shot down an FE.2d of 57 Squadron the day after being awarded the Iron Cross First Class. He scored regularly in March, becoming an ace on the 24th by downing a Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Sopwith 1½ Strutter
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun...
. He added a second one the following day. It was after this victory that he wrote home, "Today I shot down a two-seater.... He broke up into dust in the air.... It is a horrible job but one must do one's duty."
During Bloody April
Bloody April
During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...
, 1917, Gontermann had 11 victories. On the 8th, he achieved his first success as a balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
, with all its extraordinary hazards, by downing an observation balloon. He shot down 4 others within the month, including a double victory on the 16th.
On 26 April 1917, he brought his kill tally to 17 victories; he was also made Staffelführer
Staffelführer
Staffelführer was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German Schutzstaffel in the early years of that group’s existence...
of Prussian Jasta 15 the same day. He replaced Max Reinhold, who was killed in action.
Gontermann as commander
Gontermann's personal reputation was that of an aloof man with few friends. Professionally, he was a student of enemy aircraft types, with a special knack for picking off his foes from point-blank range within their blind spots. He was considered the premier marksman of his unit, as well as a skilled aerobaticist. He was noted as nervous, stressed, and slept poorly. Such was the strain of combat that he was sent on a month's leave during May to recuperate.In May, he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern on the 6th. He scored his 21st triumph, over five-victory ace Didier Lecour Grandmaison
Didier Lecour Grandmaison
Capitaine Didier Louis Marie Charles Lecour Grandmaison was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
, and received his native Bavaria's 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...
, all on the 11th; the Max Joseph made him a lifetime knight with a pension. 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....
followed on the 17th. He was granted four weeks leave upon receipt of the Blue Max
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....
.
Gontermann left Ernst Udet
Ernst Udet
Colonel General Ernst Udet was the second-highest scoring German flying ace of World War I. He was one of the youngest aces and was the highest scoring German ace to survive the war . His 62 victories were second only to Manfred von Richthofen, his commander in the Flying Circus...
in charge during his absence in May 1917. Udet wrote of Gontermann, "Before he opens fire, he defeats his enemy by outflying him. When he finally fires, he requires, at most, a dozen rounds to tear apart the other's machine."
Upon Gontermann's return to the Jasta on 19 June, he found that Udet had requested a transfer. Under his leadership the Jasta had suffered three demoralizing losses.
For the remainder of June, Gontermann again targeted observation balloons, shooting down one on both the 24th and the 27th. He also scored two triumphs in July, one of which was a balloon.
August was as productive a month for Gontermann. After shooting down a Nieuport on the 5th, he shot down two balloons each on both the 9th and the 17th. The 19 August saw the peak of Gontermann's career. He shot down a Spad in the morning, while at 1923 hours, he took out an observation balloon south of Aisne-Tal; three others were destroyed in as many minutes. A single-handed victory over four balloons in three minutes was unprecedented, and an obvious illustration of his gunnery tactics at point-blank range; he was known to down a foe with as few as five shots. The downing of the balloons brought his score to 35.
In September, he shot down three more enemy aircraft.
By October 1917, Gontermann had become a celebrated ace with 39 victories. He was credited with defeating 21 enemy aircraft and 18 balloons, plus an unconfirmed balloon shot down.
His last mission
On 30 October Gontermann took off in a Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
. He had not yet recovered fully from a bout of dysentery. Nevertheless, he was anxious to try his new airplane, despite misgivings about it. After a few minutes, he tried aerobatics at 700 meters altitude. He pulled out of the second loop and dove into a left turn. The upper wing collapsed and broke completely off. His airplane plunged into the ground.
Gontermann was pulled from the wreck alive, though with severe head injuries after slamming into the machine gun breeches. He was taken to the Jasta's medical bay, where he died from his injuries several hours later. Some sources say his death occurred the day after his accident.
Gontermann was only one of several German pilots killed testing the new Dr.I. As a result, Fokker was accused of shoddy construction and directed to change production methods for the manufacture of the plane.