Jasta 15 Document and Chronicle

[Olham 164]

Just found this document from Jasta 15, Habsheim, at the "Bundesarchiv":

 

 

 

This document from December 1916 shown here is the declaration of consent

of the officer corps of the Jasta 15 in Habsheim regarding the election

of the Vizefeldwebel and officer candidate, Ernst Udet, for a Reserveoffizier

(reserve officer?). On 21 December 1916, Udet declared in written form,

that he agrees on this election, and to remain in service three more years

after the nomination.

 

At the Aerodrome website, someone posted this typed chronicle from Jasta 15.

Another poster wrote some info about the source of these two pages:

 

"The manuscript was written by Dr. Gustav Bock, based on the material of Erich Tornuß.

... The collection of Dr. Bock is the most complete collection on German World War I

documents, based on original German sources. ...

The collection of around 120 folders of Jasta diarys and official reports still exist in Germany.

 

A good number of material published today is based on his fundametal work, unfortunately

often not credited to him."

 

 

 

 

 

I always feel a kind of thrill through the spine; I'm really touched, seeing such documents.

 

.

Edited February 21, 2012 by Olham

[+elephant 36]

Thank you sir!

[JFM 18]

Tornuss is the unsung man who is responsible for recording/compiling much information that was subsequently lost in WW2.

[DukeIronHand 8]

My German is weak at best through disuse I am afraid.

 

Is that last document kind of a daily war diary of operations and events?

[Baldric 42]

Thanks for sharing that, Olham. I love that kind of historic investigation

[carrick58 23]

wow, such a sweet find.

[Olham 164]

Is that last document kind of a daily war diary of operations and events?

Yes, a kind of Jasta diary - not daily written, but whenever there was an event.

I don't have the time to translate it all, but I'm sure you can get the meaning of some of the stuff.

[Wels 2]

Hi,

thanks for posting !

Where was this shown at the aerodrome ?

Is there any possibility to find other Jasta or FFA logbooks, of those times ? In the Bundesarchiv, or is this a private collection of Mss Bock and Tornuss ?

 

Thanks and greetings,

Wels

[Olham 164]

Where was this shown at the aerodrome ?

Just type "Jasta 15" in the search frame; you'll see it among the first results.

 

Is there any possibility to find other Jasta or FFA logbooks, of those times ? In the Bundesarchiv, or is this a private collection of Mss Bock and Tornuss ?

Tornuss seems to have collected everything he could find about the Jastas after WW1.

Dr. Georg Bock seems to have taken that collection over. But I don't know, if it still exists.

Perhaps JFM can tell more.

 

At the BUNDESARCHIV they have some documents for MvR and Ernst Udet. Didn't search any further there for others.

 

As for Jasta and FA(A) diaries, I recommend these DIN A 4 booklets:

 

- Deutsche Luftkriegsgeschichte 1914-1918 "Das Kriegstagebuch der Jasta 12" by Michael Schmeelke (assisted by Jasta 12 ace Viktor Schobinger)

 

- Deutsche Luftkriegsgeschichte 1914-1918 "Aus der Chronik der Jagdstaffel 32" by Jörg Mückler

 

- Deutsche Luftkriegsgeschichte 1914-1918 "KagOHL 4 Staffel 23 1916-1917: Die Kampfstaffel 23 (Kasta) des Kampfgeschwaders 4 der Obersten Heeresleitung (KagOHL)" by Michael Schmeelke

 

All three books are still available (see AMAZON). They contain lots of photographs.

 

.

Edited February 22, 2012 by Olham

[Olham 164]

PS: how thrilling historical research can often be, can be read under "Produktbeschreibung" here - it is the introduction

by Michael Schmeelke to his book about Jasta 12, and it tells, how Schmeelke found Viktor Schobinger with immense luck!

 

http://www.amazon.de/Deutsche-Luftkriegsgeschichte-1914-Kriegstagebuch-Jagdstaffel/dp/3925480951/ref=pd_sim_b_3

[Wels 2]

Thank you, will look for it

[shredward 12]

Thank you, will look for it

 

I would also recommend 'Das Propellerblatt', a journal to which Michael Schmeelke is a regular contributor. It frequently has original documents, diaries and photographs.

http://www.propellerblatt.de/index.html

Cheers,

shredward