Billy-Berclau (Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte): 35 Airmen

[Jos]

Hello,

A couple of months ago I visited the German Military Cemetery in Billy-Berclau (France). Besides the last victims of Mick Mannock (Josef Hein and Ludwig Schöpf) I found the graves of 33 other German airmen.

For anyone who is interested.......










Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Billy-Berclau Rue Bizet Billy-Berclau


The only cemetery in the territory, it holds 1.683 war graves marked by black iron crosses marking one or two bodies. The crosses are carved up and down the soldier's full name, rank and date of death. The cemetery was laid out from the German Army in 1915. The Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 244 and the Kurhessische Jägerbataillon Nr.11 erected during the war a stone of remembrance for their fallen comrades. After the war French military authorities brought fallen soldiers from places of the surroundings southeast to Billy-Berclau, here. The Volksbund planted birches and shrubs in the 20s, laid out the entrance area and established a monument with a bronze cross on top. In 1974 the wooden crosses were exchanged for metal crosses. The cemetery was designed by Robert Tischler.

[Jos]

Part 2













Plots 4 and 7 are the "pilotsplots".

[Jos]

Part 3.



A page of the Namenbuch with the names of several pilots (red arrows).

[Jos]

Part 4.





On the right side plots 4 and 7.



Stone of Remembrance of the Reserve Infanterie Regiment Nr. 244.

"Wer mutig für sein Vaterland gefallen,
der baut sich selbst ein ewig Monument
Im treunen Herzens seiner Landesbrüder
und dies Gebäude stürtzt kein Sturmwind nieder."

"He, who fell bravely for the Fatherland,
builds himself an eternal monument
in the loyal hearts of his fellow countrymen
and no stormwind will tear down this building".

Theodor Körner.




The "pilotsplots"............

[Jos]

Part 5.




Bärmann, Fritz (Vizefeldwebel) FA(A) 235 Block 4 Grab 122
*30-06-1895 Nowawes
+ 22-10-1916 Vimy

Timm, Karl ( Leutnant der Reserve) FA(A) 235 Block 4 Grab 123
*13-08-1885 Hasloh
+ 24-04-1917 Acheville




Gessler, Franz (Vizefeldwebel) FA(A) 211 Block 4 Grab 124
*08-02-1899 Augsburg
+ 24-09-1917 Méricourt

Pilot. Flew with Erich Matthes.


Haussmann, Julius (Leutnant der Reserve) FA(A) 235 Block 4 Grab 125
*23-05-1895 Stuttgart
+ 26-12-1917 Faumont

[Jos]

Part 6.



Matthes, Erich (Leutnant) FA(A) 211 Block 4 Grab 200
*20-12-1894 Madras
+ 24-09-1917 Méricourt

Observer. Flew with Franz Gessler.

Prüfer, Kurt (Unteroffizier) FA(A) 235 Block 4 Grab 201
*01-06-1886 Weissenfels
+ 16-06-1917 Hénin Liëtard




Gundel, Max (Leutnant der Reserve) FA6 Block 4 Grab 202
*31-03-1894 Norderstapel
+ 06-12-1917 Lens

[Fliegermann]

Thank you for the effort of searching out the German Military Cemetery, and sharing your research.

[Jos]

Fliegermann,

Thanks for the kind words, but there are more airmen........

Jos


Part 7.





Bogdan, Johannes (Gefreiter) Schutzstaffel 5 Block 4 Grab 191
*07-04-1896 Fintel
+ 19-08-1917 Contiches

Flew with Josef George. Killed in crash at Contiches.





George, Josef (Unteroffizier) Schutzstaffel 5 Block 7 Grab 202
*14-03-1888 Tolkemit
+ 19-08-1917 Contiches

Flew with Johannes Bogdan. Killed in crash at Contiches.




Gödecke, Robert (Flieger) Schutzstaffel 12 Block 4 Grab 192
*????????? …………………..
+ 27-06-1917 …………………..




Johannes Bogdan & Robert Gödecke

[Jos]

Part 8.




Walter, Wilhelm (Gefreiter) Schutzstaffel 17 Block 7 Grab 246
*08-08-1893 Kaltental
+ 28-01-1918 La Bassée

Pilot. Flew with Ludwig Neeb. Killed in action by Guy Price (Naval 8) over Salome by La Bassée at 12.05 hrs. during air combat in a Hannover CI.II.


Bretschneider, Willy (Unteroffizier) FA(A) 224w Block 7 Grab 247
*06-06-1896 Dresden-Zschiedge
+ 30-01-1918 La Bassée

Flew with Wolfgang Pourroy. They crashed after a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire between La Bassée and Béthune. Dr. Bock contended that, at the time they were hit and went down, the German plane was being pursued by Second Lieutenant S. A. Oades (pilot) and Second Lieutenant S. W. Bunting (observer) in Bristol F.2B B. 1152 of No. 22 Squadron, RFC.
According to Oades’ hand-written combat report: “At 12.09 hrs. I saw an enemy two-seater north of La Bassée, flying west at 8.000 feet. I turned east and came up (under?) E.A. and dived, fired about 100 rounds into it when the right wing crumpled up and the remainder caught fire” The German plane was recorded as “OOC”. It was Oades’ fifth aerial victory.
(Over The Front: Volume 8 number 3, 1993)





Neeb, Ludwig (Gefreiter) Schutzstaffel 17 Block 7 Grab 245
*08-01-1894 Frankfurt am Main
+ 28-01-1918 La Bassée

Flew with Wilhelm Walter. Killed in action by Guy Price (Naval 8) over Salome by La Bassée at 12.05 hrs. during air combat in a Hannover CI.II.





Halich, Richard (Unteroffizier) FA(A) 224 Block 7 Grab 248
*29-08-1892 Lukaz Filehne Posen
+24-01-1918 La Bassée


Erstmann, Paul (Leutnant der Reserve) FA(A) 224w Block 7 Grab 249
*26-05-1896 Halle/Saale
+ 24-01-1918 La Bassée


Halich & Erstmann flew together. Possibly they were attacked by an Australian Sopwith F. 1 Camel, as their demise is similar to this recorded victory that day: “Captain A. O’Hara-Wood, 4th Squadron, A.F.C., shot down a D.F.W. which fell straight into the ground north of La Bassée.”
(Over The Front: Volume 8 number 3, 1993)





Koch, Georg (Leutnant der Reserve) FA(A) 224 Block 7 Grab 250
*24-08-1991 Quedlinburg
+ 01-01-1918 Tourmignies


Reubelt, Wilhelm (Unteroffizier) FA(A) 224w Block 7 Grab 251
*28-10-1918 Ludwigshafen
+ 01-01-1918 Tourmignies


Wilhelm Reubelt (pilot) flew together with Georg Koch (observer). They were killed while taking off from their own airfield. Rittmeister Boehmer noted in his first report to the Württemberger War Ministry: “ … at about 150 meters altitude, (the machine lost power and) went into a fatal dive. Shortly after crashing into the ground, the airplane caught fire, (and) the crew was burned up.”
(Over The Front: Volume 8 number 3, 1993)




Wilhelm Walter, Willy Bretschneider, Richard Halich, Paul Erstmann, Georg Koch & Wilhelm Reubelt

[Jos]

Part 9.






Faschingbaur, Erich (Leutnant der Reserve)FA(A) 292b Block 7 Grab 318
*22-04-1896 Berlin
+ 06-03-1918 Avelin


Stadelbauer, Friedrich (Leutnant der Reserve) FA(A) 292b Block 7 Grab 319
*13-04-1887 Unterfrieden
+ 06-03-1918 Avelin


Erich Faschingbaur was the pilot and Friedrich Stadelbauer his observer.






Harre, Heinrich (Flieger) FA(A) 258 Block 7 Grab 285
*13-05-1890???? ………………….
+ 25-06-1917 …………………..






Rauch, Karl (Luftschiffer) ???????? Block 7 Grab 63
*03-12-1891 Hanau
+ 22-08-1918 Auby (In Krankheit)