Ferko/Turnuss records vs. The Jasta Pilots

[Billy_Bishop]

Just so now one gets confused. I am NOT dismayed by what was discovered in the Grub Street publication The Jasta Pilots. Rather than throwing a curve at me, it actually backs up my point that not all German records are perfect.

For the benefit of those of you who don't have the transcripts of the Canadian Senate hearings on "The Kid Who Couldn't Miss", when called to testify before the committee, Cowan resorted to a set of records, actually copies of records originally copied by a German historian during the 1930's by the name of Turnuss (or Tornuss, I've seen several different spellings).

These records made their way across the atlantic and went first to William Puglisi, a member of the Cross & Cockade Society. When he died, part of these records went to Mr. Ed Ferko, also a member of the C&C Society.

In the mid-late 1980's when the Canadian Senate was conducting hearings on the NFB film, Mr. Ferko apparently either copied the records to Mr. Cowan, or (this is more likely) sent him a letter telling him his thoughts on the Billy Bishop controversy, and citing the Turnuss records as his authority.

The pertinent part of these records was apparently made available to the committee who had them studied by Stewart K. Taylor, Official Historian for WWI Flyers in Canada. HE noted the time gap in the records, and the missing pilots' names. Also the subjective comment that "nothing noteworthy happened during the time gap, which is why there were no notes.

Now, along comes GOGS' The Jasta Pilots, and actually puts them in Jasta 20 at a time when the Turnuss records says they shouldn't be, at least two of them anyway. AND it turns out one of the three named by Taylor as missing from the Turnuss records was the CO of Jasta 20

What this tells me is that German records are no more, maybe even less reliable than their allied counterparts.

And I've been told by another forumite, a professional historian, that contradictory reports are not uncommon in wartime especially.

So I consider this comparison of The Jasta Pilots with the Turnuss/Ferko records as a point in my favor.

What do you think??

VBR,

Al Lowe

Al: from my experience with military records, it's possible or even probable that the 3 missing pilots were carried administratively on another organization's roster: hospital, temporary detached duty (TDY), or maybe leave. It seems we just don't have enough info to draw a conclusion one way or another!

[Billy_Bishop]

The only conclusion I'm trying to draw is that you can't place as much confidence in these records as Paul Cowan and some others would like us to believe.

He used the Turnuss records that Ed Ferko had to try to prove his point about Bishop. From my point of view, that's just not possible.

I'm not saying that these records prove Bishop made his attack, but what I am saying is that they are NOT proof that he didn't make his attack on June 2, 1917.

That's all. No more, no less.

VBR,

Al Lowe

Agreed wholeheartedly. Taking any kind of paperwork as gospel is asking to be embarrassed or inaccurate.

Hmmm...does this count?

Just an amusing aside - and we could play this a a Christmas Forum Quiz...There are two german ground crew and one RFC pilot listed in The Jasta Pilots. Apparently the RFC chap was a guest of the mess and ended up in the Jasta diary as "present" that day. Glad to see I'm not the only one who makes mistakes - but that's Official Records for you!
Cheers and HC Brad
PS Anybody know here I can see a list of these internet "netiquette" smiley symbols? All I can do is smile ...now if I could WINK.......