Allmenroder; downed on 27 or 26 June 1917?

[R Gannon]

I have briefly mooted this particular rationalisation in two threads to date and as such it deserves a thread of its own with a fuller explanation. Any ‘constructive’ comments are welcome.

The official blurb in regards the loss of Karl Allmenroder, as written up in the Kofl 4 return and dated 27 June 1917, reads:

‘Bei Klein-Zillebeke, in den vorderen Linien, abmontierend abgesturtz, allem Anschein nach infolge Flakreffer oder infolge Tragflaschenburch nach vorausgegangenem Luftkamp.’

The Google translation reads:

At Klein-Zillebeke, in the front lines, dismantling, crashed, apparently as a result of an anti-aircraft hit or as a result of a broken bottle after the previous air battle.

Indeed all the German documentation pertaining to the death of Karl Allmenroder figures the date of his downing as occurring on 27 June. There is also a quoted time: 09.45am. Certainly 27 June was inscribed on his grave stone however there is compelling evidence which would figure the downing of Karl Allmenroder as having occurred on the evening of 26 June and that 09.45am on 27 June simply reflects the moment when his death was officially reported.

Stripped of some of the colourful excess, a 1938 account in a German news-paper released on 27 June 1938 (held to be the anniversary of Allmenroder’s death); reads (English translation), ‘One June 27, from 8.00am to 10.00 am, the infantryman Max Feuerstein of the 4th Company of the Bavarian 6th Reserve Infantry Regiment lay in a grenade shelter by an alarm post….the first English fliers arrive at the front…Blood red single-seater fighters…shot lightening-like under the English hornets. The first blue-white-red cockade pulled out towards its own lines, burning in a cloud of black smoke. Fleeing, the enemy sought its own territory. A red arrow shot after it. Far behind the enemy lines the pursuer pressed on. Then the red arrow came back from the other side. Artillery and machine gun fire directed at it created a roar. Griping fear came over the field greys in the cratered fields as the red machine veered and then spun. One wing broke off. A smoke plume trailed behind….It shuddered, fell out of control into the depths. The splintered machine …fell into the mud near the bunker. Barely two hundred metres in front of the first English position…enveloped in fire and smoke.’

Another version of events, as told in a 1941 Luffwaffe publication reads:
‘On the day that he achieved his 30th victory, 27 June 1917, while attempting to down his second kill, he became the victim. A British fighter manoeuvred into position, fired, and Allmenroder’s plane was seriously hit. The young Leutnant crashed into no-mans-land between British and German positions’.

This version is seemingly corroborated by Heinz Nowarra, who leaning upon a 1960s conversation with Jasta 11 pilot Wilhelm Groos, wrote, ‘Allmenroder was killed in aerial combat while flying with Groos and Steinhauser. According to Groos, the pilot who killed Allmenroder must have had a telescopic gun-sight, because his firing became effective at a great distance.’ (C&C US Vol 1 #3, p.62) This in turn has led to supposition that Allmenroder was killed by a long rage burst fired by F/C Ray Collishaw from 10 Naval squadron. However the said Collishaw combat actually related to the evening of 25 June, whilst at one must have doubts as to the clarity of the Groos recollection, on account of the allusion that he was flying with Steinhauser, who did not join Jasta 11 until December 1917.

The key to unravelling the puzzle lies with the liking in the 1941 Luffwaffe version, of Allmenroder’s thirtieth victory to his downing; as his number 30 occurred on the evening of 26 June 1917. Allmenroder was awarded a ‘Nieuport’ downed north of Hollbeke at 22.00GT and given as jenseits (other side). This pertains to a combat involving a five strong OP from 1 Squadron, which when flying at 12,000ft over the German side, encountered a formation of six, mostly red painted, Albatros scouts over Becalaere at 21.00BT/22.00GT (this was 6km north-east of Klein Zillebeke). The Combat Report narrative of Sgt GP Olley deserves quoting, ‘When over BECALAERE patrol attacked a formation of 6 EA….I attacked a red scout with a 4 bladed propeller and dived on him and fired at about 30 yards range. After manoeuvring about for position I again dived on him and fired the remainder of my drum at close range. The EA went down rolling over and over. I was unable to see it crash owing to the presence of other EA. Decisive. (Confirmed by Sergt. Beadle W.J.)’ 2Lt HG Reeves also sent one down apparently Out of Control, this one described as being painted yellow (probably the rear fuselage and tail) after a burst of 40 rounds at close range and confirmed by 2Lt RS Davies. However on return to Bailluel aerodrome it was discovered that Lt CC Steert was missing; no one saw what happened to him, but it later transpired that his Nieuport B1649 had crashed into the second line of British trenches at Sheet 28 I 36 c 1,2, (SE corner of Battle Wood, just north of Ypres-Comines canal and 2km SW of Verbrandenmolen). The loss of Lt Steert neatly dove-tails with the last credit accorded to Karl Allmenroder, as not only do the times correspond, but Hollebeke was only about 1km south of the crash site. Pointedly however the crash site was only about 600 yards SE of Klien Zillebeke.

This in turn leads to another official British report written at the time: ‘Ref. Sheet 28 S.W. At 8.15pm on the evening of June 26th, a formation of seven enemy planes with red fuselage was observed by the sentry on a machine gun mounted for AA Defence at [Sheet 28] O. 3, b, 95,95, one of four barrage guns. One plane was somewhat detached from the others and was flying at a height of 1000 feet, 500 yards from machine-gun in question. Fire was opened by the sentry and continued by the Section Officer who arrived there. 4 belts were fired at the enemy aeroplane, aim being taken two fingers in front of the flying target. Towards the end of the 3rd belt the plane was seen to shiver and then seemed to partially lose control and glide toward ZILLEBEKE. The plane burst into flames before touching the ground. The RGA FOO and several infantrymen in the front line saw the machine crash, and state that our gun was the only gun firing at the time.’ The quoted map reference indicates the AA MG was cited just NE of Oosthoek on south bank of Ypres-Comines canal (opposite The Bluff), whilst ZILLEBEKE must infer Klien Zillebeke barely 2km to the East North East. Indeed RFC Communiques when detailing an overview of 26 June noted, ‘In air-fighting five German machines were brought down and two others were driven down out of control. In addition one hostile machine was shot down by fire from the ground.’

It would seem there is quite an interface between the German accountings of the downing of Karl Allmenroder and accounts within the British Official record, except that the British evidence, together with the claim data for Allmenroder’s #30, indicates that his downing occurred on the evening of 26 June and not the morning of 27 June.

Evidently there was an attempt by Kompanie 4 from Bavarian Reserve Regiment 6 positioned at Klien Zillebeke to investigate the wreck. This was led by one Uffz Reinhold Voxberger, ‘Once it was dark, he and three others crawled into no-mans-land, but were unable to approach the wreckage, which was still burning, The lit up circle was kept under constant British machine-gun fire from Hill 60. The patrol spent the entire night near the wreck, but never reached it. ’ As with all German versions, this is written up as occurring on 27 June, thus giving the impression that no attempt was made until the evening, but this allusion beggars as to how the crashed Albatros could still be burning if it had crashed during the morning, unless of course if the attempt was actually made immediately after the crash. Voxberger led a second on the following night and successfully recovered Allmenroder’s body. The present wisdom is to figure the night of 28 June, but one must suspect that the recovery was conducted on the night of 27 June. As to the time of 09.45 on 27 June, this more realistically reflects the time when the Luftstreikrafte established that the missing pilot was dead; presumably subsequent to the return of Uffz Voxberger with grim tidings of his first unsuccessful sally.

Russ

[regular122]

The ground reports are certainly important evidence. Do you know the newspaper they were quoted from? They seem to establish important eyewitness ground fire accounts and recovery efforts that not only establish a correct date, but seem to make the other claims a stretch. The confusion over Groos and his wingman and the unlikely ability of an 800 meter (?) shot by Collishaw plus the date discrepancy all seem to point to your conclusions. Great work on dissecting this Russ, even if other evidence comes forth.

Steve

[R Gannon]

Originally Posted by regular122

The ground reports are certainly important evidence. Do you know the newspaper they were quoted from? They seem to establish important eyewitness ground fire accounts and recovery efforts that not only establish a correct date, but seem to make the other claims a stretch. The confusion over Groos and his wingman and the unlikely ability of an 800 meter (?) shot by Collishaw plus the date discrepancy all seem to point to your conclusions. Great work on dissecting this Russ, even if other evidence comes forth.

Steve

Not a news-paper report, but an official British Army report (it has map references & military terminology) that was put up in the air section of the Great War Forum several years back. It had the heading, ‘MGC shoots down an aeroplane’ and I thought it was interesting enough at the time to download a copy of the report for inclusion in my logs. It was some time later when I made the Allmenroder connection and I went back to GWF looking for original the post, as I wanted the details of the AA MG's unit (Royal Garrison Artillery?), but I could not find it. It’s there somewhere and no doubt the original is in Kew.

Re the Groos account - whilst I think later reminiscences’ are useful; I don’t think too much authority should be assigned to them. It seems to me to be bit of a well-worn devise/excuse in German reminiscences’ to claim that pilots were hit by chance long distance shots. All the same I think it is reasonable to deduce Groos was the pilot of the other red machines flying nearby, and suspect he saw Allmenroder’s Albatros catch fire and crash attempting to regain German lines. Groos of course carried Allmenroder’s medals at the funeral parade held in Courtrai. Not sure if Richthofen attended?

All the same thanks for the vote of confidence; I for one have 100% confidence in the rationalisation.

Russ

[R Gannon]

Klein Zillebeke - Allmenroder downing - Copy.jpg

This is a provisional mapping which I have put together using the appropriate section of Sheet 28 relating to my appraisal. The blue line represents the British front line as of 26 Jun 17.

Russ