Ron Clifton Posted 16 June , 2016 Share Posted 16 June , 2016 There could of course have been more than one Robert in the Falkenhayn family. One might have died in the war and another married Benita, and William Shirer has made a mis-identification. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Just to to kick start again WIT,and see if the upload works without giving the game away, an easy one to start who was a thorn in the side of the Navy. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Zut, I know it's a u-boat commander but I can't remember his name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Hi seaJane As I thought it was an easy restart with WIT, I gave it a big clue, and yes you are correct in him being a u-boat commander John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Hans Rose (ouch) U53 Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 20 June , 2016 Share Posted 20 June , 2016 Spot on Eddie, Corny I know but just getting back into the swing of things. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 23 June , 2016 Share Posted 23 June , 2016 Who might this be ? ? ? Clue: Neuve Chapelle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 23 June , 2016 Share Posted 23 June , 2016 Hi UG Took a bit of searching but I have a name, Walther Hermann Nernst, co-developer of the "sneezing" gas shell (with Carl Duisburg) and used against the British & Indian troops at Neuve Chapelle 27/10/1914 with little or no lasting effect. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 23 June , 2016 Share Posted 23 June , 2016 According to this biography of Nernst https://nitum.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/biography-of-hermann-walther-nernst/ " ... the Germans fired 3,000 of these projectiles at the British near Neuve-Chapelle, but with no visible effects. The explosive aspect of the shells destroyed the chemical aspect. In fact, the British were apparently unaware that they were the victims of the first large-scale chemical projectile attack." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 26 June , 2016 Share Posted 26 June , 2016 On 23/06/2016 at 18:10, Uncle George said: According to this biography of Nernst https://nitum.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/biography-of-hermann-walther-nernst/ " ... the Germans fired 3,000 of these projectiles at the British near Neuve-Chapelle, but with no visible effects. The explosive aspect of the shells destroyed the chemical aspect. In fact, the British were apparently unaware that they were the victims of the first large-scale chemical projectile attack." Very interesting. Further to our investigation into Fritz Falkenhayn; he was said to have won a crate of champagne by wagering that he could inhale said sneezing gas, and suffer no ill effects. I'll see if I can find the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 26 June , 2016 Share Posted 26 June , 2016 Hi NF Glad to hear from you, FF is a very elusive character, can't find out anything more than I have seen on here. Good luck with the searching. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 26 June , 2016 Share Posted 26 June , 2016 One of the links I found, relative to Uncle George'Street last chap Nernst http://www.greatwar.co.uk/battles/second-ypres-1915/prelude/gas-development.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 18 hours ago, neverforget said: Very interesting. Further to our investigation into Fritz Falkenhayn; he was said to have won a crate of champagne by wagering that he could inhale said sneezing gas, and suffer no ill effects. I'll see if I can find the link. In the thread on the Axis History Forum linked in post #5178, the crate/case of champagne is said to have been won by Erich's son Robert: however, no source for the quote is given. The source for the quote would appear to be the article on Nernst which is linked on post #5187. But in this article the champagne is said to have been won by "Erich von Falkenhayn's son" (no Christian name given). I cannot see from where the poster on the Axis History Forum got the name Robert. Robert remains elusive. And now you say Fritz won the champagne. I'd be grateful if you could clarify. Thanks NF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 2 hours ago, Uncle George said: And now you say Fritz won the champagne. I'd be grateful if you could clarify. Thanks NF. I wish I could, UG. I`ve seen this story from about three different sources, but all of them simply refer to General Falkenhayn`s son. I just assumed it was Fritz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 Thanks NF. Here's an article from the NZ newspaper the 'Nelson Evening Mail' of 1 September 1916. But still we are not given a Christian name ... http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NEM19160901.2.30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 The 'Flesherton Ontario Advance' 1915: http://fultonhistory.com/Process small/Newspapers/Newspapers Out of NY/Flesherton Ontario Advance/Flesherton Ontario Advance 1915-1917/Flesherton Ontario Advance 1915-1917 (21).pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 'A DUEL IN MID-AIR: THE DEATH OF GENERAL VON FALKENHAYN'S SON' 'Aukland Weekly News' April 8, 1915. http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2FHeritageImages%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&TN=heritageimages&QF0=ID&NP=2&RF=HIORecordSearch&MR=5&QI0=%3D"AWNS-19150408-35-2" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 4 hours ago, Uncle George said: Thanks NF. Here's an article from the NZ newspaper the 'Nelson Evening Mail' of 1 September 1916. But still we are not given a Christian name ... http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NEM19160901.2.30 This is one of the newspaper reports that I came across in my original search for your W.I.T. There were two, and I think they were both from New Zealand funnily enough. I also found a few mentions in Richthofen`s biography, and include a couple of links or quotes below. I can`t remember how or where I found them now to be honest. I`m sorry to be so vague about the references, but I`ve just had another spell in hospital, and everything before that has gone out of the window somewhat. Well done on the stuff you have managed to dig up. " Old Prince of Pless 18 is a beautiful appearance, elegant stature, in short, a fine old man. His eyes shine like those of an old hunter, and on horseback, he has great pace. He always has a charming smile on the lips, nothing haughty, short, conquers all. The emperor holds in high esteem. What I produced a special impression is that this man of seventy-six is mounted in aircraft with Fritz Falkenhayn 19 for a flight an hour and a half through the country. He was so excited that he put down twenty marks in the hand of each mechanic, and would be left on the spot. This is all the more extraordinary that encounter a mass of younger men, knights without fear and without reproach, which never decide to climb a device." http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/4121119/8 Fritz von Falkenhayn *27.09.1890 Oldenburg + 03.03.1973 Ascona Son of General Erich von Falkenhayn (+1922) 1911 - 1912 Leutnant im Kaiser Alexander Garde Gren. Regt.1 1913 Fliegertruppe / Beobachter 1914 Fliegertruppe / Flugzeugführer 01.1915 - 03.1915 BAO 04.1915 - 07.1918 Adjutant des Chefs des Feldflugwesens und komm. General der Luftstreitkräfte 07.1918 Flugzeugabsturz 12.1918 aus dem Wehrdienst als Hauptmann entlassen 1921 Vetreter der Daimler GmbH in New York (Mercedes Agency) later Vorsitzender des Vorstands der NSU-Werke Neckarsulm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 27 June , 2016 Share Posted 27 June , 2016 Thanks for the quotes and link NF. (I see from the link that the story comes from Reuters). There are a number of other articles to be found online which cover this incident: the Adelaide 'Advertiser' of 15 January 1915; the 'Wanganui Herald' of 14 January 1915. These newspapers are members, it would seem, of the 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association': all repeat the same story and neither give us the Christian name. Nor does a 1915 article by one Charles Stolberg titled 'War's Toll Upon Famous Families': http://theesotericcuriosa.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/in-honor-of-memorial-day-fallen-from.html Perhaps a post in the 'Soldiers' sub-forum would shed some light. Perhaps it would strain patience. I'm sorry to hear you've been unwell, and hope you're on the mend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 28 June , 2016 Share Posted 28 June , 2016 I`m getting there slowly thanks U.G. One or two more snippets here that you may or may not have come across. I also have a theory developing, sparked by his well known intervention of the potential massacre of jews at the hands of the Turks. I`ve looked into his family tree and found that his mother`s maiden name was von Rosenberg. I have also found an article referring to him as a German/Jewish General. If his mother did have Jewish roots, this could well explain his benevolence towards them in Palestine. It may also suggest that his memory would not have been much honoured come Hitler`s regime. Let`s not forget too, that his daughter Erika married Henning von Tresckow, who was implicated in the June 1944 coup attempt against Hitler, and committed suicide on June 21,1944. Erika herself was arrested along with her children. Her family estate was confiscated, but she was released after a few months without being formally charged. Perhaps it`s a bonkers suggestion that there may have been some kind of attempt to blot him out to some extent. Anyway, the links: http://israelsdocuments.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/a-girl-in-photograph-more-than-90-years.html http://israelsdocuments.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/von-falkenhayn-addition.html http://www.israeldailypicture.com/2011/12/did-german-officer-prevent-massacre-of.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 28 June , 2016 Share Posted 28 June , 2016 Thanks very much for these links. A very interesting theory. My thinking has been that the likelihood is that either a misidentification was made (either by mistake or as some propaganda exercise); or Erich's seeming obsessive secrecy concerning his private life smothered all life out of the incident. Meanwhile, who is this ? ? ? (There is no connection with the von Falkenhayn carryon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 28 June , 2016 Share Posted 28 June , 2016 Thanks NF for your efforts in trying to tie down and identify the airman von Falkenhayn, ( I deliberately left out his Christian name due to the uncertainty) it looks as if the leads are drying up, but I am sure that through the efforts of the Forum and its members the id may turn up at some point in the future, UG may well be correct in his theory of misidentification wether by accident or design. I can't remember who started this WIT but whoever it was, take a bow, as the person in question could not be positively identified. Anyway back to the subject in hand, I need to start working on this one of UG's John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 29 June , 2016 Share Posted 29 June , 2016 OK UG Post 5199 This one took a bit of time and a number of reference books but I believe that is Arthur Reginald French, 5th Baron De Freyne (b.1879), taken in approx 1899 in his Royal Fusiliers uniform. He was killed at Aubers Ridge 9/5/1915 whilst serving as a captain in the South Wales Borderers, he was apparently fighting alongside his half brother George French. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 29 June , 2016 Share Posted 29 June , 2016 Arthur French had a varied military career: he served in the Royal Fusiliers; the Royal Garrison Regiment [sic]; as a private soldier in the 8th Infantry Regiment, (US Army); and during the GW in the South Wales Borderers. He was killed in 1915, at Aubers Ridge: http://lafayette.org.uk/fre2236a.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_French,_5th_Baron_de_Freyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 29 June , 2016 Share Posted 29 June , 2016 If I make the not unmitigated assumption that John is correct, may I offer up this M.General, seen here with his good lady. Mentioned in despatches more than half a dozen times. (Him, not her.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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