Leutnant Walter Göttsch HoH, IC (10 June 1896—10 April 1918) was a German

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with 20 aerial victories. His final combat assignment was commanding '' Jagdstaffel 19'' in '' Jagdgeschwader II.''

Early life and service

Walter Göttsch was born in Altour, Germany on 10 June 1896. He volunteered for the German army on 1 July 1915. He was originally assigned to ''Flieger-Abteilung 33'' to fly artillery cooperation missions in Flanders as a

Vizefeldwebel '' '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia ...

.Franks et al 1993, p. 118

Service as a fighter pilot

After training as a fighter pilot, Göttsch was assigned to Royal Prussian '' Jagdstaffel 8'' on 10 September 1916. On 4 November 1916, he destroyed a Belgian observation balloon for his first victory. He then scored twice more before winning a momentous dogfight on 7 January 1917; his opponent that day was

Thomas Mottershead Thomas Mottershead Victoria Cross, VC, Distinguished Conduct Medal, DCM (17 January 1892 – 12 January 1917) was an England, English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the en ...

, who won a posthumous

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. Göttsch won a double victory on 1 February, but then was shot down and wounded in action for the first time two days later. Because of his wounding, he would not score again until 6 April 1917. By 5 May, he had doubled his victory total to twelve. He was once again downed, probably by the observer of Harry G. E. Luchford's Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d on 29 June. After this wounding, he did not win again until 17 July 1917. By 16 September, he had pushed his tally to 17, downing a

Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...

that day. On 25 September, he fell under the guns of a Bristol F.2 Fighter, wounded once again in the same combat that saw Rudolf Wendelmuth's downing. Göttsch returned to duty, but had no luck, being wounded for the fourth time on 25 November 1917 by James Dennis Payne.Shores et al, p. 299.

Command and death

Göttsch would not return to action until January 1918. On 14 February, he was given command of Royal Prussian '' Jagdstaffel 19''. The new

Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' (, " Formation leader") was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First ...

would score only twice before his end, with back to back triumphs on 31 March and 1 April. Göttsch was killed in action on 10 April 1918 over Gentelles, apparently by return fire from the observer of an RE-8 (his final victim), although German accounts also claim he was hit by ground fire. His Fokker Dr.I triplane,Franks, VanWyngarden 2001, p. 80. marked with a white swastika, fell behind British lines and was salvaged. Walter Göttsch's 20 victories included seven from 20 Squadron RAF; the score of victories would also have qualified him for a Blue Max had he survived.

Honors and awards

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

Second and First Class * Knight's Cross with Swords of the

House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern ( or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various versions of the order were crosses an ...

: 23 August 1917

Notes

References

* Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. ''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918''. Grub Street, 1993. , . * * Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell. ''Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920''. Grub Street, 1990. , . {{DEFAULTSORT:Gottsch, Walter 1896 births 1918 deaths Aviators killed by being shot down German military personnel killed in World War I German World War I flying aces Luftstreitkräfte personnel People from Altona, Hamburg Military personnel from the Province of Schleswig-Holstein Prussian Army personnel Military personnel from Hamburg