"Die Letzten" hochdekorierten des Ersten Weltkrieges

[IM]

Thomas A. Pope

geboren am 15. Dezember 1894
verstorben am 14. Juni 1989

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_A._Pope

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal Thomas A. Pope, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 4 July 1918, while serving with Company E, 131st Infantry, 33d Division, in action at Hamel, France. Corporal Pope's company was advancing behind the tanks when it was halted by hostile machinegun fire. Going forward alone, he rushed a machinegun nest, killed several of the crew with his bayonet, and, standing astride his gun, held off the others until reinforcements arrived and captured them.

Auch er hatte als Einzelkämpfer ein MG-Nest ausgeschalten.

[IM]

So, das wären alle 9 Träger der Medal of Honor aus dem Ersten Weltkrieg gewesen, die nach dem 1. Januar 1980 verstorben sind.



USA

Medal of Honor
+ 17.01.1990   Edouard Victor Michel Izac, verstorben im 99. Lebensjahr
+ 14.06.1989   Thomas A. Pope, verstorben im 95. Lebensjahr
+ 29.10.1987   Phillip Carl Katz, verstorben im 98. Lebensjahr
+ 27.07.1987   Harold Arthur Furlong, verstorben im 92. Lebensjahr
+ 09.06.1987   Ludovicus M. M. Van Iersel, verstorben im 94. Lebensjahr
+ 19.03.1984   Donald Marshall Call, verstorben im 92. Lebensjahr
+ 09.04.1982   Richard William O'Neill, verstorben im 84. Lebensjahr
+ 05.02.1981   Benjamin Kaufman, verstorben im 87. Lebensjahr
+ 15.10.1980   John Henry Balch, verstorben im 85. Lebensjahr

Insgesamt wurde die Medal of Honor im Ersten Weltkrieg an 119 Personen verliehen. Mit Beginn des Jahres 1980 lebten davon noch 9, das wären
7,6 %.

Schaut man sich die anderen bisher genannten Auszeichnungen an, dann sind diese 7,6 % sehr viel.

[IM]

Dann mal weiter zum britischen Empire, und da zum Victoria Cross.

Für den Ersten Weltkrieg wurde diese Auszeichnung an 627 Personen verliehen. Wie viele von ihnen mit Beginn des Jahres 1980 noch am Leben waren, da habe ich momentan keine Zahl parat. Ich werde versuchen, sie der Reihe nach wieder heraus zu suchen.


Der erste wäre:

Frederick Luke

geboren am 29. September 1895
verstorben am 12. März 1983

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Luke

On 26 August 1914 at Le Cateau, France, when a captain (Douglas Reynolds) of the same battery was trying to save two guns which had been recaptured, Driver Luke and another driver (Job Henry Charles Drain) volunteered to help and gave great assistance in the eventual saving of one of the guns. At the time they were under heavy fire from the enemy who were only 100 yards (91 m) away.

Für den Versuch, ein verlorengegangenes Geschütz unter Beschuß wieder in Besitz zu bekommen, erhielten alle drei an dieser Tat Beteiligten des Victoria Cross verliehen.

[IM]

Cyril Gordon Martin

geboren am 19. Dezember 1891
verstorben am 14. August 1980

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Gordon_Martin

He was 23 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 56th Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 12 March 1915 at Spanbroek Molen, Belgium, Lieutenant Martin volunteered to lead a small bombing party against a section of the enemy trenches which was holding up the advance. Before he started he was wounded, but, taking no notice, he carried on with the attack which was completely successful. He and his small party held the trench against all counter-attacks for two and a half hours until a general withdrawal was ordered.

[IM]

John George Smyth

geboren am 25. Oktober 1893
verstorben am 26. April 1983

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Smyth,_1st_Baronet

For most conspicuous bravery near Richebourg L'Avoue on 18 May 1915. With a bombing party of 10 men, who voluntarily undertook this duty, he conveyed a supply of 96 bombs to within 20 yards of the enemy's position over exceptionally dangerous ground, after the attempts of two other parties had failed. Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of two of his men (the other eight having been killed or wounded), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire.

[IM]

John Elisha Grimshaw

geboren am 20. Januar 1893
verstorben am 20. Juli 1980

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Elisha_Grimshaw

He was 22 years old, and a Lance-Corporal signaller in C Company of the 1st Battalion, when he took part in the landing on W Beach on 25 April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, at the opening of the Battle of Gallipoli. His job was to maintain communications between the units which had landed and the headquarters for the landing on HMS Euryalus. During the landing, the three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, were met by a very heavy and effective fire from the company of Ottoman Empire troops defending the beach. This caused 533 casualties out of the 950 men who attempted to land. The survivors, however, rushed up and cut the wire entanglements notwithstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties, the cliffs were gained and the position maintained.

Grimshaw's own account said that, "In boats we got within 200 or 300 yards from the shore when the Turks opened a terrible fire. Sailors were shot dead at their oars. With rifles held over our heads we struggled through the barbed wire in the water to the beach and fought a way to the foot of the cliffs leaving the biggest part of our men dead and wounded." Grimshaw was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions during the landing.

Grimshaw, along with Cuthbert Bromley, William Keneally, Alfred Joseph Richards, Frank Edward Stubbs and Richard Raymond Willis had originally been nominated for a Victoria Cross by Major Bishop, the battalion's commanding officer, after consulting 'the officers who happened to be with him at the time and who did not include either of the officers awarded the Cross'. The recommendation endorsed by Hunter-Weston and Hamilton but was not proceeded with by the War Office.

In August, Hunter-Weston made a second recommendation for three of the men; under the original 1856 warrant establishing the award up to 4 VCs could be awarded as a result of balloting the units involved; and Keneally, Richards and Willis, were awarded the medal having been selected by the surviving privates, NCOs and officers respectively.

However, Brigadier Owen Wolley-Dod, who was a member of Hunter-Weston's general staff and a Lancashire Fusilier himself, and who had landed on the beach shortly after noon continued pressing for more awards to be made. Eventually the other three men, including Grimshaw, were finally awarded the medal. The awards were published in the London Gazette on 13 March 1917,[3] with an identical citation to the original three men. Grimshaw had his DCM cancelled and replaced with a Victoria Cross. The courage of the 6 men awarded the medal as a result of the landing was hailed in the Press as '6 VCs before breakfast'.

Er erhielt die Auszeichnung für die Landung auf Gallipoli, allerdings erst im zweiten Anlauf.

[IM]

Auch der nächste verdiente sich das Victoria Cross bei Gallipoli:

Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett

geboren am 3. Januar 1892
verstorben am 2. Januar 1983

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Royston_Guyton_Bassett

On 7 August 1915 at Chunuk Bair Ridge, Gallipoli, Turkey, after the New Zealand Brigade had attacked and established itself on the ridge, Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under continuous fire, succeeded in laying a telephone line from the old position to the new one on Chunuk Bair. He also did further gallant work in connection with the repair of telephone lines by day and night under heavy fire. He is quoted "I was so short that the bullets just passed over me".

Er erhielt die Auszeichnung für das Verlegen von Telefonleitungen unter schwerem Beschuß.

[IM]

Charles Geoffrey Vickers

geboren am 13. Oktober 1894
verstorben am 16. März 1982

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Vickers

He won the Victoria Cross for his actions on the 14 October 1915 when he held a barrier across a trench in the Hohenzollern Redoubt, France against heavy German bomb attacks (the 'bombs' of the citation were early grenades) ordering a second barrier to be built behind him in order to secure the safety of the trench regardless of the fact that his own retreat would be cut off holding back the enemy for long enough for a second barrier to be completed.

[IM]

Theodore William Henry Veale

geboren am 11. November 1892
verstorben am 6. November 1980

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Veale

On 20 July 1916 east of High Wood, France, Private Veale, hearing that a wounded officer was lying in the open within 50 yards of the enemy, went out and dragged him into a shell hole and then took him water. As he could not carry the officer by himself, he fetched volunteers, one of whom was killed almost at once, and heavy fire necessitated leaving the wounded man in a shell hole until dusk when Private Veale went out again with volunteers. When an enemy patrol approached, he went back for a Lewis gun with which he covered the party while the officer was carried to safety.

Kurz gesagt, er erhielt die Auszeichnung für die Rettung eines verwundeten Offiziers aus dem Niemandsland.

[IM]

Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey

geboren am 1. September 1888
verstorben am 24. August 1980

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Maurice_Watson_Harvey

Harvey was awarded the Victoria Cross following an incident on March 27, 1917 at the village of Guyencourt.

During an attack by his regiment on a village, a party of the enemy ran forward to a wired trench just in front of the village, and opened rapid fire and machine-gun fire at a very close range, causing heavy casualties in the leading troop. At this critical moment, when the enemy showed no intention whatever of retiring, and fire was still intense, Lt. Harvey, who was in command of the leading troops, ran forward well ahead of his men and dashed at the trench, skilfully manned, jumped the wire, shot the machine-gunner and captured the gun. His most courageous act undoubtedly had a decisive effect on the success of the operations.

Er errang sich die Auszeichnung im Grabenkampf an der Spitze seiner Männer.

[IM]

John Reginald Noble Graham

geboren am 17. September 1892
verstorben am 6. Dezember 1980

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Graham,_3rd_Baronet

Graham was a 24 year old lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), attached to 136 Company, Machine Gun Corps during the First World War in the Samarrah Offensive when he performed a deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 22 April 1917 at Istabulat, Mesopotamia, Lieutenant Graham was in command of a machine-gun section which came under very heavy fire. When his men became casualties he insisted on carrying the ammunition and although twice wounded, he continued in control and with one gun opened accurate fire on the enemy. This gun was put out of action and he was again wounded and forced to retire, but before doing so he disabled his gun and then brought a Lewis gun into action with excellent effect until all the ammunition was expended. He was wounded yet again and was again forced to retire.

Er verdiente sich die Auszeichnung in Mesopotamien, dem heutigen Irak. Bei seiner Tat wurde er mehrfach verwundet.

[IM]

Ich habe mir die Liste von Alexander noch einmal vorgenommen, die er hier gepostet hatte:

http://forum.balsi.de/index.php?topic=6791.msg52463#msg52463

Ich habe mal versucht, diese sehr interessante Datenflut für die Leserlichkeit noch ein wenig mehr zu ordnen.

Die letzten noch lebenden deutschen Soldaten des Ersten Weltkrieges

Name	Alter	Geburtsdatum	Sterbedatum	Truppengattung	Bemerkungen
Helmuth Fink	108	14.01.1901	27.04.2009	Heer	Freikorps 1919
Franz Künstler	107	24.07.1900	27.05.2008	Heer / Gebirgsartillerie	Februar 1918-1921, K.u.K.-Monarchie
Georg Thalhofer	107	19.02.1900	14.02.2008	Heer	Herbst 1918, nur Ausbildung
Erich Kästner	107	10.03.1900	01.01.2008	Heer / Infanterie	Juli - November 1918
Johann Moszynski	105	25.02.1902	05.12.2007	Heer	geboren in Galizien
Wilhelm Seegers	106	24.10.1900	10.07.2007	Heer / Infanterie	Oktober 1917 - April 1919, in die USA ausgewandert
Rudolf Christmann	107	10.01.1900	27.06.2007	Heer
Wilhelm Remmert	107	15.11.1899	27.05.2007	Heer	seit 1916
Albin Kaiser	107	12.12.1899	11.04.2007	Heer / Infanterie
Józef Kos	106	27.09.1900	05.04.2007	Heer / Infanterie	Sommer - November 1918, polnische Minderheit
Walter Heiman	106	12.03.1901	18.03.2007	Fliegertruppe	März - November 1918, Jude, in die USA ausgewandert
Robert Meier	109	10.03.1897	29.01.2007	Heer / Infanterie	gebürtiger Ukrainer
Rudolf Seim	107	31.01.1899	09.01.2007	Heer
Wilhelm Velten	107	02.09.1899	26.12.2006	Heer
Konrad Fuchs	109	15.10.1897	13.11.2006	Heer / Infanterie	seit 1916, verwundet, wurde später Pfarrer
Hans Klöpper	106	10.08.1900	10.09.2006	Heer
Franz Xaver Brandmeier	107	16.07.1899	08.09.2006	Marine	1917 - 1918
Georg Neumann	106	28.07.1899	21.06.2006	Heer / Kavallerie
Otto Appel	105	16.10.1900	12.06.2006	Heer	1917 - 1918
Eduard Eis	107	22.03.1899	24.04.2006	Heer / Lkw-Fahrer
August Biehler	106	28.08.1899	15.04.2006	Heer
Pawel Parniak	116	27.03.1890	27.03.2006	Heer	1914 - 1918, K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Ukrainer
Erwin Binner	107	16.01.1899	26.03.2006	Heer
Gergely András Molnár	108	16.11.1897	22.03.2006	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, letzter gebürtiger Ungar des 1. WK
August Bischof	105	18.08.1900	04.03.2006	Heer	letzter K.u.K.-Soldat, der in Österreich lebte
Hermann Solveen	107	20.02.1899	28.02.2006	Heer	seit 1916, verwundet
Tony Skabar	105	18.10.1900	17.12.2005	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Ukrainer
Jerzy Casimir Pajaczkowski	111	19.07.1894	06.12.2005	Heer / Infanterie	Unteroffizier, K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Pole (Minderheit)
Fritz Otto Erich Häßler	106	22.04.1899	02.12.2005	Heer	im 3. Reich im Amt für Rassenpolitik
Charles Kuentz	108	18.02.1897	02.12.2005	Heer / Infanterie	1916 - 1918, gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer, im 2. WK in der Waffen-SS
Teofilo Gillarduzzi	106	06.06.1899	11.11.2005	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Italiener
Josef Carl	106	29.10.1899	10.11.2005	Heer / Infanterie
Friedrich Börker	105	11.07.1900	21.10.2005	Heer
Bert van Sloten	105	1900	20.09.2005	Fliegertruppe	seit 1917, Träger Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse, gebürtiger Niederländer
Otto Nicolaus Schweim	108	27.04.1897	09.09.2005	Heer
Hermann Dörnemann	111	27.05.1893	02.05.2005	Heer / Infanterie	verwundet
Johann Rösch	107	24.03.1898	25.04.2005	Heer
Franciszek Karwoski	109	10.12.1895	12.04.2005	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Pole (Minderheit)
Jan Rzepa	105	14.06.1899	23.03.2005	Heer / Infanterie	verwundet, polnische Minderheit
Kurt Person	106	24.04.1898	23.02.2005	Heer
Karol Marek	105	1900	07.02.2005	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Pole (Minderheit)
Arno Wagner	110	04.06.1894	22.12.2004	Fliegertruppe / Artillerie-Ballon-Beobachter
Rudolf Wiederanders	105	15.12.1898	12.12.2004	Heer / Infanterie
Anton Göbl	106	26.05.1898	05.12.2004	Heer / Infanterie	polnische Minderheit
Konrad Siemon	107	07.05.1897	24.10.2004	Heer
Josef Buresch	104	04.12.1899	16.10.2004	Heer / Infanterie	in italienischer Kriegsgefangenschaft
Czeslaw Klaczynski	103	1901	10.05.2004	Heer	polnische Minderheit
Andrzej Gmerek	103	23.11.1900	07.04.2004	Heer	polnische Minderheit
Sylwester Grochowina	102	31.12.1901	07.01.2004	Heer
Arthur Robert von Hippel	105	19.11.1898	31.12.2003	Heer	später renomierter Molekular- und Radarforscher
Wilhelm Reimann	107	15.11.1896	16.12.2003	Heer
Joseph Gillmann	108	02.02.1895	23.11.2003	Heer	gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer
Rudolf Gehling	107	17.10.1896	21.10.2003	Heer	seit 1917
Otto Schlag	106	06.01.1897	12.09.2003	Heer
Alois Vocásek	107	13.04.1896	09.08.2003	Heer / Infanterie	seit 1916, K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Tscheche (Minderheit)
Jakob Siefert	108	08.02.1895	22.06.2003	Heer
Kurt Ost	106	26.01.1897	29.03.2003	Heer / Infanterie
Franz Baumgarten	108	25.01.1895	23.03.2003	Heer / Infanterie	bis 1920 in französischer Gefangenschaft
Karl Kling	105	01.12.1897	00.03.2003	Heer	in britischer Kriegsgefangenschaft
Kurt Andersen	104	02.10.1898	09.01.2003	Heer / Infanterie	Träger Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse, im 2. WK Ritterkreuzträger und Wehrmachtsgeneral
Frank Arkenberg	109	08.09.1893	22.12.2002	Heer	verstorben in den USA
Franz Antonio Selwart	106	09.06.1896	02.11.2002	Heer / Kavallerie	Leutnant, gebürtiger Bayer, kämpfte für die K.u.K.-Monarchie
Heinrich Wissner	106	03.12.1895	25.10.2002	Heer	seit Mai 1916, kämpfte in Frankreich, Rußland und der Ukraine
Ernst Feldmann	104	14.05.1898	20.06.2002	Heer
Léon Miritz	102	20.12.1899	20.06.2002	Heer / Infanterie	seit 1917, wurde verwundet, gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer
Willy Schinkel	105	23.08.1896	04.06.2002	Marine	seit 1916, Teilnehmer an der Skagerrak-Schlacht
Reinhard Klein	105	12.02.1897	15.05.2002	Heer
Leopold Vietoris	110	04.06.1891	09.04.2002	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie
Georg Bredtschneider	109	23.03.1892	07.03.2002	Heer
Joseph Lueking	104	04.12.1897	24.02.2002	Heer	verstorben in der USA
Eugen Ballweg	106	03.12.1895	23.12.2001	Heer
Otto Neumann	106	15.09.1895	18.12.2001	Heer
Erich Leyens	103	13.01.1898	01.10.2001	Heer	in die USA ausgewandert, aber in Deutschland verstorben
Paul Bruehl	102	02.12.1895	10.07.2001	Heer	verstorben in der USA
Arthur Schwager	105	18.08.1895	08.05.2001	Heer
Louis Gluck	101	14.11.1899	24.04.2001	Heer	seit 1917, kämpfte in Flandern, gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer
Ivan Kovacic	102	20.10.1898	13.02.2001	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Slowene (Minderheit)
Josef Jenniches	105	29.04.1895	31.01.2001	Heer
Heinrich Hensel	105	23.09.1895	24.01.2001	Heer
Arnold Hutschnecker	102	13.05.1898	28.12.2000	Heer	K.u.K.-Monarchie, in die USA ausgewandert
Emil Seidel	106	28.11.1893	19.09.2000	Heer	seit 1913, in französischer Kriegsgefangenschaft
Hermann Veckenstedt	105	14.04.1895	15.09.2000	Heer
Arthur Tischer	105	20.04.1895	07.09.2000	Heer
Georg Lerner	105	25.01.1895	08.06.2000	Heer
Frantisek Lederer	100	06.11.1899	25.05.2000	Heer / Artillerie	Obergefreiter, K.u.K.-Monarchie, gebürtiger Tscheche, in die USA ausgewandert
Lucien Finance	103	27.08.1896	01.04.2000	Heer	seit 1915, kämpfte an der Ostfront und in Litauen, gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer
Joseph Uhlmann	100	15.08.1899	29.03.2000	Heer	seit 1917, kämpfte an der West- und Ostfront, gebürtiger Elsaß-Lothringer
Friedo Kurztisch	107	07.08.1892	22.02.2000	Heer
Ludwig F. Engelhard	102	23.06.1897	03.01.2000	Heer	Träger Eisernes Kreuz, in die USA ausgewandert
Ibrahim Sol Khalil	105	1895	2000	Heer	letzter deutscher Kolonialsoldat, geboren in Tanganika / Tansania
Hans Lange	100	14.04.1899	29.11.1999	Heer
Otto Suhr	106	11.12.1892	01.02.1999	Heer / Artillerie	Kanonier
Gustav-Adolf von Halem	99	04.11.1899	12.01.1999	Heer / Infanterie	kämpfte im 2. WK in der Waffen-SS
Josef Zender	101	05.07.1897	08.01.1999	Heer / Infanterie	Westfront, in britischer Kriegsgefangenschaft, in die USA ausgewandert

[galwer]

Daten zu: Ernst Galle
Geboren zu Issum am Niederrhein am 12.09.1887 (Getauft auf die Namen August Benedikt Ernst Galle in der kath. Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus zu Issum am 17. September 1887)
Gestorben am 13.05.1977 im Augustinum in Bad Neuenahr, begraben auf dem städtischen Friedhof von Bad Neuenahr .
Die Fliegerausbildung bei Fokker war die Grundlage zur weiteren Ausbildung zum Kampfflugführer beim Militär. Ernst Galle war als Oberleutnant 1916 der Staffelführer der bayerischen Kampfstaffel 34 (Kasta 34)  die spätere bayerische Schutzstaffel 25 (Schusta 25). Am 10. November 1916 wurde Ernst Galle verwundet. Vom 30. Juni 1917 bis zu seiner Versetzung zum Armee-Flug-Park 4 am 18. März 1918 war er der Leiter der Schutzstaffel 2.
Die Lippische Rundschua schrieb anlaesslich seiner Goldenen Hochzeit mit Erika Olivia Graefin Zedtwitz (Mai 1970): "Der Jubilar begann seine militärische Laufbahn zunächst beim IR [Infanterieregiment] 45 [in Insterburg/ Ostpreußen] in das er 1907 eintrat . Doch Ernst Galle strebte zu „Höherem“ und zählte sehr bald zu den ersten Vorkriegsfliegern.
Den Pionieren der Fliegerei ist er noch heute durch die Zugehörigkeit zum Traditionsverband „Alter Adler“ verbunden. Die Fliegerei wurde fortan Bestandteil seiner militär-ischen Karriere. Als Flugzeugführer, u. a. beim Bayerischen Kampf-geschwader 6, nahm er am Ersten Weltkrieg teil. Nach Kriegsende, noch bevor die Siegermächte die Fliegerei wieder zuließen, war der Jubilar bereits wieder in den „Lüften.“
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg war Ernst Galle Kommandeur in verschiedenen Ver-bänden, so bei den Luftgau-kommandos 1 und Oslo. Das Kriegs-ende erlebte er in englischer Gefangenschaft in Belgien."
 

[IM]

Besonders interessant scheint mir der Eintrag zu Bert van Sloten zu sein. Er verstarb am 20. September 2005.

Dann müßte er der letzte noch lebende Träger des Eisernen Kreuzes I. Klasse aus dem Ersten Weltkrieg gewesen sein. Wenn die nach ihm verstorbenen Veteranen nicht damit ausgezeichnet wurden, dann war er eventuell auch der letzte noch lebende Träger des Eisernen Kreuzes aus dieser Epoche überhaupt.

Ironie der Geschichte, er war Niederländer und kämpfte im Zweiten Weltkrieg gegen die Deutschen.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/sep/20/obituaries.readersobituaries

Pilot Captain Bert van Sloten, who has died aged 105 in the Netherlands, was awarded the Iron Cross First Class by Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm for his service in the first world war and the Distinguished Flying Cross by the British in the second world war. Yet he never wore his decorations, laughing instead at "stupid bits of ribbon and tin. The life of a kitten is more important!"
Born in Holland, the son of a cheese merchant, he ran away to Germany at 17 (to escape the lucrative, but dull, family business) and joined the Imperial German air service, flying on the western front in the closing months of the first world war. He then helped his compatriot Antony Fokker, the famous aircraft designer, to remove some Fokker D-VII fighters from defeated Germany into neutral Holland.

In 1919, he helped the fledgling Dutch aviation industry by accompanying fellow pilot Bernard de Waal in their daring "liberation" of a Fokker F-11 airliner (one of the very earliest passenger aeroplanes) from Germany to Holland. He was then employed by Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) to fly the famous F-VII trimotor airliners to Batavia (in modern Indonesia), pioneering routes now followed by British Airways and Qantas to Australia.

With the Nazi invasion of Holland in May 1940, van Sloten was drafted into the Royal Dutch air force, and, flying a DC3 Dakota transport, brought a Dornier Do-17 bomber down on a German arm-oured unit, destroying at least eight tanks. He usually denied the feat, though after a few glasses of Bols and Grolsch would sometimes murmur, "Maybe I blew up six of the bastards!"

Escaping in a DC-3 to England, van Sloten joined the 32 Squadron, flying Hawker Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain. Towards the end of the war, he was transferred to the Pacific, where his knowledge of the skies over Indonesia proved of great value to both the RAF and the USAAF.

In 1947, he married Millie Barnes, who had served in the Waaf Far East, both of them returning then to Holland, where he continued to work for KLM. After retirement in 1959, they settled in Tring, Hertfordshire, where they were a well-known couple, especially among birdwatchers (he was expert on the heron) and bridge, whist and canasta players.

[IM]

Dann mal weiter mit dem Heraussuchen der Personen zum Victoria Cross.

Reginald Leonard Haine
geboren am 10. Juli 1896
verstorben am 12. Juni 1982

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Leonard_Haine

Haine was 20 years old, and a second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 28/29 April 1917 near Gavrelle, France, when British troops were holding a salient which was being repeatedly counter-attacked by German forces, Second Lieutenant Haine organised and led six bombing attacks against a German strong point and captured the position, together with 50 prisoners and two machine-guns. The enemy at once counter-attacked and regained the lost ground, but Second Lieutenant Haine formed a "block" in his trench and for the whole of the following night maintained his position. Next morning he again attacked and recaptured the position. His splendid example inspired his men during more than 30 hours of continuous fighting.

Er wiederum verdiente sich die Auszeichnung im Grabenkampf an der Westfront.