Hans-Joachim Buddecke

Hans-Joachim Buddecke (22 August 1890 – 10 March 1918) was a German flying ace in World War I, credited with thirteen victories. He was the third ace, after Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke, to earn the Blue Max (Pour le Mérite). He saw combat in three theaters during the First World War: Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Western Front. His exploits at Gallipoli arena won him the nickname El-Schahin, "hunter falcon".

Background

Buddecke was born in Berlin and followed his father's footsteps into the Army. In 1904, he started as a Cadet; in 1910, he received his commission as Leutnant due to his little time for a social life and his new enthusiasm for flying. In the same year, he moved to the United States to start a new life, and flew for a time from the early aerodrome in Cicero, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. While in the US, he worked beside one of his uncles as a mechanic at a car factory in Indianapolis. By saving his earnings, on 20 May 1914 he was able to buy his own aircraft (a Nieuport monoplane) and he immediately taught himself how to fly. On the day Buddecke started his own aircraft production company, war was declared and he abandoned his business plans and returned to Germany, with the American-built Nieuport monoplane he had purchased at the Cicero aerodrome. Travelling under a fake name, Buddecke crossed the Atlantic in the Greek ship Athene to Palermo (Italy). After he arrived in Europe, he immediately made his way home to join the German Army's Fliegertruppe air service.

Involvement in World War 1

Buddecke was sent to the Western Front in September 1914. Initially he flew as an observer but soon he would become a single-seater fighter pilot with FFA 23. Because of his previous experience on monoplanes, Buddecke's good friend, Rudolph Berthold, suggested that he should fly the first of the Fokker Eindecker aircraft delivered to the unit. Buddecke and Berthold, flying the Eindecker and an AEG G.II, respectively, formed a small Kampfstaffel within the unit, intercepting British reconnaissance aircraft. Buddecke followed this up with confirmed claims on 23 October (a B.E.2 of No. 13 Squadron RFC, with Capt. CH Marks and Lt. WG Lawrence, the brother of TE Lawrence of Arabia. Both were killed) and 11 November and an unconfirmed victory on 6 December 1915.

Within a few days Buddecke was killed during an aerial combat above Lens, France on 10 March 1918, victim to Sopwith Camels of 3 Naval Squadron RNAS. Hans-Joachim Buddecke is buried at the Invalidenfriedhof Cemetery in Berlin.

Decorations and awards Iron Cross of 1914, 1st and 2nd class (1915) Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords Knight's Cross of the Military Order of St. Henry Gold Liakat Medal (1916) Pour le Mérite (14 April 1916) Imtiaz Medal