Walter Ewers

Oberleutnant Walter Ewers (11 May 1892 – 15 May 1918) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

Early life Walter Ewers was born in Lübeck, Germany on 11 May 1892.

World War I Ewers began military service as an artilleryman in Bavaria's Field Artillery Regiment Number 7. At some point, he transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte. After aviation training, he was assigned to Flieger-Abteilung 26 to serve in two-seaters. He was upgraded to piloting a fighter plane, transferring to Jasta 8. After a further transfer to Jasta 12 in 1917, he scored his first three aerial successes against the Royal Flying Corps, downing a couple of Airco DH.5s from No. 41 Squadron RFC and a Sopwith Pup from No. 46 Squadron RFC. The latter was part of a large offensive patrol of mixed British aircraft escorting 46 Squadron's DH.5s.

He was chosen to command Bavarian Jagdstaffel 77 as Staffelführer on 21 January 1918. He had been commissioned a leutnant on 22 May 1917; he was further promoted, to oberleutnant, on 15 March 1918. As pilot or as commander, he continued to score victories; in the first three months of 1918, at least three out of five of his victims were French. Ewers was honored with both classes of the Iron Cross, his native Bavaria's Military Merit Order, and the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern for his exploits.

At 0930 hours on 15 May 1918, Oberleutnant Walter Ewers was killed in action while piloting his Albatros D.V in combat over Villers-Bretonneux with No. 65 Squadron RAF. He was buried in a mass grave.

List of aerial victories See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically. Unconfirmed victories are denoted by "u/c" and may or may not be listed by date. No.Date/timeFoeResultLocationNotes 1 18 September 1917 @ 1120 hours British Airco DH.5 Destroyed Wambaix, France Victim from No. 41 Squadron RFC 2 10 October 1917 @ 1705 hours British Airco DH.5 Destroyed Hendicourt Victim from No. 41 Squadron RFC 3 11 October 1917 @ 1745 hours British Sopwith Pup Destroyed East of Sains-lès-Marquion, France Victim from No. 46 Squadron RFC 4 5 January 1918 French Dorand AR.2 or Paul Schmitt Destroyed Saint Liggert 5 5 January 1918 Spad Destroyed Southwest of Retzwiller, France 6 23 February 1918 @ 1620 hours French Spad Destroyed Oberburnhaupt Victim from Escadrille 49 7 12 March 1918 Spad Destroyed Belfort, France 8 18 March 1918 @ 1629 hours French Dorand AR.2 or Paul Schmitt Destroyed Ballersdorf, France Endnotes