Hans Bethge (aviator)
| Hans Bethge | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 December 1890 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 17 March 1918 (aged 27) Passchendaele |
| Allegiance | German Empire |
| Service/branch | Aviation |
| Years of service | 1912 - 1918 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Unit | Jasta 1 |
| Commands held | Jasta 30 |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross |
Oberleutnant Hans Bethge was one of the first World War I flying aces, as well as an aerial commander. He was credited with 20 aerial victories. He was also a squadron commander for the unusually long term of fourteen months.
Hans Bethge was a Berlin native, born on 6 December 1890. He was the second son of Lieutenant William Bethge. Hans Bethge grew up in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance and, in 1911, went to high school in Ravensburg. At this time, his father died. The younger Bethge could not enlist in the navy because of mild near-sightness, so he enlisted in Eisenbahnregiment 1 (Railway Regiment 1) and was appointed an ensign. In 1912, he transferred to Eisenbahnregiment 4, underwent training, and was commissioned.
When World War I began, he went into action on the Western Front. His unit moved into action on the very first day of the war, serving as sappers. His service with them was ended by an ankle injury that sent him to hospital first in Maubeuge and then back to Germany. It was then he applied for pilot's training.
After transferring to the Luftstreitkräfte, he trained at Poznań for three months. After that, his first flying assignment was to fly LVG bombers with the world's first strategic bombing unit, the so-called "Ostend Carrier Pigeon detachment". From there, he went into fighter aviation on 4 August 1916, flying a Fokker Eindekker for a few weeks. On 23 August 1916, he was selected to be one of the founding members of Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 1 under Martin Zander; the jasta was one of the first German fighter squadrons formed. On 29 August, Bethge shot down a B.E.2c near Auchonvillers for his first victory. He followed up by scoring two more confirmed victories before the end of 1916.
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