Journal Entry: November 7, 1915
Bertincourt

We lost Wolfgang the other day and I feel like I'm responsible. Poor Wolfgang had been flying the old Aviatik B.I and I was doing my best to keep him out of any action. I sent him up north where we hadn't encountered any Nieuports and he never returned, it was as if he just disappeared. I contacted all of the ballonzugs in that area and no one had seen anything. I feel that I failed as his commander and friend. Manfred took me to task when he could see how distraught I was at the loss of Wolfgang. He reminded me that I'm the commander first and foremost, everything else is to be subordinated to that duty. Finally, he told me that if I couldn't learn to separate my feelings from my professional duty then I would surely go mad and not be useful for anything and not only cost me my life but probably others as well. It was bitter medicine to take, but I know he speaks the truth and I thanked him for being bold enough to do so.

We received three new pilots yesterday and just as Hauptmann von Schoenebeck had done with me I reminded them that I didn't care a pfennig about who they were or what they had done before the war, I only cared could they fly and fight. Finally, I informed them that in FFA 32, we are comrades in the air and comrades on the ground and they should strive to remember that always. I'm amazed at the zealousness of these new pilots, they are so full of pisse und essig. I can only imagine that I was once as they are, though it seems a lifetime ago.


Member and provider of banjo music for the Illustrious BOC