"The Red Baron on the Eastern Front " Topic

"…On August 1, 1914 Germany declared war on Russia. Within a say Richthofen was leading a patrol into enemy territory. Almost immediately, they captured a Russian village without so much as firing a shot. Showing a forthright aggressiveness, Richthofen took the village priest hostage, locking him away in the bell tower of the local church. The priest was to be shot if any of the village's citizens failed to cooperate with the Germans. Unfortunately for Richthofen, most of his fellow soldiers were dispatched to perform other duties in the coming days. This left him and two other compatriots alone in hostile territory. Soon enough the dreaded enemy arrived.

What happened next was related by Richthofen a few years later in his autobiography, The Red Fighter Pilot:"During that night the sentinel came suddenly rushing to the church tower near which the horses had been put. He called out, "The Cossacks are there!" The night was as dark as pitch. It rained a little. No stars were visible. One couldn't see a yard ahead.

As a precaution we had previously breached the wall around the churchyard. Through the breach we took the horses into the open. The darkness was so great that we were in perfect security after having advanced fifty yards. I myself went with the sentinel, carbine in hand, to the place where he pretended he had seen Cossacks…"
Full article here.
link

Hope you enjoy!

Amicalement
Armand

Cool--I did not realize that. Interesting to note that he lived in Svidnice, which is where my dad's wife is from.

Rob

Happy for that my friend!. (smile).

Amicalement
Armand