Karl Patzelt
Oberleutnant Karl Patzelt was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.[3][2]
Karl Patzelt | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 February 1893 Craiova, Romania, Austro-Hungary |
| Died | 4 May 1918 (aged 25) Vidor, Italy[1] |
| Allegiance | Austro-Hungarian Empire |
| Service/ | Flying services |
| Rank | Oberleutnant[2] |
| Unit | Flik 29J, Flik 34, Flik 42J, Flik 68J.[1] |
| Commands held | Flik 68J. |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Komarow (As Leutnant of the 22nd Regiment) 1914, Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive 1915 (as Oberleutnant), Brusilov Offensive 1916, Battle of Caporetto 1917 (as officer-observer of Flik34),[2][1] |
| Awards | Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords, Military Merit Cross, Military Merit Medal (Bronze and Silver), German Iron Cross 2nd Class[2] |
Patzelt's birthplace is often incorrectly given as Crajova, Bohemia. This was caused by an error in his Austrian personal documents deposited in Vienna, which state "Crajova, Böhmen". In fact, no such place exists in Bohemia. According to Patzelt's qualification document deposited in Prague, he was born in Craiova, Romania, and his legal domicile was Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia, where his father came from. The same source also gives his exact date of birth as 3 February 1893, and spoken languages as German, Romanian and Czech.[4]
Patzelt was killed in action on 4 May when his Albatros D.III was shot down during a skirmish over Montello, a hill in the Treviso province of Italy. The credit for the victory has been disputed. At least one author[5] gives it to Corpo Aeronautico Militare pilot Sergente Giovanni Nicelli of 79a Squadriglia and another credits Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Gerald Birks of 66 Squadron.[1]
References
- O'Connor 1986, p. 210.
- O'Connor 1986, p. 209.
- http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/austrhun/patzelt.php
- Rajlich, Jiří (2014). Na křídlech Světové války - Epizody ze života českých aviatiků v rakousko-uherském letectvu [On the Wings of the World War - Episodes from the Lives of Czech Aviators in the Austro-Hungarian Airforce] (in Czech). Cheb: Svět křídel. p. 260. ISBN 978-80-87567-48-7.
- Paolo 2009, p. 67.
Bibliography
- O'Connor, Martin: Air aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1914-1918, (Flying Machines Press, 1986) ISBN 978-1891268069.
- Paolo Varriale, Italian Aces of World War 1, Osprey Publishing (UK), 2007, ISBN 1846034264.