1. Who was responsible for the death of the Red Baron?
View the evidence and solve a World War One Mystery
Manfred von Richthofen in the cockpit of his Albatross D.III, with pilots of his squadron: Jasta 11

2. The Red Baron
Manfred, Baron von Richthofen was the most successful German fighter pilot of the First World War. His final score was eighty enemy aircraft shot down. He was called the Red Baron because he was a Baron - from a rich German family - and because latterly he flew a very distinctive bright red aircraft – sometimes an Albatross DIII or V and sometimes a Fokker DrI Triplane.
Here von Richthofen shows General Erich von Falkenhayn a Fokker DrI Triplane in 1918.

3. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: Three Flights of Sopwith Camels of 209 Squadron, Royal Air Force were engaged by von Richthofen’s force, often referred to as his “circus”.
Sopwith Camel

4. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The evidence of Lieutenant Robert Foster, 209 Squadron:
The fight developed into “a complete melee”. Foster was involved in “…individual action in violent manoeuvre…” and fired some “…ineffective shots at Richthofen’s red Triplane…” He concludes: “I could claim no positive success.”
Sopwith Camel

5. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The evidence of Lieutenant Wilfred May, 209 Squadron:
May, a very inexperienced pilot, escaped from the fight, in which enemy aircraft were “…coming at me from all sides…”, only to find himself pursued by von Richthofen, and fired at by ground troops from both sides of the line.
Sopwith Camel

6. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The pursuit of Lieutenant Wilfred May by von Richthofen
Leutnant Hans Joachim Wolff, one of von Richthofen’s pilots, saw his leader pursue a Camel across the lines and wondered why he had chosen to go “…so far on the other side.”
Richthofen and a Fokker Triplane

7. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The actions of Captain Roy Brown, 209 Squadron
“…went back again and dived on a pure red Triplane ... I got a long burst into him and he went down vertical and was observed to crash by Lieutenant Mellersh and Lieutenant May.”
Sopwith Camel

8. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The claim of Sergeant Cedric Popkin, 24th Machine Gun Company, Australian Expeditionary Force
Sergeant Cedric Popkin is seen here, 2nd from the right in the middle row, in this photo of the officers and NCOs of the 24th Machine Gun Company.
Note the two Vickers Machine Guns in this photo

9. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The claim of Sergeant Cedric Popkin, 24th Machine Gun Company, Australian Expeditionary Force
“I opened fire… and followed Fritz around…”. He was “about 200 to 400 feet in the air.”

10. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The witness: Lieutenant D L Fraser was the Intelligence Officer of the 11th Infantry Brigade
“I noticed that the leading machine had British markings immediately…heard a strong burst of machine gun fire coming from south east corner of the wood.” “…the enemy plane … was flying as if not under complete control…”

11. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The claim of Gunner Robert Buie, 53rd Battery, 14th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
“The Triplane flew steadily on, still firing short bursts at the Camel…it was…very close indeed. I can remember seeing Richthofen clearly. At 200 yards … I began firing.”
Buie saw Richthofen’s plane in front and to the right of him. At 40 yards Buie noticed the Triplane stop firing and was sure he had hit Richthofen.

12. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: The claim of Sergeant Cedric Popkin, 24th Machine Gun Company, Australian Expeditionary Force
As Richthofen turned back on his course Popkin had another chance: “I opened fire a second time.”

13. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: Another witness:
Lieutenant F J W Mellersh, 209 Squadron
“…a bright red Triplane crashed quite close to me and in looking up I saw Captain Brown’s machine.”

14. This painting depicts von Richthofen’s body being carried from his crashed Fokker Triplane by stretcher bearers of the 5th Australian Division.
This painting is by Albert Henry Fullwood. Fullwood was born in Birmingham in In 1883 he emigrated to Australia and began work as a lithographic draughtsman, working on illustrated journals such as 'Australian Town and Country Journal' and the 'Bulletin'. Returning to England he worked in London as a freelance illustrator. From April 1915 until November 1917 he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps as an orderly at the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. After this he was appointed an official war artist and attached to the 5th Australian Division. He worked in France from May to August 1918 and from December 1918 to January 1919.

15. The Death of the Red Baron
21 April 1918: Examination of the body
Some medical officers examined the body and found an entry wound behind the right armpit. They also found minor abrasions to the face.
Lieutenant G M Travers confused the minor abrasions with a bullet wound to the face.
Gunner Buie claimed that when he viewed the body he saw that Richthofen had been struck from the front with exit wounds in the back.
There was no proper autopsy.

16. Who was responsible for the death of the Red Baron?
21 April 1918: The red Triplane crashed – but who had shot it down?
Now assess the evidence.
Make a chart to show:
1. The names of those involved,
2. What role each person played
3. Your assessment of each piece of evidence

17. You decide: Who was responsible for the death of the Red Baron?
Now write your conclusion, using pieces of evidence from your chart.
In what ways does your conclusion differ from others in your class?
Discuss these different views in class and with your teacher.

18. Suggested extension reading

19. Acknowledgements
With thanks to the Australian War Memorial for permission to reproduce photographs from its website: