Large mural painting on a building in Brown's home town of Carleton Place Ontario. It show's Brown chasing the Fed Baron who was chasing May whose plane is seen in the distance The mural was unvieled in November 2012

History: April 21, 1918, Canada and the end of the “Red Baron”

He was legendary at the time, and his legend has endured and grown ever since.  He was the German WW1 ace,  Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen,

Since his death there have been books, songs, plays and movies made about him, or based on his life and wartime experience. But on this day he would tangle with British squadron  led by a Canadian.

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Roy Brown beside a Sopwith Camel. © Canadian Encyclopaedia
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Capt. Arthur Roy Brown © Capt. Roy Brown Society

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The day began cool and foggy but soon cleared as both  the German Jagdstaffel 11, (Jasta 11) of the larger and infamous Jagdgeschader 1 (Flying Circus) led by Von Richthofen, and the British/Canadians in 209 Squadron took off from their respective aerodromes just after 0900.

Before take-off that morning, Canadian Lt. Wilfred “Wop” May, a recent pilot, had been told by his squadron leader, Capt Roy Brown, another Canadian, to fly above the rest of the squadron and just observe tactics, learn manouevres and especially to stay there if the squadron encountered the enemy.

As it turned out 209 Squadron patrol spotted the Germans first, below them and there was no mistaking who it was, with Richthofen now flying a Fokker triplane, the plane he had switched to in November the previous year..

With his minor nobility title of Freiherr, and with his bright-red plane, Richthofen became widely known, famously or infamously, as the “Red Baron”

Meanwhile, high above the ensuing fray, Lt May noticed a German plane also high up avoiding the fight. As it turned out Richthofen had given one of his new pilots,  his cousin Wolfram, the same instructions as May had recieved, that is, stay out of a fight and merely observe.

If you don’t shoot them they will shoot you, so it has to be done.” Capt R.Brown.

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The last and only flyiing original example of a Sopwith Camel © Youtube
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A replica of the Fokker at the Berlin Airshow in 2006 © Oliver Thiele-wiki

However, the eager May forgot the orders and attacked Wolfram. The two descended into the main fight where ­ May lost sight of Wolfram but fired at other opportunistic targets.  When his guns jammed however, he dove out of the fight.

The Baron spotted the lone flyer who had attacked his cousin, and followed him down to low level.  In turn, Brown spotted May with the Baron closing on his tail and in turn dove down after them firing at Von Richthofen who was seen to turn in his seat and look up at who was firing at him.  The planes chased each other over no-man’s land and neared Australian lines on the ground.

One of Brown’s bursts mortally wounded the Red Baron landed hard in a semi-controlled manner near the Australians, as Brown then flew back up into the fight. The Red Baron is said to have died when an Australian soldiers reached him, allegedly uttering his last word…”kaputt”.

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Jasta 11 with Manfred Von Richthofen sitting in an Albatross D-iii. Although mostly known for his Fokker triplane, Most of his victories came in his red Albatross, only switching to the Fokker only six months before his death. Lothar Von Richthofen is sitting cross-legged © Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-2004-0430-501 / CC-BY-SA. wiki

Australians claim their ground fire brought the famous German flyer down, although an autopsy gave credit to Brown, who is still officially awarded the claim.

As to why the normally cautious Von Richthofen would take such a chance as flying low over potential ground fire, it has been suggested that a very serious head wound earlier had affected his demeanour and behaviour, with constant headaches, and it is thought this may have played a factor.

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The famous all-red Fokker shortly before his death. After he was mortally wounded, the Red Baron managed to land the plane without too much damage. however Australian souvenir hunters quickly dismantled it. © wiki

Capt Roy Brown Society

Capt, Brown  viewed Richtofen’s body the day following the fight, and later wrote of the event to his parents. “Our best effort was on the 21st when we fought Baron von Richthofen’s ‘Circus’ as they are called. There were eleven of us and twenty-two of them, as nearly as we can make out. It was the most terrible fight I have ever seen in the air.

“We shot down three of their triplanes, among them was the Baron whom I shot down on our side of the lines. It is a terrible thing when you think of it that they should examine a body to see who should have the credit of killing him.

“What I saw that day shook me up a lot, as it was the first time I have seen a man whom I know I had killed”. adding.” .there was a lump in my throat. If he had been my dearest friend, I could not have felt greater sorrow”.

He then noted however, that, “If you don’t shoot them they will shoot you, so it has to be done.”

Thus ended the life and career of the Red Baron, the man who has become the most legendary fighter pilot perhaps of all time

One thing that is not disputed is that Brown never lost a pilot under his command, an extremely rare thing in the war, and due in part no doubt to his policy of breaking-in new pilots by having them observe air battles until they understood what happens.  His defence of May helped preserve his “no loss” record.,

Roy Brown died of a heart attack at age 50, on March 9. 1944.

It should also be noted that although relatively few in total numbers compared to the numbers of British, French, and German flyers, three of the top ten fighter aces of the war, were Canadian.

RICHTHOFEN FUNERAL

Sopwith vs Fokker (youtube)

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