Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/270 PART 3/1 - 1918 - 1939 - Part 5

130c
-4-
hit by Sergeant Popkin's shooting, as he was unsteady from the
moment at that first burst of fire.
The airman's body was afterwards taken in charge by
officers of the A.F.C. and the wrecked plane salvaged by them
after dark.
 

[*Acknowledged*]
131

“Wynfield”
Chidlow
West Australia.
Jan 23^RD 1930

Captain Bean
War Records Dept
Dear Sir
A short time ago I read
a paragraph in the “Sunday Times,” Perth
stating you wished to hear from anyone
who saw the fight in which Baron
Richtofen the German airman was killed
I did not intend to enter into any controversy
regarding this but after reading the most
inaccurate ^account given by Mr Floyd Gibbons
in his book “The Red Knight of Germany”
I decided to write and state exactly what
I saw.
I was an observer attached to the 11th Brigade
H.Q and had an observation post on the
high ridge on the North of the Somme
near the bend in the river close to the
Bray-Corbie road, there was a wood ran
along from the road along the ridge for a
 

131a
short distance, and my O.P. was near the
eastern end of the wood.
The hill side was very steep from the river
and about 250 feet high to the O.P., and
there was a machine gun crew (Maxim)
stationed at the bottom. almost straight below
where I was.
The fight ^they were the "The Deaths Circus" and our planes started near Sailly-le Sic, and
 I was watching it for some time, I saw one
machine brought down, and then my attention was
taken off them to have a look over the
German lines about Sailly Lamette. Whilst
watching noticed the sound of planes coming
a nearer once looked looking out along the Somme
saw the two planes coming down the valley
at a very low altitude, Captain Brown's plane
in the lead and Von Richtofen in his
red triplane close behind him.
They came along on a level with the OP
and almost straight over the machine gun crew,
I got my rifle ready and had a shot at
the engine of Von Richtofen's plane as he went
past, not a hundred yards behind Captain
Brown and on a level with him he was
so close behind, that the Sgt machine gunner
 

131b
opened o up as soon as Captain Brown
had passed (when I was speaking to the
gunner, afterwards he said they were so close
together that he could not fire at Richtofen
until Captain Brown had passed.)
I thought the gunner had got him as he
gave a swerve to the right when the gunner
opened on him, but he straightened out again
and went on after the English plane.
I saw him cross the Bray-Corbie Road
and heard the Lewis guns from the Batterys
firing he then went out of my sight behind
the wood.
He must have turned to the right when he
crossed the road, as he had gone in a
semi-circle round the wood over the valley
on the other West side of the Bray Corbie Road
and back to crash on the eastern side of
the road and close to it between the wood
and a brickworks about a quarter of a wile
further along the road.
I heard the machine crash but did not
see it, I could not leave my OP to go over
to it at once, but a few minutes afterwards
the Brigade I.O. came and asked me
to go over with him to hq and obtain
 

131c
 dentification, when we arrived over to the
machine Von Richtofen had been lifted out,
I went over him to find something to identify
him, there were no papers at all on him and
[*Any papers found must
have been taken from him
before the search*]
no identity disc, I took a grey silk neckerchief
from round his neck with initials on it, also
a white handkercheif from his pocket, with
initials, the main article for identification
was a watch I took from his pocket engraved
with the German Arms and initials, I believe
it had been presented to him by the Kaiser
The Intelligence Officer took the articles
with him, he said they would have to
go to Divisional H.Q.
I have seen several statements as to his wounds,
I saw them whilst going over him.
One wound was on the left jaw the bullet had
entered under the jaw, ^ near the chin close to the jaw bone and come
come out again over the jaw bone only about an
inch and a half from where it entered, this
wound, I positively believe was caused by
the Sgt Machine gunner firing from almost
straight under him and caused him to
swerve:
 

131d
He also had wounds across his chest,
I did not notice the exact place where
the bullets had come out from these
He had one hurt that would have Killed
him even if the bullets had not, and
that was his neck was broken, I remember
this quite will because, his head rolled
about, so much when I sat him up, that
I felt at it, and you could almost turn
his head right around
I am surprised this has not been mentioned
before, as it would give the lie to the
statement that he was shot after he
landed.
He His neck must have been broken when he crashed
as his machine was smashed almost to
pieces
Another thing I have not seen mentioned
is, that his machine crashed up against
one of those heaps of mangets or beets
that the French farmers have in their
fields, stacked and covered with earth.
The Intelligence Officer then with the
11th Brigade was named either scent Leiut Fletcher
or Fraser I forget which, if you as could
 

131e
find him he would tell you about the
searching and the wounds.
After the search we went down to see
the Sgt Machine gunner to tell him who
the airman was, as it was thought he
might have brought him down, the gunners'
name was rather an unusual one, do not
remember it now.
It is claimed that Captain Brown brought
down the airman, I fail to see how he
could have done so, as he was not firing at
all, he had his back to the following machine
and was going all out, he would have had to
turn right around to fire, I consider that
would have been dangerous for him flying
at such a low altitude and at high speed
where there were trees, and a high bank just
in front of him.
I could not see the Lewis gunners from where I
was, but from reports I saw afterwards I think
they have, the best claim to have brought
Richtofen down.
I hope this letter will be of use to you
and help to settle of the controversy over
Richtofens' death Yours Faithfully
G Sowerbutts
 [*5194 G. SOWERBUTTS (M.M.)
4TH BATT A.I.F.*]

132
"Kia Ora,"
Cooper Street,
Cootamundra,   Dec 9 1929
Dear Charlie.
I read in the September & October copies
of Reveille that you were trying to obtain further
evidence with regard to the death of Baron von
Richthofen.
Memory is a fickle thing - mine at any rate -
but the following "clue" may be worth following up.
On the night that he was killed (April 21^st 1918.)
it is my belief that Colonel Barber, A.D.M.S. 4 "Aust. Div.
said in the mess that he, or one of his M.O.'s, had
examined the body of the airman, and that there
were 4 or 5 bullet wounds, the point of entry of
which was the anterior part of the chest, and the
point of exit at the back of the neck & shoulders.
This evidence if it could be confirmed would
prove conclusively that he was shot from in front,
and from below on the ground.
It would appear that a machine gunner, with a
Vickers or a Lewis, had caught him with a burst of
fire.
I have just returned from Hobart, where I went
for a two weeks visit to see Mater, and on the
 

132a
"Kia Ora,"
Cooper Street,
Cootamundra,   . . . . . 192 . .
way through Melbourne, both going & coming,
spent several enjoyable hours renewing old
acquaintanceships - General Barber, Colone1
Mills, Col. Laverach, Col. Whithaus, Mayor Steele etc.
Unfortunately I did not get my copies of Reveille
until my return, and so did not ask General Barber
if my memory was at fault
Would you like me to write to him, or will you
do so?
I also spent three quarters of an hour with
General White at the New Zealand Loan office, and
if your ears did not burn during most of
that period, there is nothing in that legend.
I simply could not persuade the General to say
one adverse thing about you - not that I
tried very hard!
I have had several courteous letters from M^r Treloar
asking for photo films, diaries etc. These I rudely
have not answered. In the first place we have
been "up to our necks" taking over a practice (D^r Mason
& I bought out the late D^r Brennan) and secondly
I did not have anything to send him, as what I
had was in Hobart.
 

132b
"Kia Ora,"
Cooper Street,
Cootamundra,   . . . . . 192 . .
While in Tasmania, I went through a large drawer
filled with old letters, maps & souveneirs, and as
soon as I can I will send any to him that may
be of use. - I do not know that anything will be,
but am only too glad to help & let him decide.
In the young keen platoon commander days I
kept a brief record of every man in the platoon,
I do not suppose that sort of thing would be any
good, or company rolls etc would they?
Then there is another idea I wish to discuss with
you with regard to the Memorial at Canberra, but
I have taken up too much of your valuable time
with this screed already.
How is M^rs Bean, will you please give her my
kind regards, and also Cootamundra is not far
from Canberra, and if at any time you are
visiting the Federal Capital, Marion and I would
be delighted to put you up, one or both, for as
long a visit as you can spare us.
Arthur arrives from Malay by the Marella about Dec 23:
Bobbie (Bridges), his wife, and family have been staying in
Hobart with Mater for 8 months. When she arrived there
she had two daughters, but the son & Heir, Bill, has since
put in his appearance.
 [*with kind regards,
Yours Sincerely
Duncan.*]