Adolf Ritter Von Tutschek
The German Jagdgeschwaders have been preparing for the forthcoming offensive. Following the success of Jagdgeschwader 1 in the Autumn of 1917, the German High Command decided to form two additional groups to provide one Jagdgeschwader to support each Army involved in the attack. These were formed on 2 February 1918.
Jagdgeschwader 1 will support the 2nd Army, Jagdgeschwader 2 the 18th Army and Jagdgeschwader 3 the 17th Army.
Jagdgeschwader 1 us commanded by Manfred on Richthofen and have been flying as normal.
Jagdgeschwader 3 under the command of Oberleutnant Bruno Loerzer has spent the last few days absent from air operations moving its aircraft near to the front. To avoid detection by British aircraft they have been hidden in farm buildings.
Harold Bolton Redler
Jagdgeschwader 2 has also continued to fly and the risk of this policy was laid bare when its commanding officer Adolf Ritter von Tutschek was shot down today in his Fokker Dr1 (404/17) and killed by Lieutenant Harold Bolton Redler from 24 Squadron RFC in an SE5a (B79). This has thrown their plans in to some disarray. He was hastily replaced by 28-victory ace Hauptmann Rudolf Berthold.
airwar19141918 