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Military service From cavalry to the clouds On 30 November, the hussar regiment was ordered to combat duty on the Eastern Front. On 16 November 1914, Werner Voss became one of those recruits despite still being only 17 years old. The Militia Ersatz Eskadron 2 had been set up to feed recruits to Westphalia's 11th Hussar Regiment.

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After Germany entered World War I, he spent August and September 1914 as a civilian volunteer driver for the German military. He received his 'Certificate of Graduation' as a motorcyclist on 2 August 1914. His parents gave him a 300 cc (18.3 cid) Vee-twin Wanderer motorcycle for his 17th birthday. In April 1914, disregarding conscription laws, underaged Werner Voss joined Ersatz Eskadron 2. When he finished his schooling at Krefeld's Moltke Gymnasium, he joined the Krefeld Militia. However, even before World War I burgeoned, he was already drawn towards patriotic service. Young Werner was expected to carry on the family trade as he grew into his heritage. The Voss family home at 75 Blumenthalstrasse was a comfortable two-story house with surrounding grounds. The two nieces were commonly referred to within the family as 'daughters' and 'sisters'.

The elder Vosses longed for daughters, so they virtually (if not formally) adopted their nieces. An unusual feature of the Voss household was the presence of two first cousins, Margaret and Katherine. was born in 1898, and Otto on 22 April 1901. Werner was soon followed by two brothers Maxmilian Jr. His father Maxmilian owned a dye factory. His mother, Johanna Mathilde Pastor Voss, was a pious homemaker who raised her children in the Evangelical Lutheran faith.

Werner Voss was born in Krefeld, Germany, on 13 April 1897.

1 Early life and entry into military serviceĮarly life and entry into military service.

The dogfight remains a subject of debate and controversy among aviation historians and interested parties. The pilot who actually killed Voss, Arthur Rhys-Davids, wished he had brought him down alive. After he fell in solo opposition to those eight British aces after a dazzling display of aerobatics and gunnery that put bullets in his every opponent, he was described by his preeminent foe, Victoria Cross winner James McCudden, as 'the bravest German airman'. Chidlaw-Roberts, Geoffrey Hilton Bowman, Reginald Hoidge, and Richard Maybery. Flying a silver-blue Fokker Dr.1, he singly fought James McCudden, Keith Muspratt, Harold A. His last stand came on 23 September 1917, just hours after his 48th victory. After transferring through three temporary squadron commands in two months, Voss was given command of Jagdstaffel 10 on 30 July 1917 at Richthofen's request. He was detailed from his squadron to evaluate new fighter aircraft and became enthusiastic about the Fokker Triplane. Soon after Voss returned from leave, he was at odds with his squadron commander. Nevertheless, Richthofen regarded Voss as his only possible rival as top scoring ace of the war. A month's leave removed Voss from the battlefield during Bloody April in his absence, Richthofen scored 13 victories.

There he befriended Manfred von Richthofen.īy 6 April 1917, Voss had scored 24 victories and awarded Germany's highest award, the Pour le Mérite. After flight school and six months in a bomber unit, he joined a newly formed fighter squadron, Jagdstaffel 2 on 21 November 1916. After turning to aviation, he proved to be a natural pilot. He began his military career in November 1914 as a 17‑year‑old Hussar. A dyer's son from Krefeld, he was a patriotic young man while still in school. Werner Voss ( German: Werner Voß 13 April 1897 – 23 September 1917) was a World War I German flying ace credited with 48 aerial victories.

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