The Adventures of the Pilot from Tsingtau -Pages 27 - 44

The Call to War — My Dove I still remember it as though it were today. Early in the morning an orderly came to our villa and delivered to Patzig and me the order to come immediately to command headquarters. "Secure Quarters" had been ordered. Naturally we thought it was only a training exercise and grumbling about the disturbance of our morning peace we went to the ordered location. Here we received comfirmation of the the scarcely believable announcement. Still doubting within ourselves that there would be war, we hurried off to our battle stations and began the necessary work. The Order: "Imminent Danger of War!" which surfaced the next day, finally brought certainty. And then came the first of August, and the order was given for mobilization. The second of August brought the declaration of war against Russian and on the third came the declaration against France. It's scarcely possible to describe these days. One need merely imagine: here was a German colony

with German fortifications, the greater portion of the residents of Tsingtau were officers and soldiers. However in its external dealings Tsingtau had become international. Russians, French and English came as guests among us. It was a maelstrom of opinions and feelings, a situation which might not be encountered in any other part of the world. The main question I wanted to ask and the question which kept everyone occupied was, Will there be war with England? Only those living in the Far East could possibly reckon how important this question was. On the second of August our declaration had just been delivered to England. On the same day I rode with an English lady and it was certainly understandible that this was the main topic of conversation. The opinion of my companion correlated with that of all her friends, that a war between England and Germany was unthinkable. In the Far East this was essential to the prestige of the white race and the smiling yellow Japanese would walk off with the fruits of our labor due to our discord. Naturally we Germans harbored similar thoughts and among us Marine officers this was the only topic of conversation. We felt a tension which was worse than before and during the first days of mobilization. Release came for us on the fourth of August with the announcement: War against England has been declared! In Europe the die had been case. I cannot declare that we felt very happy about this. Quite the opposite. Again and again we said to ourselves, "Here we sit in far off Tsingtau while our brothers and comrades are at home. The most fortunate will take part in the wondrous days of mobilization.

"They will go out against the enemies and defend our holy, beloved fatherland and our women and children while we poor devils will sit here unable to help!" Thoughts of how things were at home agitated us. We thought that the English, the Russians and the French, which were far outnumbered, would not find the courage to attack us here. And yet again and again we maintained the glimmer of hope that they would still come! How would we receive them? Naturally no one thought about Japan. With all the work of mobilization we would not forget our guests. Practically all of them were our enemies but they were still our guests. Their apprehension was quite understandible. Before all else were the reports which came to us about the beastial treatment of the Germans by the English in the English colonies. One could understand that trade with the enemy had broken off, and I wanted to point this out especially to the English, it was just as understandible that the many members of the enemy nations were being handled with courtesy as is only possible among us "barbarians." The foreigners were informed that they could stay on in Tsingtau if they wished or they could leave at will and the government would announce when all foreigners must leave the colony. It was merely required that no one travel beyond the city limits, approach the fortifications or operate as a spy. People should conduct themselves in a manner similar to how our beloved cousins were conducting themselves in HongKong and in so many other parts of the world.

Those who lived through this could write volumes. This was a comfort for us: We received daily wireless reports from home! One can scarcely imagine the joy we felt in receiving these reports. Most came by telegram in the evening and we officers sat together in our small officers lounge and talked only about the war. And when wonderful reports of victory came in our joy was without measure. But then we also received reports of infinite sadness, and We couldn't be with them! Then came the fifteenth of August and we received a report of such atrociousness that we doubted the veracity of the content. The announcement was as follows: Extra Edition "We consider it of utmost importance and necessity under current circumstances to take certain measures in order to eliminate the causes of all disturbance of the peace in the Far East, to protect the general interests established by the English and Japanese alliance treaty, and to secure the goal of establishing a firm and lasting peace in East Asia. These goals are the basis of the agreement. The Imperial Japanese government believes that it is its duty to advise the Imperial German Government of the following terms: First, German war ships must immediately withdraw from Japanese and Chinese waters. Any ships or other armed vessesl which cannot be withdrawm immediately must be stripped of weaponry. Second, all leased land of the Kiautschou region must be unconditionally handed over without damage to the Imperial Japanese authorities no later than September fifteenth.

The land is intended to be eventually returned to China. The Imperial Japapnese government likewise declares that if it does not receive a reply from the Imperial German Government by the twenty-third of August, nineteen hundred fourteen by which it unconditionally accedes to these demands the Japanese government will be forced to take any measures they deem necessary to secure its position. Beneath this our governor wrote: "It's understandible that we could never surrender Tsingtau to the Japanese without a sword fight. With regard to the total frivolity of the Japanese demand one can only predict the response which will follow. Naturally this means that we may count on the initiation of hostilities as time passes beyond the expected interval for response and of course it will lead to conflict in the extreme. "In reference to the first demand it is understandible that we must not delay a moment longer in evacuating the women and children. To that end today, Friday morning, another steam ship has been dispatched to Tientsin which is prepared to take on approximately six hundred people. It's urgent that we advise that people may take the Schantung Railway line farther if they do not wish to remain here. "Tsingtau is ready for battle!" Now we knew what we were up against! We were prepared for the conditions and hardships of war and our part in it and we never worked as joyfully and stenuously. We complete the work of titans in this week.

From the oldest officer to the youngest fifteen-year-old volunteer automobile driver each man put forth all his ability, all his dedication, and all his love of the fatherland to set up the defenses of Tsingtau. I had some bad luck. Three days after Müllerkowski crashed I took off amid magnificent sunshine on my first big reconnaisance flight and I returned after I scoped out the entire reserve and hundreds of kilometers. I was happy for the work and returned to Tsingtai. I was one thousand and five hundred meters up and due to the air masses the landing was especially difficult. When I again gave the plane full throttle in order to fly the last lap and then land against the wind at about one hundred meters altitude the motor responded fine for a moment and then began to sputter then stall. It only took me seconds to check my plane and make adjustments but the plane was already too low to consider landing at the field. I couldn't turn left or right. To the right was the the polo clubhouse and to the left were the Stand Hotel and the villas. Since there were no other options I knew what I had to do: completely stop the engine. Before me was a small wooded area and I hoped I could keep the plane upright landing there. I pulled on the control stick however the moist, hot tropical air sucked the machine down like a dumpling. My head almost came in contact with telegraph wires, my knees tightened and my feet flung forward. There was a mighty impact and I heard cracking and splintering around me as I flew head over knees against the gas tank. Then everything went quiet.

Caption under photograph reads: The first crash in Tsingtau

There I was, sound and intact, looking around in a circle. The Dove's nose was stuck in a road ditch, the tail sticking high in the air, the wings and fuselage a crumpled pile of wood splinters, canvas and wires. Oh, my poor little dove! Built on the third day of the mobilization and reduced to rubble by me. I was totally despirited. Not letting myself sink down into depression, I transported the debris to the shed. I still had reserve propellers and extra wings I'd brought from home. If only the motor remained sound! I didn't have replacement parts for it and even with the best intention they could not be manufactured here. Full of hope I went to the reserve crates and opened the one which contained the wings. But oh, the horror! The odor of mould assaulted me and fearing the worst we opened the inner zinc insert. The view it offered us was just as terrifying. I only found a pile of mouldy rubble in the crate. The entire wing assembly was rotted. The individual ribs and spars and the wooden blocks, which had been meticulously glued and twisted, laid now a disheveled pile and everything was covered in a thick mouldy film. A tragic sight! Now the propeller crate was opened. The same situation was within. The five propellers I'd brought along had fallen apart or were so distorted that they were no longer of any use. At home if any propeller's tip had more than four to five meters of deflection no one would even consider flying with it. Mine were off by up to twenty centimeters! Sound judgment was expensive!

However never dishearted, my excellent mechanic, Senior Machinist's Mate Stüben went about his work and that same afternoon I sat with Stüben and my two firemen Frinks and Scholl and another eight Chinese from the shipyard construction unit rebuilding the mouldy wings. It was a masterful achievement. One must image the following: Seven oak planks were glued together with ordinary carpenter's glue. Then two Chinese took axes and carved according to instructions which the wood pattern carpenter had compiled. With the axes a flawless propeller was constructed out of the glued planks. Although done by hand the work was done carefully and accurately as only the Chinese can achieve! With this propeller I completed all my flights during the siege of Tsingtau! And we didn't idly remain in the shed. Day and night we worked inexhaustibly and by the nineth day after my crash there stood my little dove in the early morning sunlight on the tarmac ready for test flight. It's understandible that my outlook wasn't the rosiest before the test flight. The wing assembly was rebuilt from a pile of mouldy pieces. We had to brace everything so nowhere was there an even surface. The propeller, as described above, was built and turned over a hundred revolutions too few. The airfield conditions were less than favorable and indeed so difficult that with each takeoff either immediate success or unavoidable crash were possible.

I couldn't dwell on all this. It was wartime and I was the only pilot and I had to fulfill my assignment. And I was lucky! To lighten the load I threw out everything that could be spared and somewhat unwillingly my large bird began to obey my hand's command and lift into the air. Soon I had it back under my control. Then I happily went back to flying my rounds. Proudly I threw a message down in front of our governor's house: "The airplane is operational again!" Then I began my reconnaissance flights. I transversed the entire reserve and flew hundreds of kilometers beyond it in order to observe routes for advancing troops. I flew along the wild, jagged coastline to see if the enemy was approaching or had landed anywhere. It was the most beautiful flight of my life. The air was so crisp and clear, the sky was so wonderfully blue and beautiful, and the sun shone lovingly on the magnificent landscape, on the jagged peaks, and on the outer rim of the deep, deep blue sea. These were hours of enchantment and sublime beauty which I enjoyed with a burning heart and a raptured soul. But worry was never far off. Right after the second reconnaissance flight the glued seams of the propeller were coming apart and it was only by a miracle that it didn't fall apart. It had to be taken off and reglued. This performance had to be reenacted after every flight. As soon as I returned "the" propeller had to come off. I'd take it in my car to the shed where it was quickly reglued and placed in a vice.

Later that night I'd take it back and reinstall it for it only to come apart again the next day. The propeller was constantly splitting so I covered it with an adhesive coating. At least this way the edges held together to a certain degree! In Tsingtau I was assigned a second line of duty. I was in charge of the chained balloon installation. It was my "inflated" competition. I had taken a course on airships before leaving Berlin. The course dealt with hot air balloon piloting and some exercises on chained balloons along with balloon patching. The completely new chained balloon installation in Tsingtau consisted of two thousand-cubic-meter balloons, a balloon sack and all necessary gear to inflate and maintain the balloon. The Marine sergeant, who spent a short amount of time learning about airships, and I were the only ones who had any background in balloons. After we unpacked and assembled the entire new installation we went about filling the balloon very precisely and carefully. And we were quite proud when the first yellow sausage was full and plump and chained securely above the ground. The sergeant and I personally knotted each line and soon after the yellow contraption bobbed back and forth in the sky. Then it was hauled down and I climbed up alone in the basket. During the ascent I practically could have made my escape back to Germany because once the tether was relaxed the balloon went straight up about fifty meters into the air and yanked with a mighty tug against the extention cable. I was thrilled at the thought. There he goes! Then there was a powerful jerk

and if many things hadn't failed I would have been thrown out of the gondola. Thank God. Since the wire cable was brand new it held. Plus I was richer for the lesson. Then began the systematic instruction and drilling of my staff so soon after the operation functioned as though we had been kids raised in airships. The government harbored great hopes for the chained balloons. In general they expected them to be of great assistance in observing enemy advancements and artillery placement. Unfortunately these hopes were never realized and the reservations I had about the use of the balloon installation were confirmed at every turn. Despite my raising the balloon up to one thousand, two hundred meters we never succeeded in getting above the ridge of mountains beyond our position in order to observe the enemy's movements and above all else the positions of their heavy artillery. This was of fundamental importance to the defense of Tsingtau. In order to understand the extremely difficult situation in which we found ourselves in Tsingtau I must first relate the following: The entire Kiautschou reserve lies on an outstretched piece of land. The city of Tsingtau lies on the foremost southwestern ridge. It is surrounded by the sea on three sides. The northeast section of the city is hemmed in by a half-circle chain of ridges of the Moltke, Bismarck and Iltis mountains. Our main fortification is nestled in these mountains and on the northeast base of this chain lie the five infantry installations with wire barriers. Then there is a wide valley through which the Haipo River flows.

The land again forms a half circle between waterways and the ominous chain of ridges from the Kuschan and Taschen ranges, the Waldersee Heights and the Prince Heinrich Mountains, the last of which has such a wildly romantic form one would think it was transplanted directly from the moon. Behind these ranges there's another valley above which tower the massive cliffs of the Lau-Hou-Schan, the Tung-Liu-Schui and the Lauschan ranges into the heavens. Above all else we needed to know what was happening beyond the reserve? We were completely sealed off as of the twenty-seventh of September behind our wire barrier. Where did the enemy set up its artillery instllations? We had been completely disenchanted with our chained balloon so there were only two possible ways to obtain the information—land reconnaissance and my airplane! The days of August had rushed by amid ceaseless work. Tsingtau and all the land beyond the reserve were scarcely recognizable. Artillery and defensive positions had been constructed and the saddest part was that the charming little wooded area, which had been established through much effort and loving care, the pride of Tsingtau, had to be felled to make room for weapons fire. How much cultivation, how much effort and love was destroyed by the blow of axes! The twenty-third of August was the day Japan's ultimatum arrived and we all knew that the yellow Japs were absolutely undeserving of a reply. The conversation this day resounded: "Stand firm!" We all spoke these words from the hearts.

I still remember how I looked out from the balcony on the following morning and over the endless blue sea I saw many dark shadows moving a few sea miles away. I recognized a torpedo boat through the double glass door. Even Patzig, who rushed over, was convinced of it. Correct, today was the twenty-fourth. The allies had set up a blockade against us. Thus it was real: The Japanese had dared to confront the German Empire! The war of an imperial yellow empire supported by a small group of Englishmen had confronted a war-ready German regiment. Right after issuing the ultimatum a troop of a thousand men had advanced into the land beyond the reserve in order to defend as long as possible the entry point and routes to Tsingtau. This small band had executed its assignment superbly. It extended thirty kilometers to defend ten kilometers with entirely inadequate artillery. Where two corps of army troops should have been now stood only a thousand men. In a tough and fearless battle often a patrol has faced an entire enemy batallion and withstood a force twenty times its strength. By the twenty-eighth of September the brave band was pushed back behind the main barrier, which in itself concluded for us our participation in the war. In the first days of the siege the ruling circle in Tsingtau had little use for my airplane and for aviation in general. After everything which they had learned from us until now there was nothing more to surprise them. That would soon change!

On one of the first days of the siege I again flew around the southern coast of the Schantung peninsula in order to reconnoiter enemy ships and especially troop landings. The coast was like a graveyard without any movement. Confident that we were safe on this side I flew home. That evening I went to the government house to say hello to a comrade. I accidentally ran into the chief of staff, who was in a great hurry to retrieve a book which he had left after an important session with the governor. As he passed by he called out to me, "Plüschow, have you been flying again?" "Yes I have," I responded. "I just got back. I've been searching the coast for hours for troop landings but haven't seen the enemy." To this day I still see the surprised look on our chief's face. "What? You've flown over the coast? Is that what you're saying? We've been sitting for two hours contemplating how we're going to defend ourselves against the large troop landing in Dsin-Dsia-Kou Bay, which was reported today by our scouts. And then you come along and bring us such perfect news? Let's go back to the governor and report your observations." With a few words the entire session could have been concluded. The scouts' reports were bogus. I was happy because I had saved the honor and reputation of aviation! And now I commenced the most difficult yet most wonderful period of flying in my life. I soon after received my baptism of fire in my plane. It was the first of September and I went far beyond the reserve

and enjoyed the beautiful Sunday sunshine at an altitude of fifteen hundred meters. Suddenly below I became aware of the massive advance of Japanese troops, which greeted me with spirited infantry and machine gun fire. With ten bullet holes in my fuselage I proudly returned home. In the future I always maintained an altitude of two thousand meters which kept rifle and machine gun bullets from damaging my engine and propeller. And I didn't have to wait long for the next baptism by fire. The next day I drove my car to Schatsy-Kou where we had our outermost post. Not even considering anything bad or dangerous I stopped in front of the house. To my astonishment all the officers and crews were laying against an embankment protected from the open sea and waving their arms in what I at first thought was a greeting, so I returned the gesture. Still seated in my car a loud whistle and hissing passed over my head and a moment later there was an ear deafening bang. Just ten steps away from us the first grenade imbedded itself in the house's masonry. And before I had registered this another shot followed. We jumped out of the car and hightailed it into the dubious protection with the others. My comrades were doubled over with laughter. As serious as the situation was, the show must have been quite humorous. Now we found out what was wrong. A fleet of Japanese torpedo boats floated before us and attempted to destroy Schatsy-Lou with shellfire. We laid there for two full hours without being able to see anything.

We couldn't come out from cover due to the shell fire. Then it seemed as though it was lunchtime for the Japanese because the shelling ceased. When we saw the damage to the house the small Chinese boys came by to pick up the grenade splinters. When sat down for a moment to have a cup of coffee three small Chinese apprentices came along beaming with joy and holding three duds in their dirty little hands. Quite at ease they tossed them onto the table. Why, if they had gone off there would have been a steady stream of explosions. Now we had to go back and as the car turned into the first valley shells exploded behind us in a new round of shelling. Sometime later all of Schatsy-Kou and the remaining portions of the reserve had to be evacuated. On September twenty-eighth we were closed off behind the main barrier while at the same time we were receiving the first great bombardment from the sea. It was a shoot-out! Early in the morning that day I sat happy as a lark in my bathtub to refresh myself for a big flight when suddenly an ear-shattering boom sounded. Our guns had already thundered away both day and night and I no longer noticed the noise, however they delayed firing our twenty-eight centimeter howitzer from the Bismarck Battery to save ammunition. Until now it had been silent. That howitzer was located at the foot of my villa. I dispatched my orderly to my airplane to see that everything would be prepared. But after a few minutes he returned breathless and pale. He reported, "First Lieutenant, we must leave the villa quickly. We're being fired on by four large ships.

"One of the heavy shellss exploded deep within the airplane hangar but thank God, the plane is unharmed and no one was injured. I only burned my finger. There was a pretty large piece of exploded debris and I wanted to take it as a momento and it was very hot but I took it anyway!" With that he beamed and raised up his half-burned hankerchief in which there was dreadful, approximately arms-length section of a thirty and a half centimeter grenade. Scarcely two minutes later I was with my precariously located airplane. With concerted effort we were able to push the dear bird to the other corner of the hangar where it stood somewhat more protected behind an overhang. Then I ran to the coastal command station to get a look at the shooting drama. The coastal command station is situated on a hill from which one has a just about ideal view of Tsingtau. From here one could see each individual grenade, and if I wasn't flying I sat up here in the open air over the next weeks in order to see the shelling. The first shelling of Tsingtau on September twenty-eighth was particularly impressive. The crashing and exploding of shells and the booming was significantly intensified by the surrounding mountains. Bang after bang followed the discharge of the long thirty and a half centimeter ships' cannons and we had the impression that all of Tsingtau was being reduced to rubble. It was a strange feeling but we quickly became accustomed to it. One is completely powerless when it comes to an incoming shell and all you can do is wait until it's over. If one is lucky he's not standing right where the nasty thing is about to crash.

The enemy ships were floating so far off that our weapons couldn't reach them. Thus they were completely safe! At the front were the three Japanese battleships and behind was the English liner "Triumph" under Japanese command. Thank God the damage caused by the bombardment wasn't massive. From then on we witnessed the incoming bombs with a greater sense of calm. In the evening of that day I witnessed a particularly tragic event. We sunk our cannon boats, the "Cormoran," the "Iltis," and the "Luchs" after we had used up all their ammunition. It was a dreadful sight. The three ships were fastened together and pulled out into deep water by a steamship and were then set on fire, blasted and burned to bits. It seemed as thought the three ships knew that they were being led to slaughter. How sadly and helplessly they raised their empty masts to the heavens and flames consumed the ships' hulls as though they still lived until the waves swelled over them and freed them from their pain. Oh how the sight clenched my seaman's heart! The "Lauting" and the "Taku" came next then shortly before the surrender the small "Jaguar" and the Austrian cruiser "Kaiserin Elizabeth" followed. These last two ships had rendered us boundless service and filled in a glorious chapter in the history of Tsingtau's battle and death.

Go to pages 45 - 51

Return to Index

Imaging and translation by Susan Kriegbaum-Hanks