Who's Who - Oliver Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay
Oliver Freiherr von
Beaulieu-Marconnay (1898-1918) scored 25 victories as a leading German
air ace of
the First World War.
'Bauli' Beaulieu-Marconnay (as he became known in the air service) was born on 14 September 1898 in Berlin the son of a Prussian army officer. Not yet 16 years old when war broke out in August 1914 he signed up as a cadet when aged 17 with the 4th Prussian Dragoon Regiment - his father's former regiment.
Thrown into active service shortly afterwards Beaulieu-Marconnay was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class in the summer of 1916 following service in the Rokitno Swamps.
As was the case with many other army officers Beaulieu-Marconnay subsequently applied to join the German Air Service, in his case during the spring of 1917; by November that year he had emerged from pilot's training and was ready for active duty. The following month Beaulieu-Marconnay received an assignment to Jasta 16 and then, several months later, to Jasta 15.
His inaugural aerial victory (or 'kill') came on 28 May 1917 when he brought down an Allied AR2 aircraft over Soissons; this was followed nine days later with two further victories, a DH4 and SE5a aircraft apiece. By the close of June Beaulieu-Marconnay had amassed a tally of eight kills; within three months the total had raced up to 21, including six Allied aircraft brought down in just four days.
In September 1918 Beaulieu-Marconnay was promoted to command of Jasta 19; his tenure as commander was brief however. On 10 October 1918 - now with 25 victories to his credit - he was seriously wounded while flying a Fokker D.VII, his aircraft caught in crossfire from his own Jasta.
Nevertheless succeeding in landing his aircraft safely Beaulieu-Marconnay was rushed to hospital; while there he received news of his award of the prestigious Pour le Merite (the Blue Max); at 20 years old he was the youngest recipient of the award during the First World War.
Beaulieu-Marconnay died of his wounds on 26 October 1918 and is buried at Invalidenfriedhof, Berlin.
The first zeppelin raid on London was on 31 May 1915. Earlier raids in January 1915 had avoided London. The London raid resulted in 28 deaths and 60 injuries.
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