Who's Who - Fritz Rumey
Lieutenant Fritz Rumey (1891-1918) was
one of Germany's leading fighter pilots of the First World War, with 45
victories to his name.
Born in Konigsberg on 3 March 1891 Rumey was serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment when war broke out in Europe in August 1914, and thereafter with the 3rd Grenadier Regiment on the Eastern Front.
In mid-1915 Rumey sought and received a transfer to the air service, where he served first as an observer and then, following training, was posted to Jasta 2 in May 1917. A month later he was re-assigned to Jasta 5.
Rumey proved a proficient shot. Accumulating 45 'kills' in total, he was awarded the prestigious Pour le Merite on 10 July 1918. Wounded on 25 August and 24 September that year, Rumey's luck finally expired three days following the latter accident, when his Fokker D. VII was fatally damaged in a collision with an Allied S.E.5a aircraft flown by South African George Lawson. Leaping from his aircraft Rumey was killed when his parachute failed to open in Neuville, St. Remy.
A 'Tracer' was a phosphorescent machine-gun bullet which glowed in flight, indicating course as an aid to artillery.
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