Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria including the collection to Naval Artificers formed by JH Deacon

Pair: 2nd Lieutenant R. P. Pohlmann, Royal Flying Corps, who fell victim to the 33-victory German ace Leutnant Bongartz of Jasta 36

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (Reginald Peel Pohlmann), good extremely fine (3) £250-300

Reginald Peel Pohlmann was educated at Hipperholme Grammar School prior to gaining a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. Posted to No. 25 Squadron out in France, he carried out his first operational flight as pilot of a D.H.4 in early October 1917, when detailed to bomb Courrieres, which place was revisited three days later, when ‘literature’ also accompanied the bomb load. Further targets attacked in the same month included Hantay and Armentieres-Bixschoote, although due to engine trouble Pohlmann was compelled to return with his bomb load from at least two other trips. And it is clear that the chances of running into enemy aircraft in the course of such operations were far from slim, an encounter recorded by Pohlmann on 4 January 1918 being a case in point:

‘While returning from a photographic reconnaissance, we were attacked by seven [Albatros] scouts [south of Cambrai]. We charged right through them at 130 m.p.h. One enemy aircraft did a stall turn under our fuselage at about 50 yards range. The Observer, 2nd Lieutenant O.S. Hinson, fired about 80 rounds and the machine was seen to turn on its back and dive down apparently out of control. The remainder could not keep up with us but followed firing at us from long range.’

Inevitably, perhaps, just over a month later, on 5 February 1918, when detailed to attack Diynze railway station, Pohlmann and his Air Gunner, 2nd Class Air Mechanic R. Ireland, were downed in flames by a far superior enemy force. A fellow 25 Squadron pilot later reported that he had ‘noticed one of our machines burst into flames and go rapidly down and after a drop of about 2000 feet I saw the wings fold back.’

His C.O., Major C. S. Ruffus, wrote to Pohlmann’s parents in the following terms:

‘I very greatly regret having to announce to you that your son is missing. It is a great blow to me and to all of the Squadron. I took a particular interest in your son, as I knew him at home, and gave him his first instruction in flying at Doncaster. He has done most exceptionally good work in France, carrying out all operations entrusted to him with the greatest bravery and skill. I could always rely on him, and his loss is a great one to the Squadron and to the R.F.C. I was very fond indeed of your son and proud to have him in my Squadron.’

As it transpired, the 19 year old pilot‘s D.H. 4 was one of two No. 25 Squadron aircraft claimed that day by the German ace Leutnant Bongartz of Jasta 36. His remains were recovered and interred in the Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Belgium.