Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 14 was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''

Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Force)—known before October 1916 as (Flyer Troops)—was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, alt ...

'', the air arm of the

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 57 aerial victories (including five wins over enemy observation balloons) during the war. In turn, the ''Jasta'' paid a price of eight killed in action, five wounded in action, and three taken

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

History

Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 14 was formed from a preceding ad hoc unit, Fokkerstaffel Falkenhausen, on 28 September 1916. It came into existence in the ''Armee-Abteilung'' A Sector. It served through war's end, before being disbanded as part of Germany's defeat.

Commanding officers (''
Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First World War, where the tit ...
'')

Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...

Karl Krieg: 28 September 1916 – 14 October 1916 # Oberleutnant

Rudolf Berthold Oskar Gustav Rudolf Berthold (24 March 1891 – 15 March 1920) was a German flying ace of World War I. Between 1916 and 1918, he shot down 44 enemy planes—16 of them while flying one-handed. Berthold's perseverance, bravery, and willingness t ...

: 14 October 1916 – 12 August 1917 # Leutnant

Walter Höhndorf Leutnant Walter Höhndorf (1892-1917) was a pioneer aviator, test pilot, airplane designer and constructor, and fighter ace during World War I. He was credited with twelve aerial victories while flying for the Imperial German Air Service. Only one ...

: 12 August 1917 – 5 September 1917 # Leutnant Hans Werner: 5 September 1917 – 11 November 1918

Aerodromes

# Bühl,

Saarburg Saarburg (, ) is a city of the Trier-Saarburg district, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the banks of the river Saar in the hilly country a few kilometers upstream from the Saar's junction with the Moselle. Now known as a tourist ...

: 28 September 1916 – 14 October 1916 # Marchais, France: 14 October 1916 – 27 April 1917 # La Neuville: 27 April 1917 – May 1917 # Marchais: May 1917 – 5 November 1917 # Boncourt: 5 November 1917 – 5 January 1918 # Liesse: 5 January 1918 – 19 March 1918 #

Masny Masny () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The communes cooperate in the ...

: 19 March 1918 – 11 April 1918 #

Phalempin Phalempin () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The communes cooperate in ...

: 11 April 1918 – 3 October 1918 # Aertrycke: 3 October 1918 – 11 November 1918

Notable members

''Staffelführer'' Rudolph Berthold was one of Germany's leading aces of World War I, being in a tie for seventh place; he was awarded the

Pour le Merite Pour may refer to these people: * Kour Pour (born 1987), British artist of part-Iranian descent * Mehdi Niyayesh Pour (born 1992), Iranian footballer * Mojtaba Mobini Pour (born 1991), Iranian footballer * Pouya Jalili Pour (born 1976), Irania ...

, Military Order of Saint Henry, and

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

. Not far behind Berthold's 44 victories was

Josef Veltjens Josef "Seppl" Veltjens (2 June 1894 – 6 October 1943) was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 35 victories. In later years, he served as an international arms dealer, as well as a personal emissary from Hermann Göring to Benito Muss ...

, winner of 35 aerial duels, recipient of the Pour le Merite,

Royal House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern (german: Hausorden von Hohenzollern or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various ...

, and Iron Cross. Paul Rothe won an Iron Cross as the squadron's preeminent

balloon buster Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness, as balloons were stationary targets able to receive heavy defenses, from the ground and the air. Seventy-seven fl ...

. Other squadron aces were Johannes Werner, Hans Bowski, and Herbert Boy.

Joachim-Friedrich Huth Joachim-Friedrich Huth (31 July 1896 – 27 March 1962) was a German general in the during World War II and the Air Force of the in West Germany. Huth retired from the military service in 1961 holding the rank of . Biography Huth was born in ...

claimed one victory balloon he would also lose part of his right leg in combat yet would be in the World War II Luftwaffe and retire as a Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) in 1961.

Aircraft

Original equipment supplied the squadron upon its inception was seven

Fokker Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names. It was founded in 1912 in Berlin, Germany, and became famous for its fighter aircraft in World War I. In 1919 ...

biplanes, two

Fokker Eindekker The Fokker ''Eindecker'' fighters were a series of German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Netherlands, Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker.Boyne 1988 Developed in April 1915, the first ''Eindecker'' ("Monoplane") was the f ...

monoplanes, and one

Halberstadt Halberstadt ( Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the capital of Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town center that was greatly destroyed by Allied bombi ...

biplane. Eventually, the unit would be one of only three squadrons operating independently of a wing that would be totally equipped with

Fokker Dr.I The Fokker Dr.I (''Dreidecker'', "triplane" in German), often known simply as the Fokker Triplane, was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918. It became famous as the ...

s. Squadron marking was a black and white band running the length of a squadron plane's fuselage. Jasta 14 Fokker Dr I

Operations

When founded, Jasta 14 was in the ''Armee-Abteilung'' A Sector. When Germany's last great offensive kicked off on 21 March 1918, the squadron was supporting 17th Armee. In May 1918, the unit was switched to support of 6th Armee. They were transferred to help 4th Armee in September 1918.

References

;Bibliography * 14 Military units and formations established in 1916 1916 establishments in Germany Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 {{wwi-air