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Name: Karl Bolle
Orden Pour le Mérite (Blue Max)
Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class		 Karl Bolle
Country: Germany
Rank: Rittmeister
Units: Jasta 2, 28
Kasta 23
KG 4
Victories: 36
Born: 20 June 1893
Place of Birth: Berlin
Died: 09 October 1955
Place of Death: Berlin
 
 
Karl Bolle read economics at Oxford University in 1912. Returning to Germany, he enlisted as a Leutnant in the 7th von Seydlitz Kürassier Regiment and was sent to fight on the Western Front. In 1915 his regiment was transferred to the Eastern Front and by the end of the year, Bolle was awarded the Iron Cross, second class. He transferred to the air service in February 1916 and received training at Valenciennes before being posted to KG 4 in July 1916. At the end of the year he was reassigned to Kampfstaffel 23, flying with Lothar von Richthofen as his observer, and was awarded the 2nd Class Knight's Cross of the Friedrich Order. Wounded in October 1916, Bolle recovered and was sent to Jastaschule in early 1917. In July 1917 he was posted to Jasta 28 and scored 5 victories before assuming command of Jasta 2 as an Oberleutnant on 20 February 1918. In August, having downed 28 opponents, he was promoted to Rittmeister and received the Military Merit Cross, the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern and the Blue Max. Bolle finished the war with 36 victories. Post-war he became a flying instructor and served as Director of the German Transportation School in the 1920s. During World War II he was an advisor to the Luftwaffe.
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 08 Aug 1917 0803 Jasta 28   D.H.4 Kachtem
2 21 Aug 1917 0810 Jasta 28   Martinsyde G.100 N of Seclin
3 18 Dec 1917 1530 Jasta 28   Sopwith Camel NW of Staden
4 29 Jan 1918 1610 Jasta 28   Sopwith Camel E of Poelcapelle
5 30 Jan 1918 1420 Jasta 28   D.H.4 E of Wilskerke
6 03 Apr 1918 1410 Jasta 2   D.H.9 Frezenberg
7 25 Apr 1918 1425 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel Nieuvekerke
8 03 May 1918 1345 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel Nieppe, SE of Bailleul
9 08 May 1918 0820 Jasta 2   S.E.5 (C6408) St. Eloi
10 08 May 1918 1420 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel (C8298) Steenwerk
11 19 May 1918 0820 Jasta 2   D.H.4 (C6159) Zonnebeke
12 29 May 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Soissons
13 03 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD  
14 04 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   Bréguet 14 Fresnes
15 09 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Dampleux
16 14 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   Bréguet 14 Laversine
17 16 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   D.H.9 Bus
18 24 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   Bréguet 14 Saponay
19 28 Jun 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Longpont
20 05 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   Nieuport 28 Courchamps
21 15 Jul 1918 1430 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel (D1778) Dormans
22 17 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   D.H.9 Soilly
23 18 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Quesnoy
24 18 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   Bréguet 14 Ferme
25 22 Jul 1918 1910 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel (D9478) Quesnoy
26 25 Jul 1918 p.m. Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel Fère-en-Tardenois
27 28 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   Salmson 2A2 Villers-sur-Fère
28 31 Jul 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Courvemain
29 09 Aug 1918 Jasta 2   R.E.8 Rosières
30 11 Aug 1918 Jasta 2   SPAD Villesavage
31 26 Aug 1918 Jasta 2   Sopwith Camel Beugny
32 01 Nov 1918 Jasta 2   S.E.5a W of Harchies
33 04 Nov 1918 Jasta 2   S.E.5a Englefontaine
34 04 Nov 1918 Jasta 2   S.E.5a Englefontaine
35 04 Nov 1918 Jasta 2   Sopwith Snipe Tournai
36 04 Nov 1918 Jasta 2   Sopwith Snipe Escanaffles
 
Books
Franks, Norman, Frank Bailey and Russell Guest. Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918. London: Grub Street, 1993

Treadwell, Terry C. and Alan C. Wood. German Knights of the Air 1914-1918: The Holders of the Orden Pour le Mérite. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1998
 
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