AUstro-Hungarian Air Observer's War Photo-Diary

[varifleman]

Here are several photos from the war diary of Austro-Hungarian Captain (Hauptmann) Ernst August von Mandelsloh. He served in Fliegerkompanie (FLIK) 15 (among others) and flew reconnaissance missions against the Russians, Serbians, Italians, Montenegrins, and Rumanians. He later became an artist who mainly painted landscapes. Photos show Lt Bratmann and Mandelsloh ready for take-off; Austro-Hungarian Lohner seaplane M-31 in the Bocche di Cattaro (Bay of Kotor) in Montenegro; Captain Christian's crashed aircraft; map area south of Belgrade (Avala); title page with Hptm (Hauptmann-Captain) Mandelsloh during time of seizing of Belgrade, Campaign against Serbia and Montenegro 7 October 1915 up to north (below) Vojusa February 1916; Russian batteries (b) and infantry dugouts (i) at Zglobice southwest of Tarnow; Battle on the Dunajec December 1914-Beginning of January 1915; Battle near Krakau-Limanova, shelled Russian positions at Slomniki north of Krakua /Skala/ Russian infantry dug-in. The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive during World War I started as a minor German offensive to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front, but resulted in the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia. The continued series of actions lasted the majority of the campaigning season for 1915, starting in early May and only ending due to bad weather in October. it took place mainly in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia and western Russian Poland. The Dunajec is a river running through southern Poland. It is the right tributary of the Vistula River. Vojusa is a mountain in Montenegro. Krakau (Krakow) is located on the Vistula River in Southern Poland. Formerly part of Austrian Galicia, it was briefly besieged by Russian troops in November 1914. Bay of Kotor was an Austro-Hungarian Naval Base.

[Allegra]

Most interesting. I like the photos of the float plane and map.