Sebastian Festner

Background

Festner was born in Holzkirchen, Kingdom of Bavaria on 30 June 1894.

Career

He was only the second awardee of the Member"s Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern. He originally served with, and was wounded with, the infantry before switching to aviation. He was a mechanic with Flieger Abtleilung Near

1 in October 1914.

Posted to FA 7b in February 1915 as a Gefreiter, Festner learned to fly unofficially, and then underwent training with Federal Energy Administration 2b and Federal Energy Administration 5b. He served briefly with two seater units FA 18 and FA 5b, arriving at FA 18 on 10 September 1916 and FA 5b five days later. His next posting was to Jasta 11 on 10 November 1916.

Under the command of Manfred von Richthofen, Festner quickly claimed 2 victories in February 1917 (A Bachelor of Engineering-2 on 5 February and a FE-8 of No40 Squadron on 16 February) before claiming another 10 during

A combat with Number.

57 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d"s over Neuville on 2 April 1917 resulted in Festner claiming a FE-2d(Lieutenant Himachal Pradesh Sworder, KIA & 2/Lieutenant Animal Husbandry Margoliouth, Prisoner Of War). On 5 April, during a combat between five Jasta 11 aircraft and six aircraft of Number.

A Nieuport 17 of Number. 60 Squadron was also claimed, but not credited, on 5 April (possibly Lieutenant EJD Townsend, Prisoner Of War ).

A "Sopwith" was claimed on 7 April (actually a Bristol Fighter of Number 48 Sqn which force-landed with a dead gunner) while on 8 April Festner himself force-landed his Albatros Doctorate.II (serial 223/16) with a cracked wing spar, which occurred while in combat with Nieuport 17s of Number. 60 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation, including future ace Lieutenant

William "Billy" Bishop. Von Richthofen had the damaged fighter written off strength.

Festner shot down a Bachelor of Engineering-2d of 13 Sqn.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation, ( Lieutenant Emergency Gunner, WIA & Lieutenant C Curtiss) on 11 April, while on 13 April Jasta 11, Festner included, shot down an entire six-aircraft flight of Royal Aircraft Factory Revue Economique.8s from Number. 59 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Festner accounting for the Revue Economique-8 of Lieutenant A. Watson & 2/Lieutenant East.P. Law (both Prisoner Of War).

He later claimed a FE-2b of Number.

25 Squadron (Sgt J Dempsey KIA & 2/Lieutenant WH Green, Prisoner Of War). A Nieuport 17 of Number. 60 Squadron was claimed both on 14 April (2/Lieutenant LC Chapman KIA) and 16 April 1917 (Lieutenant T Langwill KIA).

Flying Albatros Doctorate.III (serial 2251/17), Festner was killed in action on 25 April 1917, near Oppy. Exact details are unknown.

He was either struck by ground fire, suffered a broken propeller, or shot down attacking a Sopwith 1½ Strutter crewed by Lieutenant

C. R. O"Brien & gunner 2/Lieutenant J. L. Dickson of Number. 43 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation, who claimed a red Albatros as their 3rd and 2nd victories respectively. Festner crashed behind the British lines, between Gavrelle and Bailleul.

With the area under German artillery fire, there was no attempt to recover either plane or body.

Festner was therefore declared missing in action with no known grave.

Achievements

• 48 Squadron Reconstruction Finance Corporation, he forced down in captivity the Bristol F.2 Fighter of Captain Leefe Robinson, a Victoria Cross holder, holing his engine: his gunner, 2/Lieutenant E.D. Warburton, was killed. On 23 April 1917, having previously won both classes of the Iron Cross, Sebastian Festner became only the second recipient of the Member"s Cross with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern.