A Strange Occurrence

As Göring and Loerzer most likely talked about their flying activities, they may have discussed a two-seater reconnaissance flight that Kulenkampff described in an almost joking manner in his letter of 8 June (well before Göring went to Berlin):

‘As you know, the fellows on the other side of the [Meuse] river have long had designs on winning … medals and, consequently, saw a favourable opportunity when, one fine morning, in complete tranquillity, I flew along from Béthincourt [a few kilometres northeast of Dead Man’s Hill in the Verdun defensive line]. Without any prior notification … they put [an anti-aircraft] shell right into our propeller, which … tumbled to the ground. Now … it is not possible to fly without [the propeller] and, logically, Göring turned in the direction of Germany. Then we saw a second shell go off under the engine, which also parted company with [the aeroplane], but not before spilling all of the oil and gasoline on us … The machine, or rather, what was left of it, protested against this unfriendly and certainly disrespectful treatment by vigorously somersaulting twice and then rushed downwards. I discovered to my great joy that [the aeroplane] was on the ground … and aside from Göring and me, [only] our machine gun was also still intact.’⁶⁰