(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
General der Flieger Walter Boenicke
Born: 15 Dec 1895 in Radisleben
Died: 21 Apr 1947 in Munsterlager (Suicide)
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (07 Oct 1914); Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (10 Nov 1914); Fähnrich (24 Nov 1914); Leutnant (15 Jan 1915); Charakter als Oberleutnant (20 Dec 1919); Oberleutnant (01 Jul 1925); Rittmeister (01 Jul 1933); Major (01 Dec 1934); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1937); Oberst (01 Apr 1939); Generalmajor (01 Sep 1941); Generalleutnant (01 Sep 1943); General der Flieger (01 Mar 1945)
Career:
Fahnenjunker in the Train-Battalion (11 Aug 1914-16 Oct 1914)
Fahnenjunker with the 1st Provisions-Column in the IX. Army-Corps (17 Oct 1914-18 Dec 1914)
In the Staff of the II. Train-Battalion of the IX. Army-Corps (19 Dec 1914-21 Jan 1915)
Leader of the 7th Vehicle-Park-Column in the IX. Army-Corps (22 Jan 1915-14 Apr 1915)
Leader of the 5th Provisions-Column in the IX. Army-Corps (15 Apr 1915-25 Jul 1915)
Leader of the 3rd Provisions-Column in the IX. Army-Corps (26 Jul 1915-07 Aug 1915)
Leader of the 4th Provisions-Column in the IX. Army-Corps (07 Aug 1915-07 Oct 1915)
Leader of the Medical-Column of the IX. Army-Corps (08 Oct 1915-17 May 1916)
Leader of the Light-Provisions-Column of the IX. Army-Corps (18 May 1916-11 Aug 1916)
Leader of the 1st Provisions-Column of the IX. Army-Corps (12 Aug 1916-27 Oct 1916)
Observer-Training with the 1st Flying-Replacement-Battalion, Altenburg (28 Oct 1916-18 Dec 1916)
Training as a Artillery-Observer in Jüterbog (19 Dec 1916-18 Jan 1917)
Observer with the Flying-Battalion A 202 (20 Jan 1917-19 Feb 1917)
Observer with the Flying-Battalion A 13 (20 Feb 1917-18 Sep 1918)
Observer with the Flying-Battalion 39 Lb, Flying-Battalion 261 respectively (19 Sep 1918-16 Oct 1919)
Company-Leader in Transit-Camp Göttingen (17 Oct 1919-22 Mar 1920)
Platoon-Leader in the 5th Transport-Battalion (01 Jun 1924-31 Oct 1928)
Retired from Army Service (31 Oct 1928)
Secret Flying Training (01 Nov 1928-30 Apr 1931)
Reactivated to Army Service in the Staff of the 2nd Motor-Transport-Battalion (01 May 1931-30 Sep 1931)
Advisor in the Staff of the 1st Division (01 Oct 1931-30 Sep 1933)
Officer with Special Duties with the Chief Of The Army Command (01 Oct 1933-31 Mar 1934)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service as Advisor in the Luftwaffe Personnel-Office, RLM (01 Apr 1934-31 Mar 1935)
In the Luftwaffe General Staff (01 Apr 1935-30 Jun 1935)
Detached to the RKM (01 Jul 1935-31 Mar 1938)
Commander of Reconnaissance-Group 12 then 21 respectively, and Air-Base-Commandant, Stargard (01 Apr 1938-31 Jan 1939)
Department-Chief in the RLM (01 Feb 1939-22 Jun 1940)
Chief Of The General Staff of the I. Flying-Corps (22 Jun 1940-09 Nov 1941)
Chief Of Staff of the Fortress-Commander Crete (10 Nov 1941-17 Jun 1942)
Chief Of The General Staff of Luftwaffe-Commander Centre (18 Jun 1942-31 Oct 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKL (01 Nov 1943-05 Jan 1943)
Commander of the 3rd Flying-Division (06 Jan 1943-30 Apr 1944)
Wounded, in Hospital (17 Feb 1944-30 Apr 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKL (01 May 1944-19 Feb 1945)
Detached for briefing Commanding General and Commander in Air-Region III, Berlin (20 Feb 1945-25 Apr 1945)
General with Special Duties in Air-Fleet-Command Reich, Detached to Air-Region-Command XI (26 Apr 1945-08 May 1945)
In British captivity (00 Jun 1945-21 Apr 1947)
Committed suicide in Prison (21 Apr 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz: am 14.05.1944 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur 3. Flieger-Division
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 20.03.1944 als Generalleutnant und Chef des Generalstabs des Luftwaffen-Befehlshabers Mitte
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinsches Militär-Verdienstkreuz II. Klasse
- Anhaltisches Friedrich-Kreuz
- Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis III. Klasse
- Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer und-Beobachter-Abzeichen
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II


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