(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalleutnant Fritz Mensch
Born: 18 Dec 1886 in Schikarowen, East Prussia
Died: 24 Jul 1966 in Wiesbaden
Promotions:
Fähnrich (18 Sep 1905); Leutnant (18 Aug 1906); Oberleutnant (28 Nov 1914); Rittmeister (24 Sep 1918); Major (01 Oct 1933); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1935); Oberst (01 Apr 1937); Generalmajor (01 Nov 1940); Generalleutnant (01 Jan 1943)
Career:
Entered the Army as a Company-Officer in the 1st Train-Battalion (15 Jan 1905-28 Feb 1912)
Detached to the Military Gymnasium (01 Feb 1910-30 Jun 1910)
Battalion-Adjutant of the 1st Train-Battalion (01 Mar 1912-01 Aug 1914)
Adjutant of the Commander of Trains of the I. Army-Corps (02 Aug 1914-1915)
Aircraft-Observer-Training and Observer with the 15th Field-Flying-Battalion (1915-08 Jul 1915)
Company-Chief with the 6th Flying-Replacement-Battalion (08 Jul 1915-06 Jun 1918)
Company-Chief with the 4th Flying-Replacement-Battalion (00 Oct 1918-22 Nov 1918)
Squadron-Chief in the 1st Train-Battalion (23 Nov 1918-02 Mar 1919)
Adjutant of Detachment Von Luck with the East Prussian Volunteer-Corps (03 Mar 1919-31 May 1919)
Detached to Officer-Riding-School Hannover (01 Jun 1919-31 Aug 1919)
Transferred to the 1st Train-Battalion (01 Sep 1919-05 Nov 1919)
District-Commissioner of District Niederung (06 Nov 1919-19 Nov 1919)
District-Commissioner of District Labiau (20 Nov 1919-31 Dec 1919)
Retired (31 Dec 1919)
Reactivated to Army Service as a Territorial-Officer with Military-District-Command I (15 Jun 1925-30 Apr 1934)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service as Advisor in the RLM (01 May 1934-31 Oct 1934)
Chief Of Staff of the General-Air-Equipment-Master, RLM (01 Nov 1934-31 Mar 1936)
Commander of Air-Equipment-Group 4, Münster (01 Apr 1936-04 Feb 1938)
Commander of Air-Equipment-Group 6, Münster (04 Feb 1938-30 Jun 1938)
Department-Chief in the RLM (01 Jul 1938-30 Mar 1941)
Commander of Air-Region-Staff 1, Finland (01 Apr 1941-09 Sep 1942)
Officer with Special Duties of the RLM and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (09 Sep 1942-14 Jan 1943)
Transferred to the Staff of the Wehrmacht-Commander Ukraine (15 Jan 1943-31 Jan 1943)
Retired (31 Jan 1943)

Decorations & Awards:
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Preuss. Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938 mit Spange “Prager Burg”
- Spange zum EK II
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kommandeurkreuz I. Klasse des Ordens des Löwen von Finnland mit Schwertern und Bruststern


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