(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalmajor Wilhelm Kohlbach
Born: 07 May 1896 in Konitz, West Prussia
Died: 11 Feb 1947 in Shugborough Park, Great Haywood, Staffordshire, England
Promotions:
Fähnrich (10 Aug 1914); Leutnant (02 Oct 1914); Hauptmann (01 Jul 1934); Major (01 Aug 1935); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1938); Oberst (01 Sep 1940); Generalmajor (01 Mar 1944)
Career:
Entered the Army as Platoon-Leader in the 7th Grenadier-Regiment (10 Aug 1914-14 Feb 1916)
Platoon-Leader in the 345th Infantry-Regiment (15 Feb 1916-22 Feb 1916)
Company-Leader in the 345th Infantry-Regiment (23 Feb 1916-04 Jun 1916)
Aircraft-Observer-Training with the 1st Flying-Replacement-Battalion, Altenburg and with Observer-Course in Großenheim (05 Jun 1916-27 Aug 1916)
Detached to Army-Flight-Park 10 (28 Aug 1916-04 Sep 1916)
Observer with the 4th Field-Flying-Battalion (05 Sep 1916-07 Dec 1916)
With the 6th Flying-Replacement-Battalion (08 Dec 1916-29 Dec 1916)
Observer with Flying-Battalion A 255 (30 Dec 1916-26 Jun 1917)
Pilot-Training with the 2nd then 4th Flying-Replacement-Battalions (27 Jun 1917-07 Oct 1917)
Course at the Flying-Observer-School Jüterbog (08 Oct 1917-10 Jan 1918)
Training at the Fighter-Squadron-School 1 Flight-Park 6 (11 Jan 1918-01 Feb 1918)
Pilot with Fighter-Squadron 50 (02 Feb 1918-10 Aug 1918)
Pilot with the Fighter-Squadron 50 in Fighter-Wing Richthofen (11 Aug 1918-04 Dec 1918)
With the 3rd Flying-Replacement-Battalion (05 Dec 1918-09 Jan 1919)
With the Replacement-Battalion of the 7th Grenadier-Regiment (10 Jan 1919-30 Apr 1919)
Discharged to the Reserve (30 Apr 1919-31 Dec 1920)
With the Volunteer Territorial-Jäger-Corps (General Maerker) (14 Jun 1919-31 Jan 1920)
Retired (31 Dec 1920)
Director of the Air-Transport-Company Ruhrgebiet AG, Essen (16 Aug 1933-30 Jun 1934)
Leader of the Head-Training-Office Essen of the German Air-Sport-Formation (DLV) (16 Aug 1933-00 Dec 1933)
Entered Luftwaffe Service in the RLM (01 Jul 1934-19 Apr 1935)
Temporary-Squadron-Captain in Bomber-Wing 1 ‘Hindenburg’ (20 Apr 1935-30 Jun 1936)
Leader of the Training-Company of Air-Base Jever (01 Jul 1936-14 Oct 1936)
Company-Chief of the Staff-Company with Bomber-Wing 157 ‘Boelcke’, II. Group (15 Oct 1936-28 Feb 1937)
Squadron-Captain in Bomber-Wing 157 (01 Mar 1937-31 Jan 1938)
Course-Leader II at the Bomber-School Tutow (01 Feb 1938-19 Aug 1939)
Commander of II. Group in Bomber-Wing 53 ‘Legion Condor’ (20 Aug 1939-25 Jul 1940)
Commander of the 41st Flying-Training-Regiment, later 41st Field-Training-Regiment and Commandant of the Air-Base Frankfurt/Oder (25 Jul 1940-30 Apr 1943)
Briefing as Night-Fighter-Area-Leader with the XII. Flying-Corps (01 May 1943-21 Sep 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKL (22 Sep 1943-31 Oct 1943)
Commander of Military-District-Command Gelsenkirchen (01 Nov 1943-25 Mar 1945)
Führer-Reserve – To the Disposal of the Flying-Replacement-Division (25 Mar 1945-09 Apr 1945)
In British Captivity (09 Apr 1945-11 Feb 1947)
Released (11 Feb 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Preuss. Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- "Ehrenbecher für dem Sieger im Luftkampf"
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Silber
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. Klasse
- Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Kriegserinnerungs-Ärmelband “Jagdgeschwader Freiherr von Richthofen Nr. 1 1917/1918”
- Spange zum EK II


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