Birdman Becomes JailbirdMeet Leutnant Otto Thelen - an observer spotting in a two-seater piloted by Leutnant Julius Schulz
Flieger Abteilung 5. The duo were brought down in November 1914 by Lieutenant Louis Strange of No. 5 Squadron, who had recently survived one of the 'strangest' aerial mishaps of the Great War (headlined here in May 2022:
https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?action=search2). The artful aviator, Thelen, made the news as for his short-lived jail break with fellow fugitive Hans Keilback. A public announcement was made following the discovery of their escape on September 24th:
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The people of Bedfordshire have been asked to keep their eye out for two German officers who escaped from Donington Hall near Leicester last weekend. It is believed that they left Derby on a Midland train heading south. A £100 reward has been offered for information which may lead to their arrest. The two men are described as follows:
- Otto Thelen, German Flying Corps: age 25, height 5ft 5in, stiff build, weather-beaten features, somewhat sallow complexion, grey eyes, fair hair (blonde), prominent scar in left part of forehead caused by a burn, clean shaven, believed wearing knickers and stockings, or grayish trousers, speaks English with a foreign accent.
- Hans Keilhack, Naval Ober Lieutenant: age 23 years, height 5ft 10in, stiff build, black hair, very large piercing blue eyes, prominent cheek bones, finger missing from one hand, clean shaven, believed wearing knickers and stockings speaks English with a foreign accent."(from the Abergavenny Chronicle, 1 October 1915):


(image via digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de)
Though Thelen's wartime airtime was brief he kept the British quite busy for years as a prisoner of war. We might encounter him in the news again, because this was the first of at least four breakouts (one source claims seven) he made during the conflict! It has been suggested that Thelen's reputation as a 'serial escapee' was such that it inspired the British to repatriate via Holland in 1917. His patriotism must have been passionate because his 'maximum security' prison was the Georgian country house Donington Hall. Compared to the frontline trench existence, this posh setting, which included a cash allowance, seems like easy living for war prisoners. This situation was noted with anger among some British citizens. Read more in this BBC article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-25154771
(image via
www.bbc.com)