Paul Aue

Oberst Paul Aue was a World War I flying ace from the Kingdom of Saxony in the German Empire. Partial records of his early aviation career credit him with 10 aerial victories. He would join the nascent Luftwaffe during the 1930s and serve Germany through World War II. He died in a Russian prison camp in 1945. Paul Aue was born on 7 October 1891 in Söbringen, Kingdom of Saxony. He matured into a small man; some sources even call him "diminutive". In 1916, Aue served with Kampstaffel 30 of Kampgeschwader 5. Flying a two-seater reconnaissance plane, Aue and his observer managed to down a similar craft, a Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c, on 25 October 1916. Aue was then credited with two more victories before being transferred to Jasta 10 that same month. He scored his—and his new squadron's—first victory on 25 March 1917. He struck again on 7 June, wounding a British Spad VII pilot, and driving pilot and plane into captivity. Aue was wounded in action on 19 September 1917 while piloting a Pfalz D.III. During a dogfight at 3,000 meters with two dozen British Royal Naval Air Service planes from Naval 10 Squadron above Roulers, France the German sergeant ace was hit by three English bullets, one of them an explosive round. Though he refused to leave his unit, his wounds kept him out of action until February 1918; he would not score another victory until 3 May 1918, when he shot down a Bristol F.2 Fighter, killing the pilot and wounding the gunner. It would be his last victory while flying the Pfalz, as Jasta 10 was upgrading to Fokker D.VIIs. On 16 June 1918, Aue attacked and destroyed an enemy observation balloon for his seventh confirmed win. He went on to shoot down three more enemy fighter planes, his last victory coming on 4 September 1918. Paul Aue joined the nascent Luftwaffe during the 1930s. On 1 November 1939, Oberst Paul Aue was appointed to command of Blindflugschule 1 of the Luftwaffe. Blindflugschule 1's ("Blind Flying School 1")'s airfield was shared with a formation of Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket planes.