Sebastian Festner Vizefeldwebel Sebastian Festner ( 1894 – 1917 ) was an air ace of the Luftstreitkräfte ( German Air Force ) during World War I , with 12 victories . He was only the second awardee of the Member ' s Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern . Early life and service . Festner was born in Holzkirchen , Kingdom of Bavaria on 30 June 1894 . He originally served with , and was wounded with , the infantry before switching to aviation . He was a mechanic with " Flieger Abtleilung Nr . 1 " in October 1914 . Posted to FA 7b in February 1915 as a Gefreiter , Festner learned to fly unofficially , and then underwent training with FEA 2b and FEA 5b . He served briefly with two seater units FA 18 and FA 5b , arriving at FA 18 on 10 September 1916 and FA 5b five days later . His next posting was to Jasta 11 on 10 November 1916 . Under the command of Manfred von Richthofen , Festner quickly claimed 2 victories in February 1917 ( A BE - 2 on 5 February and a FE - 8 of No . 40 Squadron on 16 February ) before claiming another 10 during ' Bloody April ' . ' Bloody April ' . A combat with No . 57 Squadron RFC Royal Aircraft Factory FE . 2 d ' s over Neuville on 2 April 1917 resulted in Festner claiming a FE - 2d ( Lt . H . P . Sworder KIA & 2 / Lt . A . H . Margoliouth , POW ) . On 5 April , during a combat between five Jasta 11 aircraft and six aircraft of No . 48 Squadron RFC , he forced down in captivity the Bristol F . 2 Fighter of Captain Leefe Robinson , a Victoria Cross holder , holing his engine : his gunner , 2 / Lt . E . D . Warburton , was killed . A Nieuport 17 of No . 60 Squadron was also claimed , but not credited , on 5 April ( possibly Lt . E . J . D . Townsend , POW ) . A ' Sopwith ' was claimed on 7 April ( actually a Bristol Fighter of No . 48 Sqn which force - landed with a dead gunner ) while on 8 April Festner himself force - landed his Albatros D . II ( serial 223 / 16 ) with a cracked wing spar , which occurred while in combat with Nieuport 17 s of No . 60 Squadron RFC , including future ace Lt . William ' Billy ' Bishop . Von Richthofen had the damaged fighter written off strength . Festner shot down a BE - 2d of 13 Sqn . RFC , ( Lt . E . R . Gunner , WIA & Lt . C . Curtiss ) on 11 April , while on 13 April Jasta 11 , Festner included , shot down an entire six - aircraft flight of Royal Aircraft Factory RE . 8 s from No . 59 Squadron RFC , Festner accounting for the RE - 8 of Lt . A . Watson & 2 / Lt . E . P . Law ( both POW ) . He later claimed a FE - 2b of No . 25 Squadron ( Sgt . J . Dempsey KIA & 2 / Lt . W . H . Green , POW ) . A Nieuport 17 of No . 60 Squadron was claimed both on 14 April ( 2 / Lt . L . C . Chapman KIA ) and 16 April 1917 ( Lt . T . Langwill KIA ) . On 23 April 1917 , having previously won both classes of the Iron Cross , Sebastian Festner became only the second recipient of the Member ' s Cross with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern . Death in action . Flying Albatros D . III ( serial 2251 / 17 ) , Festner was killed in action on 25 April 1917 , near Oppy . Exact details are unknown ; he was either struck by ground fire , suffered a broken propeller , or shot down attacking a Sopwith 1½ Strutter crewed by Lt . C . R . O ' Brien & gunner 2 / Lt . J . L . Dickson of No . 43 Squadron RFC , who claimed a red Albatros as their 3rd and 2nd victories respectively . Festner crashed behind the British lines , between Gavrelle and Bailleul . With the area under German artillery fire , there was no attempt to recover either plane or body . Festner was therefore declared missing in action with no known grave .