Theodor Croneiss

Theodor Jakob Croneiss
Nickname(s)	Theo
Born	18 December 1894 Schweinfurt
Died	7 November 1942 Gut Schrammlhof in Regensburg
Allegiance	Germany
Service / branch	Flying service
Years of service	ca 1915 - 1918
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	Feldflieger Abteilung 6
Awards	Iron Cross, House Order of Hohenzollern
Other work	Test pilot for Messerschmidt

Oberleutnant Theodor Jakob Croneiss (18 December 1894 – 7 November 1942) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He was one of a very few aces on the Ottoman Front.

World War I aerial service

Croneiss was one of the German pilots assigned to duty with Germany's allies, the Ottoman Empire.

1916 successes

As such, he was assigned to Feldflieger Abteilung 6, which was also known as the Jasta Chanak Kale—Turkei as early as late 1915 or early 1916. His first aerial victory came on 7 January 1916, when he downed a Farman bomber over El Sedd-ul-Bahr. The next day, he downed a Royal Naval Air Service Voisin III LAS in the vicinity of Cape Helles. On 4 February 1916, his victory was over a reconnaissance two-seater at Baba-Tepe, off Imbros.

1918 success

On 24 January 1918, Croneiss shot down a Sopwith over the Gulf of Saros. His fifth victory came on 23 May 1918, when he destroyed a Sopwith fighter. He was subsequently decorated with the Iron Cross First Class and the Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern in August 1918.

Post World War I

Having survived the war as an oberleutnant, Croneiss became a sporting aviator. He became director of a flying club that sponsored Willy Messerschmitt. Croneiss piloted one of Messerschmidt's early designs, the M-21, to win the designer a 60,000 Reichsmark prize. In 1928-1929, Croneiss won the East Prussia Flying Trophy with the M-23 model. He later evolved into a test pilot for the Messerschmitt Company.

Theodor Jacob Croneiss died on 7 November 1942.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross of 1914, 2nd class (2 January 1915) and 1st class (26 September 1916)
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (6 August 1918)
• War Merit Cross, 2nd class (1942)
• Sword of honour of the Reichsführer-SS
• SS Honour Ring ("Totenkopf")
• Liyakat Medal
• Imtiyaz Medal
• Order of the Medjidieh
• Ottoman War Medal (Turkish: Harp Madalyası), "Gallipoli Star" or "Iron Crescent"

References

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.