{{infobox military unit |unit_name= Jasta 23 |image= |caption= |dates=1916–1918 |country= [[German Empire]] |allegiance= |branch=[[Luftstreitkräfte]] |type=Fighter squadron |role= |size= |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors= |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |equipment= |equipment_label= |battles= [[World War I]] |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours= |battle_honours_label= |disbanded= |flying_hours= |website= <!-- Commanders --> |commander1= |commander1_label= |commander2= |commander2_label= |commander3= |commander3_label= |commander4= |commander4_label= |notable_commanders= <!-- Insignia --> |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label= |identification_symbol_2= |identification_symbol_2_label= |identification_symbol_3= |identification_symbol_3_label= |identification_symbol_4= |identification_symbol_4_label= <!-- Aircraft --> |aircraft_attack= |aircraft_bomber= |aircraft_electronic= |aircraft_fighter= |aircraft_interceptor= |aircraft_patrol= |aircraft_recon= |aircraft_trainer= |aircraft_transport= }} '''Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 23''' was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''[[Luftstreitkräfte]]'', the air arm of the [[Imperial German Army]] during [[World War I]]. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score a minimum of 63 verified aerial victories. They scored twelve wins over enemy observation balloons as a squadron.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
In turn, their casualties for the war would amount to 14 pilots [[killed in action]], one killed in a flying accident, nine [[wounded in action]], and two taken [[prisoner of war]].{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
==History== [[File:RitterSchleich.jpg|thumb|Eduard Ritter von Schleich]]
Royal Bavarian Jagdstaffel 23 was established on 25 October 1916 at [[Metz-Frescaty Air Base|Metz-Frescaty]]. It would not gain a commanding officer until 17 November. The jagdstaffel finally came ready for action on the last day of the year. The following day, 1 January 1917, Jasta 23 moved into action at [[Puxieux]]. It would not score its first win until 14 February. On 4 July 1917, it was officially designated a Bavarian squadron. It joined the Bavarian [[Jagdgeschwader IV]] under command of [[Eduard Ritter von Schleich]] on 10 October 1918, and served there for the last month of the war.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
==Commanding officers (''[[Staffelführer]]'')== # Paul Backhaus, 17 November 1916 – 4 August 1917 # [[Otto Kissenberth]], 4 August 1917 – 29 May 1918{{WIA}} # Heinrich Seywald, 2 June 1918 – 29 June 1918{{WIA}} # Fritz Krautheim, 2 July 1918 – 19 July 1918{{WIA}} # Heinrich Seywald, 19 July 1918 – 11 November 1918<ref name="theaerodrome1">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jasta/jasta23.php |title=Jasta 23 |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=18 December 2015}}</ref>
==Aerodromes== # ''[[Armee-Abteilung Strantz]]'': 25 October 1916 – 1 January 1917 # Puxieux, Mars-la-Tour: 1 January 1917 – 14 April 1917 # [[Erlon]], France: 16 April 1917 – 14 July 1917 # [[Jametz]], France: 20 July 1917 – 24 November 1917 # Saint-Mard, France: 24 November 1917 – 4 February 1918 # [[Aniche]]: 6 February 1918 – 16 March 1918 # [[Émerchicourt]], France: 17 March 1918 – 27 March 1918 # [[Bapaume]], France: 27 March 1918 – 18 April 1918 # [[Epinoy]], France: 18 April 1918 – 27 August 1918 # [[Lieu-Saint-Amand]]: 27 August 1918 – 25 September 1918 # [[Bühl (Baden)|Bühl]], Germany: 27 September 1918 – 8 October 1918 # [[Harmignies]], Belgium: 13 October 1918 – 5 November 1918 # Fleurs, France: 5 November 1918 – 11 November 1918<ref name="theaerodrome1"/>
==Notable members== * [[Otto Kissenberth]] [[Pour le Merite]], [[Royal House Order of Hohenzollern]], [[Iron Cross]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/kissenberth.php |title=Otto Kissenberth |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Balloon buster]] [[Friedrich Ritter von Röth]] Pour le Merite, Hohenzollern, Iron Cross, [[Military Order of Max Joseph]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/roth.php |title=Friedrich Ritter von Röth |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Michael Hutterer]] Iron Cross<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/hutterer.php |title=Michael Hutterer |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Theodor Rumpel (aviator)|Theodor Rumpel]] Iron Cross<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/rumpel.php |title=Theodor Rumpel |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> * [[Johannes Janzen]] [[Iron Cross]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/janzen.php |title=Johannes Janzen |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>
Other aces serving in the unit were Karl Schattauer, Heinrich Seywald, Albert Haussmann, Max Gossner, and Albert Dietlen.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
==Aircraft==
Initial equipment for Jasta 23 was the [[Albatros D.II]] fighter. Later, it would be refurnished with [[Pfalz D.XII]] and [[Roland D.VI]]a fighters.<ref name="theaerodrome1"/>
==Operations==
Jasta 23 was formed in the [[Armee-Abteilung Strantz|''Armee-Abteilung'' Strantz]] Sector. On 16 April 1917, it moved to the ''[[7th Army (German Empire)|7. Armee]]'' Sector. Its next move, on 18 July, saw it assigned to ''[[5th Army (German Empire)|5. Armee]]''.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
In February 1918, it moved to support ''[[17th Army (German Empire)|17. Armee]]'' at [[Aniche]]. On 27 September, it moved to the [[Armee-Abteilung A|''Armee-Abteilung'' A]] Sector; shortly thereafter, on 8 October, it moved on to work for ''[[2nd Army (German Empire)|2. Armee]]'' until war's end.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|Guest|1993|p=39}}
==References== {{reflist}} ;Bibliography * {{cite book |first1=Norman |last1=Franks |author-link1=Norman Franks |first2=Frank W. |last2=Bailey |first3=Russell F. |last3=Guest |title=Above The Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918 |location=London, UK |publisher=Grub Street |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-948817-73-1 |name-list-style=amp}}
{{Jastas}}
[[Category:Jagdstaffeln|23]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1916]] [[Category:1916 establishments in Germany]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918]] [[Category:Military units and formations of Bavaria]] {{wwi-air}}