It was reported that a spent .303 bullet was found inside Richthofen's clothing. Popkin was an experienced AA gunner, the volume of fire from the Vickers was far greater (at least 450 rounds per minute) than the bolt-action Lee-Enfield rifles (up to 30 rounds per minute) used by the infantry, and Popkin was the only machine gunner known to have fired at Richthofen from the right, and from a long distance, immediately before he landed. 'Red Baron' Photos courtesy of John Nichols. It was reported that a spent .303 bullet was found inside Richthofens clothing. Another eye witness, Sergeant Ted Smout, reported that Richthofens last word was kaput (finished) immediately before he died. (Sgd.) Since the award of the Distinguished Service Cross he has destroyed several other enemy aircraft and has shown great dash and enterprise in attacking enemy troops from low altitudes despite heavy anti-aircraft fire. "Because of the nature of the ammunition and how it performs within body tissue, we can determine in these circumstances at what approximate range the shot was fired. Popkin was an anti-aircraft (AA) machine gunner with the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during the First World War. However, most sources attribute Arthur Roy Brown, D.S.C., R.A.F. ", In an email to ScienCentral, Franks went into more detail. Captain Brown was credited bytheRoyal Air Force with the shoot-down and was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Cross (a second D.S.C.). "I started firing at the body of the German pilot directly through my peep sight," Buie wrote. After the war Cedric and Nellie returned south to NSW and by 1930 Cedric had taken up the position of Postmaster at Tyalgum, near Murwillumbah. The Planes came from an Easterly direction and when within range of my gun, were flying very low, just above the tree tops. ", When a human body is hit, there's an explosive effect called hydrostatic shock, which can be revealed by ballistics tests. As to pinpointing without doubt the man who fired the fatal shot, the controversy will never actually be resolved. He bled freely after he hit the ground from the wounds in his chest.The British Plane which was being chased, did not fire at the German Plane when they were both low down and within range of any gun.I am quite satisfied that the Plane was brought down as the result of the fire from my gun."(Sgd.) The Planes came from an Easterly direction and when within range of my gun, were flying very low, just above the tree tops. We said 'yes.' . These facts, and the angle at which the bullet passed through Richthofens body, suggest that he was killed by a long-distance, low velocity shot from a ground-based weapon. In turn, the Baron was chased by another Canadian pilot, Captain Roy Brown. We cannot, of course, discount a random shot from a long range, but it seems unlikely.". Editors have permission to delete these "External links modified" talk page sections if they want to de-clutter talk pages, but see the RfC before doing mass systematic removals. His brother Harry M. Popkin was the executive producer of Million Dollar Productions, a partnership that included Ralph Cooper. Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922Name: Cedric B PopkinBirth Date: 1890Birth Place: New South WalesRegistration Year: 1890Registration Place: St Leonards, New South Wales, AustraliaFather: Dan W B PopkinMother: Lilian MRegistration Number: 32243Source InformationAncestry.com. Following their marriage in Queensland and birth of their first daughter Gladys Lilian, Dan William Bassett Popkin and his wife Lilian moved to St Leonards in Sydney where a daughter Sophia Edith was born in 1887 quickly followed by Marjory in 1888 . "Given the evidence and the claimants, we can say that it was a long-range shot, that is, over 600 yards," says Peter Franks. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. It came down a few hundred yards away." 1 gunner and proceeded to where the plane fell. WebEat Healthy !!! 23A memorial to Sergeant Cedric Popkin is planned for the hinterland town of Palmwoods. Provides a biography of ", Nearly fifty years later, Popkin was less sure about events of 21st April and perhaps had forgotten his report to his unit commander. 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Private Alfred Fowler, with the 40th Australian Battalion, witnessed the Red Baron's death. Baron von Richthofen: The Red Baron http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/1918/people/rbaron.asp, NOVA's "Who killed the Red Baron", http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/redbaron/, AIF War Diary of 24th Aust. (Chronicle 23 Aug 1918 p2), William Bassett (known as Dan) Popkin m. Lillian Martha Gilbert, 11 October 1884 Queensland, (Regn B009200 p5350), http://blogs.ancestry.com/au/2011/03/03/entrance-books-for-the-vernon-and-the-sobraon-1867-1911/. We said 'yes.' "Because of the nature of the ammunition and how it performs within body tissue, we can determine in these circumstances at what approximate range the shot was fired. Despite this, the attending surgeons at Richthofen's autopsy were of the opinion that the angle and nature of the bullet wounds ruled out the possibility that he had been shot from the ground, and that the injuries were due to the efforts of a Canadian pilot Roy Brown. As soon as this risk was over, I opened fire a second time and observed at once that my fire took effect. This database contains family trees submitted to Ancestry by users who have indicated that their tree can only be viewed by Ancestry members to whom they have granted permission to see their tree. Following their marriage in Queensland and birth of their first daughter Gladys Lilian, Dan William Bassett Popkin and his wife Lilian moved to St Leonards in Sydney where a daughter Sophia Edith was born in 1887 quickly followed by Marjory in 1888 . The story is told in the following section. WebCedric and Nellie had two sons, Roland and Michael, and the family moved to Palmwoods in Queensland before the outbreak of WW1. By 1904 the family was living in Grafton and Cedrics two older sisters were looking after the family as their mother Gladys had died in 19022. (Hon. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Richthofen had allied plane kills to his credit and was only 25 when he died. ", In an email to ScienCentral, Franks went into more detail. Another eye witness, Sergeant Ted Smout, reported that Richthofen's last word was "kaput" ("finished") immediately before he died. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). Despite his enemy status, von Richthofen was so highly respected that the Allies buried him with full military honors alongside their own dead. Home; About; Products; sucesos de las islas filipinas was written by Norman Franks, an author and aviation historian, told NOVA. I could no longer look him in the face. I immediately got my gun into action and waited for our own plane to pass me, as the planes were close together, and there was a risk of hitting both. So therefore, it is possible the pursuing plane could have fired from any angle. Lorna Wells, Lieutenant Donald L. Fraser, Brigade Intelligence Officer, 11th Australian Infantry Brigade, A.I.F., witnessed the incident and was one of the first to reach Rittmeister von Richthofen. When he was four years old, Manfred moved with his family to nearby Schweidnitz (now widnica ). I saw the documentary also. His face, particularly peaceful, had an expression of gentleness and goodness, of refinement. Together they have two kids; Croix, born in 2000, and Lucky Rose, born in 2003. I did not feel like a victor. Norman Franks, an author and aviation historian, told NOVA. . These trees can change over time as users edit, remove, or otherwise modify the data in their trees. If you would like to view one of these trees in its entirety, you can contact the owner of the tree to request permission to see the tree. He then returned to his previous trade of carpentry, and aged 59 Cedric and Nellie were living Fingal Head. His face, particularly peaceful, had an expression of gentleness and goodness, of refinement. He looked so friendly. Sergeant Cedric Popkin is second from right in middle row.In the foreground are two Vickers machine guns on tripods. He said, 'There's your man'.". I handed my gun over to the No. The next day Cedric was at the 47th Casualty Clearing Station before being moved to the 3rd Australian General Hospital. He remained in hospital for two months before being discharged to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall. Von Richtofen's success as a flying ace earned him the nicknames der rote Kampfflieger (the Red Battle-Flyer) by the Germans, petit rouge (the little Red) or le Diable Rouge (the Red Devil) by the French, and the Red Knight or, most famously, the Red Baron, by the British. WebWe found 4 dictionaries with English definitions that include the word Popkin: Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where "Popkin" is defined. Nellie Popkin (nee Bull) died in 1965 at Murwillumbah. Sergeant Popkins Statement recorded in the AIF War Diary of the 24th Australian Machine Gun Company for April 1918 is as follows: About 10.45 a.m. on the 21st April, 1918, one of our Aeroplanes was being engaged by a German Aeroplane and was being driven down. I could no longer look him in the face. Five years later Cedric was living alone at Irving Street, Torwood in Brisbane and working as a carpenter when he met and married Nellie Ellen Bull on 10 March 1913. As soon as this risk was over, I opened fire a second time and observed at once that my fire took effect. Von Richtofen's success as a flying ace earned him the nicknames der rote Kampfflieger (the Red Battle-Flyer) by the Germans, petit rouge (the little Red) or le Diable Rouge (the Red Devil) by the French, and the Red Knight or, most famously, the Red Baron, by the British. . C.B. General (3 matching dictionaries) Popkin, popkin: Wordnik [ home, info ] Popkin: Wiktionary [ home, info ] Popkin: Rhymezone [ home, info ] Slang (1 matching dictionary) Therefore it is impossible to conduct ballisctics tests. In April 1917 Cedric committed his only military offence and was reprimanded for using insulting language to a Non-Commissioned Officer (N.C.O.) Cheers.InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 16:47, 1 August 2017 (UTC)Reply[reply]. These were made by two different Australian antiaircraft crews who were stationed on the Morlancourt Ridge. He then made a hasty but controlled landing, in a field on a hill near the Bray-Corbie road, just north of Vaux-sur-Somme. "He said, 'Have you got somebody who knows what they're doing, 600 yards away, and he's firing at von Richthofen's right side?' 1 gunner and proceeded to where the Plane fell. All rights reserved. The Baron was hit by a 0.303 calibre bullet which passed diagonally from right to left through his chest. He pursued a Camel piloted by a Canadian, Lieutenant Wilfrid May. Cedric and his wife Nellie were then living with their two children at Palmwoods in Queensland and he was working as a carpenter. "Because of the nature of the ammunition and how it performs within body tissue, we can determine in these circumstances at what approximate range the shot was fired. We are talking about a "dog-fight". and Bar, Royal Air Force, The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of Bars to the Distinguished Service Cross to the undermentioned Officers late of the Royal Naval Air Service:. In 1956, Gunner R. Buie, a Lewis gunner of the 53rd Battery, wrote to Australian newspapers about how he and Gunner W. J. Evans had opened fire on a German plane chasing a British one toward their position. Battery Lewis Gunners probably assisted in sealing the fate of this airman, as he apparently flew right into their line of fire. About 10.45am on the 21st April, 1918, one of our Aeroplanes was being engaged by a German Aeroplane and was being driven down. You can contact the owner of the tree to get more information. The couple moved to South Murwillumbah where Cedric found work as a tobacconist and had two sons, Roland and Michael. In 1964 he told the Brisbane Courier Mail, "I am fairly certain it was my fire which caused the Baron to crash, but it would be impossible to say definitely that I was responsible. Initially, the credit was given to a Canadian pilot, Roy Brown, however it is now accepted that Sergeant Cedric Bassett Popkin was responsible for the demise of the Red Baron. But Brown would have been firing from behind and above left. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980Name: Cedric Bassett PopkinGender: MaleElectoral Year: 1943Subdistrict: Tweed HeadsState: New South WalesDistrict: RichmondCountry: Australia, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1959589/ accessed 6 Apr 2018FIRST WORLD WAR EMBARKATION ROLLCedric Bassett PopkinService number 424Rank PrivateRoll title 7 Machine Gun Company - 2 to 9 Reinforcements (May-December 1916)Conflict/Operation First World War, 1914-1918Date of Embarkation 20 October 1917Place of embarkation MelbourneShip Embarked On HMAT Port Lincoln A17age 26occupation: carpentermarriedof Palmwood, North Coast Line, Queenslandnext of kin wife Mrs. Nelly Popkin, Palmwood, North Coast Line, QueenslandChurch of Englanddate of joining 6 May 1916. Cedric received a severe gunshot wound to his right leg on 19 June and was moved to 4th Field Ambulance. It came down a few hundred yards away." NOVA's program focuses on the two best-known claims attributing Richthofen's death to machine gun fire from the ground. These facts, and the angle at which the bullet passed through Richthofen's body, suggest that he was killed by a long-distance, low velocity shot from a ground-based weapon. That man was Australian gunnery sergeant Taping rights: can be used up to one year after the program is taped off the air. St. Andrew and admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley where his right leg was amputated. So a low damage, low velocity hit tends to indicate a long-range shot. The young couple moved to South Murwillumbah where Cedric found work as a tobacconist. Supplied: Popkin family archive. On 9 August 1917, Private Popkin was appointed Lance Corporal with 17th Machine Gun Company at Parkhouse Training Camp. "Given the evidence and the claimants, we can say that it was a long-range shot, that is, over 600 yards," says Peter Franks. In turn, the Baron was chased by another Canadian pilot, Captain Roy Brown. ", When a human body is hit, there's an explosive effect called hydrostatic shock, which can be revealed by ballistics tests. As to pinpointing without doubt the man who fired the fatal shot, the controversy will never actually be resolved. PBS TV NOVA aired a documentary on Oct 7 2003 entitled Who Killed the Red Baron? However, I am strongly of the opinion that he was first hit by Sergeant Popkins shooting as he was unsteady from the moment of the first burst of fire.. Other machine gunners and riflemen also fired at von Richthofens Fokker tri-plane. There was a lump in my throat. ", "So we asked our gun expert, what do we need to look at?" Cedric wasn't discharged from hospital until 6 January 1919 when he embarked on HT Kanowna for the voyage back to Australia. I have just modified 2 external links on Cedric Popkin. AWM E01716 Group portrait of officers and NCOs of 24th Machine Gun Company date 8 March 1918 in France. He said, 'There's your man'.". (iv), Nearly fifty years later, Popkin was less sure about events of 21st April and perhaps had forgotten his report to his unit commander. Cedric's company was based at Camiers in France, the base depot for the Machine Gun Corps where he attended training school. Popkin was an antiaircraft (AA) machine gunner with the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF), du Cedric Popkin hit the enemy flying ace from the ground. There was evidence of only one hit on the triplane, which would fit with the cone of fire from a Vickers at long range. The British Plane which was being chased, did not fire at the German Plane when they were both low down and within range of any gun. On arriving in Sierra Leone, Cedric and his Company were transferred to the Ulysses for the forward passage to England. Please take a moment to review my edit. It was in this airplane that he scored most of his victories, and earned his nickname. (Chronicle 23 Aug 1918 p2), William Bassett (known as Dan) Popkin m. Lillian Martha Gilbert, 11 October 1884 Queensland, (Regn B009200 p5350), http://blogs.ancestry.com/au/2011/03/03/entrance-books-for-the-vernon-and-the-sobraon-1867-1911/.