Kagher Neiber-Shieg
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Kagher Neiber-Shieg was a Canadian born German fighter ace.
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[edit] Birth
Neiber-Shieg was born on February 5, 1897 to a German family in downtown Ottawa. His father worked in an industrial plant, while his mother lived at home. For three years, 1912-1915, he attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute, where he was abused because of his German parentage. He then conspired to escape to Germany.
[edit] Escape
In Mid-November, 1915, Kagher snuck aboard a transport ship carrying Canadian Soldiers to the front. He posed as a deck hand, and upon arrival in England, pretended to be a Physician's helper. He snuck across No-Man's-Land and came upon German lines. He then joined the Imperial German Army Air Service and was highly successful.
[edit] Life in the Airforce
Kagher, upon graduation from the Air Academy, was a very successful pilot. On his first tour, he shot down an amazing 6 aircraft, destroyed 8 on the ground, and had 3 probable shot downs. However, his victory was short lived, when one day, while returning to his base, his plane was clipped by a bird. Though this did not damage the plane in anyway, it surprised Kagher, who immediately pulled his plane into a dive. This was unwise, as he was only 30 feet above the ground. Kagher was instantly killed as his plane exploded into the country side. He is buried in Amiens, France.
[edit] References
- Eric Lawson and Jane Lawson (1996). The first air campaign, August 1914-November 1918. Cambridge, MA : Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81213-4.
