Hans von Keudell

Lieutnant Hans von Keudell was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

Early life and service
Keudell was educated in Berlin. In 1904, he joined the cadets at Bensberg. In 1911, he joined the Uhlans. He began World War I with the Uhlans, and went into combat with them in both France and Poland. He was commissioned by April 1915, transferred to aviation and began training on 7 June. On 13 December, he was posted to fly bombing missions, objectives Verdun, Toul, and Dunkirk, for Breiftauben Abteilung Ostende.

Service as a fighter pilot
By early summer of 1916, Keudell was training as a fighter pilot. On 4 August, he joined KEK B under the command of Hans Bethge. From there, on 22 August, Keudell became a founding member of Jasta 1, destined to fly successively a Fokker D.I, a Halberstadt D.III and an Albatros D.III for them. On 31 August 1916, he shot down a Martinsyde Elephant for his first win. He then scored steadily through the rest of the year, reaching ten on 22 November.

1 January 1917 saw Keudell awarded the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern. He shot down his eleventh victim on 24 January 1917. On 5 February, he was appointed to raise and command Jasta 27. He then scored the brand new jasta's first victory on 15 February, only to be in turn killed in action by Stuart Harvey Pratt.