Alois Brant

Alois Brant (1895 – July 1918) was a German soldier and aviator who served in the Imperial German Army during World War I. Initially a ground infantryman on the Western Front, he later became a pilot for the Luftstreitkräfte. Brant was killed when his Junkers J.I aircraft crashed during the Battle of Soissons in July 1918.

Life before the war[]

Alois Brant was born in 1895 in the Bavarian city of Hassfurt. Raised in a middle-class family with a military tradition, he grew up with a strong sense of duty and discipline.

Brant attended the gymnasium in Schweinfurt, excelling in mathematics and mechanical studies, subjects that would later prove useful in his career as an aviator. His teachers described him as disciplined but restless, with a fascination for technological advancements such as automobiles and early aircraft.

In 1914, just months before completing his education, Brant made the pivotal decision to abandon his studies and enlist in the Imperial German Army following the outbreak of World War I.

Enlistment in the army[]

Brant enlisted in August 1914 and underwent ten weeks of intensive military training. He was assigned to the List Battalion, part of the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment.

Brant quickly gained a reputation as a reliable and courageous soldier. His superiors noted his leadership potential, and he was promoted to the rank of corporal within a year of service.

Participation at the front[]

Brant's first major combat experience came during the First Battle of Ypres in late 1914, where his regiment endured heavy casualties in one of the war's earliest and most brutal engagements. He displayed resilience under fire and was commended for helping to organize a defensive line during a chaotic retreat.

In 1916, Brant fought at the Battle of Fromelles, where he sustained a minor shrapnel wound to his leg but returned to duty within weeks. Later that year, he participated in the Battle of the Somme, witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of mass artillery and machine-gun warfare. These experiences profoundly shaped his view of the war and fueled his interest in the emerging field of aviation.

Entry and participation in the Air Force[]

In March 1917, Brant volunteered for the German Air Corps (Luftstreitkräfte). After completing flight training in September 1917, he was assigned to a ground-support squadron equipped with the Junkers J.I, one of the first armored monoplanes designed for low-altitude reconnaissance and close air support.

Brant's first combat mission came during a skirmish near Cambrai in October 1917, supporting a German infantry counteroffensive. Flying just above tree level, he braved enemy machine-gun fire to deliver reconnaissance photographs of British troop formations.

In March 1918, during the Spring Offensive, Brant participated in a pivotal operation near Saint-Quentin. His squadron was tasked with disrupting enemy logistics and communications as German infantry advanced across the devastated landscape. On a daring strafing run over British supply lines, Brant’s aircraft came under intense ground fire. Despite multiple bullet holes in the wings and fuel tank, he completed the mission and returned to base.

Death[]

In July 1918, Brant was deployed to support German forces during the Battle of Soissons, part of the Aisne-Marne Offensive. On a critical mission to provide reconnaissance for ground units, his aircraft came under heavy fire from French anti-aircraft guns. Witnesses reported seeing Brant's Junkers J.I spiraling out of control before crashing behind enemy lines. Brant and his observer were killed instantly.

Brant's body was never formally recovered, though German records suggest he was buried in a makeshift grave near the crash site by French soldiers.

Trivia[]

My friend was once playing Battlefield 1 on the map "Soissons". He was flying in a plane with a stranger. My friend decided to jump out of the plane and left this stranger alone in the plane which subsequently crashed to the ground. This is in memory of this stranger.