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German pilot Kurt Monnington aboard his Albatros D. V. while serving with Jasta 15, 1917-18

Prior to becoming a pilot, Kurt Adolf Monnington saw service as an infantryman in Grenadier-Regt Nr 119 and Infanterie-Regt Nr 120. In June 1915 he received the EKII.

After transferring to the German Air Force, Monnington served with FA 62 before being posted to Jasta 15 in 1917. In March 1918, he was reassigned to Jasta 18 where he scored his first victory on 18 May 1918, downing an S.E.5a near Bailleul. By the end of the war he had downed seven more enemy aircraft for a final tally of eight, including five D.H.9 bombers attached to the Independent Air Force. On June 6, 1918 he was awarded the Royal Württemberg Military Order of Merit.

The death’s head was Kurt’s personal emblem and a somewhat curious choice. According to author Greg Van Wyngarden, “he never served in any of the three death’s head Hussar Regiments. Apparently, he simply liked the emblem. His staffel comrades remembered him as a very cheerful fellow with a happy disposition.”

Kurt Monnington survived the war but little is known of his remaining life. He got married, never had children, got divorced, and died of pneumonia in Hamburg on February 17, 1939.

Original: Most probably Greg Van Wyngarden (The copy I colorised didn’t have a watermark. The ones I found credited, were credited to this person)

Sources: theaerodrome.com, frontflieger.de