The dream of every general, to get the ball rolling...
Although trench warfare dominated the war 1914-18, the first and last months of the First World war did see some movement in the lines. In this section we will cover actions from this period. The opening battles of the war caused horrific losses, especially for the French. The short period saw proportionally many words enter the historians dictionary: "Race for the sea" "Mons" "La Cateau" "Sacking of Löwen" "Schlieffen Plan" "Battle of the Marne"...
When 1914 came to a close the Soldiers would have to wait until 1918 to engage in a war of movement.
Right: Forward! A postcard mailed by a German soldier in January 1915 showing the spirit of the first months of the war.
The fighting at Dieuze/Vergaville, 1914: The war of Oberleutnant d.R. Heinrich
Hawickhorst, 10. Infanterie-Regiment (1.
Lothringisches) Nr. 174.
Hauptmann Hermann Burchardt was a company commander on the road to Liege in August 1914, he was later killed in action.
Leutnant d. Res. Richard Wolf served in the Machine Gun Company of the 13th (Saxon) Machine Gun Company. His Unit was engaged on the Sereth River on the Eastern Front.
The US 92nd "Buffalo Division" went into action on the 10th-11th of November 1918 to the South of Metz, Private William M Cain was wounded in the action.
Füsilier
Heinrich Harmeit of the Füsilier Regiment 39 attacked with his comrades on the
Chemain des Dames in the Spring of 1918. They penetrated 15km's in one day.
Leutnant
d.Res August Weber was killed at Kupischki at the beginning of August 1915 in
part of the Njemen-Armee offensives on the Northern extreme of the Eastern
front. A rough overview of the campaign can be found HERE
Prinz Adalbert of Bavaria was commanding a battery of artillery when the 1st Bavarian Division took Saarburg. He won the first Iron Cross of his regiment
Mobile warfare not only goes forwards, it also goes backwards... Reconnaissance Abteilung von Hadeln was part of the Abteilung Kleist during the disaster at Gibeon Station
The Elite may get tired, but they don't loose their spirit. On the last day of the war the 1. Garde Regiment zu Fuß was thrown into battle at Vrigne-Meuse. Pictured with an Iron Cross document to Grenadier Janssen.
The Hessen Infanterie Leib Regiment 117 losses in the Caures-Wald
on the 22nd of February 1916 were: I. Batl. 8 Killed, 32 wounded. II. Batl. 19
wounded. An account of the fighting and the awards of two of the 1st
battalions wounded are shown HERE
The Sacking of Louvain, an event that caused an uproar throughout the civilized world. Major Freiherr von Bülow commanded the 2nd Battalion of the R.I.R.31 during the incident.
The last gasp effort on the Avre. The bloody losses suffered by the Bavarian 2nd Infantry Division as they tried to push towards Amiens in the last days of the Kaiserschlacht. Illustrated are medals and the iron Cross document to a company commander, Lt.d.R. Richard Moser of the 12. b.I.R.
Field artillery in mobile warfare... it can spoil the infantryman's day. On the 22nd of August 1914 the 27th Field Arty. Regt. caused havoc at Bertrix. A big thanks to Bruce Gudmundsson, without his work on the subject the article would never have happened.
Friedrich Freise of the 74. Infanterie Regiment was wounded by a handgrenade splinter while engaged in mopping up British position in the wake of the 208. I.D. advance during the Michael Offensive/Kaiserschlacht. For awards and documents click HERE
Gefreiter Wentzel of the R.I.R. 212 was wounded in the confusion at Bixschoote when the Germans threw away a victory.
The 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalion in action at La Transloy in 1914.
The 1st Bavarian Reserve Jäger battalion in Romania 1917 HERE
A black day at Demuin. The 8th of August 1918 is widely known as the "Black Day" of the German army, a day in which is was sent reeling back under seemingly unstoppable blows delivered by the Anglo-French offensive. Otto Richter and the 12th Landwehr Fussartillerie Bataillon were swept away at Demuin.
The Reserve Infanterie Regiment 94 fought a rearguard action at Petit Thiolet in October 1918 in which Adolf Döring won the Iron Cross and was captured by the French.
Approaching the Kemmelberg. . The 11th Bavarian Infantry clears the way in Operation Georg, April
1918. Including the Iron Cross document of Sgt d.R. Johan Attenberger.
Above: German troops advance in the 1918 Offensives
The dream of every general, to get the ball rolling...
