The Battle of Marasesti in Romania 6-19 August 1917

5 February , 2009

So I try to translate the Marasesti Battle…. from the book" The History of the War for Wholing Romania" by Constantin Kiritescu....It also has to be sayd That our Queen,Queen-Marie of Romania is of the British Royal Family and our King,King Ferdinad is of the German Royal Family.Also the capital Bucharest was occupied by the Germans,in which time Romania was made out only by Moldavia ,where this battle takes place.So breaking this Front was of great importance for the Germano-Austro-Hungarian Armies.

The Battle of Marasesti

(8-9 August)

The Germans are planning to conquer Moldavia.

The two Romanian armies were not mastering their movements;they were caught in the big Russian front,which was streched from Baltic Sea to the Black Sea,like two components of a long chain.The wave movements of the chain were pulling forth and back the two parts of the said chain,without in our power to stop them or change their movement,nomatter how strong was the local impuls.So,the earthqake like shaking of the russian front,produced by the defeat they suffered in Galitia,stopped the advance of The Second Army at Marast(romanian)i and suffocated at birth The First Army(romanian) at Namoloasa.

In the mean time,the defeat of the Russians has transformed itself in a dezaster.At 19th of July,the russian front in Galitia was broken at Zloczew,and afer five days,at 24th of July,at the day of Marasti,Tarnopol was falling in conditions that were throwing for the first time a veil of shame over the russian revolutionary army.It was not just a simple military defeat:it was a revealing phenomenon of a state of spirit very concerning.The Russian army was touched in her fundation by the revolutionary propaganda:it was in full decomposition.The russian military power was falling.Many regiments refused,after long hours of discussions,to execute orders.They were leaving the trenches without putting up a fight,and sometimes even without being attacked by the enemy.The contageousness of disorder was spreading like a disease;in front of the Austro-Hungarian army which was no longer an army to fight for victory.

Following their easy victory, the Austro - Hungarian front from Galitia was spreading its advance to the right wing. At third of August ,Bucovina was again-almost entirely in the hands of the Austro-Hungarians, and archduke Iosif was paying for the cheap triumphal entering to Cernauti. The most advanced enemy line was touching the Russian and Romanian borders.One moment the Russian Army seemed to recollect itself.Kornilov was named general and was taking drastic measures. He supressed the soldiers comities,forbiding the meetings,reestablished the death punishment,thus introducing an iron discipline. On the other hand following the enemy was getting harder.The Austro- Hungarians were not expecting the extraordinary success they had,and they had not gathered in time all the means as to exploit it.The complete distruction of the roads and railways,operated by the Russians in retreat,was making difficult for the enemy to advance. In the end,after occupying Cernauti,the enemy had to stop,exhausted,in front of the border of Basarabia and Moldavia,looking with a hungry eye,but powerless,at the reachness of those lands of plenty.The russian resistance managed to reorganize itself on the old frontier between Galitia and Russia.

More than the formidable advance ,on a depth of 120km,the result Austro-German contraoffensive n the galitian front it was the decomposition of the Russian army.this state of facts was opening to the enemy new and glorious strategig perspectives.Ludendorff was not the kind of man as to not take advantage of the situation.Conquering Basarabia and Moldavia,occupation of Odessa,where some of the most cherished of goals.To crush one of the fighting states,to unbirth an army,to put another sovereign on the road of mercy,to get hold of the rich grains of Moldavia and Basarabia,to dominate the Black Sea from Odessa,all of these things accomplished with risks and losses not important,meant not only a rentabil enterprise,but one of the most powerful blows given to the cohesion and its prestigeOfcourse it also meant to take out Russia from the alliance and pushing her to separate peace,an idea which has always had in Hindenburg and Ludendorff the most convinced partisans.The state of facts in Russia,deeply shaken by the revolution,could not bear ofcours another catastrofy.Taken out of the fight of Russia,followed then by Romania,meant also the freeing of the Austro- Hungarian forces which could get back to the headquarter of the Central Powers,to be used on the western fronts from where the decisive victory in The Great War was expected.That is why even when the austro-hungarian armies victorious at Zloczew,were beginning the march towards the galitian frontier in pursuit of the Russian troops,which wereretreating in disorder,the Chief of German Staff ,fidel to their classic doctrine of enterprizing convergent actions on the two wings of the advers fron,started the plan to rebegin the offensive on the Romanian front.Moldavia was supposed to be attacked from two sides:from the north through Bucovina,and from South through the inferior valley of Siret River.Archduke iosif was supposed to continue the offensive through Bucovina to the north of Moldavia,and Mackensen was ordered to prepeare the great offensive at Siret River,which was supposed to blow to pieces what was left of the Romanian independent state.Important military forces were moved from the western front to be sent to the marshal.The Austrians brought two divisions from the italian front,and the Germans brought from France,the French front,from Vosgi,the Alpine Bavarian Corps which,in 1916 campaign,was at the front of the german attack columns ,from Sibiu to Magura Odobestilor.Ludendorff was bringing again the elite of his army to Romania.a clear sign of the importance of the action which was to follow.

5 February , 2009

Thank you, Andrei. Most English-speaking people with an interest in WW1 have no idea about this important battle.

Robert

5 February , 2009

Changing roles and positions

The german attack was supposed to take place in the region Fundeni-Namoloasa. Morgen was to force the pass ing over Siret River with five divisions, to to draw a veil from south to north,over our troops.we know the faith of such a plan. the Romanian offensive from Marasti,unleashed unexpectedly for the germans, has smashed the enemy plan. He had then to renounce to the planned offensive and to proceed to a new grouping of his troops,for his own defense.In turn,our offensive at Marasti so brightly started and the one planned by us at namoloasa had to be suspended,because of the threatening situation which was beginning to draw in the back of our front.The austro-hungarian armies were advancing in Galitia, without any serious obstacle. Bucovina and Basarabia were threatened. If the disorganization of the russians would have continued,the north of Moldavia was to be without serious defence and exposed to the enemy invasion.The whole line of defence in the mountains region was threatened with retreat.in front of this tragic perspective,the commanding of thr Russian –romanian troops decided to regroup the forces so that they could face an eventual attack which could come from Bucovina,threatening thus the north of Moldavia.It was decided to form an army of maneuver,which was to gather in the north of Moldavia and be able to attack on the flank the enemy which would advance from Bucovina,like a big punch in the rib of the enemy.this army would had to be formed of three Russian army corps such as:

a)the XL Army Corps ,taken from the IX Russian Army,to which it formed the left wing,in the region of Oituz.It was taken out of its position and replaced by the II Romanian Army ,which elongated its right wing from Magura-Casinului to Doftana Valley,bringing to his front the 7^th and 12 divissions,from the reserve of the I romanian Army.The replacement of those troops was made until 2^nd of August.

b)The Corps VII and XXX ,taken from IV Russian Army,to which it formed the left wing and center at Clipicesti,on Putna, till Movileni , on Siret River.For reoccupying this front,it was supposed that themost of the whole part of I Romanian Army ,which was on the eastern side of the Siret River,to be transported on the right one, replacing thus the two Russian corps. The place of the I army will be replaced by elongating the right wing of the VI Russian Army which was occupying the lower Siret and Danube River front. From the VI Russian army it was to remain only the VIII Russian corps (three divisions),between the two Romanian armies ,from Clipicesti to Sarii Valley.

Important movements of troops had to be made thus,in the region of Siret and Putna. The VI Russian Army ,started at 3^rd of August to prolongue her front to the right,to replace I Romanian Army,til Liesti.At 5^th of August,the operation was finished.Of the troops of the I Romanian Army ,was left to keep the front on the left side of the Siret River only 2^nd cavalry Divission, from Liesti till near Biliesti.Divissions 5,9,13 and 14which became available were withdraw from the front and cantoned in the villages behind the front.From here they were to cross the river Siret on the four bridges thrown over the river,between Movileni and Cosmesti,to change the Russian divisions of the IV Russian Army ,one by one from left to right.This operation was to start in the night of 6^th of August and to be finished by 10^th of August,executed only during the night as to not be observed by the enemy.

The six divisions of the Iv Russian Army ,taken out of the front together with three divisions taken out from the front of the IX Russian Army, completed also with two cavalry divisions, one Russian and one Romanian,will constitute the maneuver army ,which was gathered at Roman for operations in the north of Moldavia.

6 February , 2009

The Double austro- german offensive

While the russian-romanian commandment was taking the measures shown above,to face the threat menacing from the north ,the german commandment was feverishly working prepearing its great offensive.

The idea of the attack over Siret river,at Namploasa,which was supposed to clash with offensive started by the romanians in the same point,was renounced because of the victory at Marasti.The new situation was suggesting to Ludendorff a new idea.The advancing of the II-nd romanian Army until Putna valley,was giving to the romanian front,the shape of an very pronounced outward.Ludendorff thought that he can exploit the risky situation of this bag,with exposed flanks,by attacking it in the right and in the left,by a double movment of surrounding.Mackensen and Rohr were given the order to execute this double convergent offensive.The casts were given as follows:

Mackensen will attack with the IX th german army at west of Siret river and will push straigt forward ,from south to north,following the right shore of Siret River,with the direction of Adjud. He will then turn the wing of the eastern IV Russian army,which will throw to west,in the back of the II-nd romanian Army,situated in the dangerous position in Putna Valley.Rohr,the commander of the I st austro-hungarian army in the mountains of Moldavia,will then attack with his right wing-Gerock Army –in the region of Oituz,to push in Trotus valley ,with the direction Est-West,towards Adjud,wher he will shake hand with Mackensen.There were two arms of a giant pattent ,which moving convergent,one along Siret river,the other one along Trotus river ,where supposed to meet at Adjud ,where Trotus flows into Siret,thus closing between them II-nd romanian Army and IV- th russian Army.there was nothing left to do by the two armies then,with their communications and retreat lines along Putna valley and Susita valley,intercepted by the enemy,only to try a disorderly retreat over the massiv Zabrautu,which was heavy forested without roads and so on,under the pressure of the iron circle of the enemy,which was tightening more and more from west ,from south and from east.To capture these unorganiszed armies leftovers was a sure thing.

The big offensive ,engineered by the germans,will take place,so,in two battles.one along Siret river,the attack of Mackensen will unleash ,the memorabil battle named by the romaians “The Battle of Marasesti”,and by the germans ,named”The Battle of Runthrough of Putna and Susita”.In the mountains region,of the Slanic valley,Oituz valley and Casin valley,Rohr will give the bloody battle named by the Romanians the “battle of Oituz”,and named by the germans “the Battle for The Passes of Western Moldavia”**.Two main battles,given on fronts of tens of kilometers,with impozant enemy forces,which will be the most important military actions on our (romanian )front in the second period of the romanian war.Of their result will hang the faith of the war and of the country(Romania).

The great german Hedquarter has done good mathematics on the map.Still thus making two mistakes of estimation.First,the Russian army was not in Moldavia ,by itself(alone),as they did in Galitia,and the second mistake,The Romanian army was not the same as at the end of 1916.

To be continued...

6 February , 2009

Prepearing the Battle of Marasesti

At 3^rd of August ,commandment of IXt-h german Army gave the order of operations for beginning “the battle for runthrough on Putna and Susita”,which had to throw back the enemy situated between Siret river and the mountains.

A divergence of opinions has arose in the beginning between the german Headquarter and the local Commandment ,over the direction of attack .The germaan Headquarter said to take the direction south-north ,over the right side of Siret river shore ,with the base at Focsani and with the direction to Adjud.

The local german commandment wanted on the other hand to keep the first project,attack over Siret in the region Fundeni-Namoloasa ,plan which had been left behind over our victory(Romanian) at Marasti.This kind of attack made in the depth over the romanian –russian troops would have been more effective.It would have veiled completely the right wing of the VI-th russian Army and would have opened the gate for the advancing of the german-turkish-bulgarian group ,between the mouth of Rimnicu and Danube River .The attack on the right shore of Siret river presented ,on the contrary ,the disadvantage of being flanked from the eastern shore of the river , dominant with artillery, and there was also bad terrain.it was however unsure that it could be obtainet in this way a retreat of the enemy.The great german Hedquarter wasn’t going to give up.They admitted only a partial modification of their initial plan ,wanting to cross the Siret river at Cosmesti and also to create a defensive head of a bridge at Tecuci,but maintained the idea of an attack between Siret river and the mountains.The great german hedquarter had their calculus.They new that an attack over Siret river will clush with the romanian troops ,of whose capacity of fight and high moral they already encountered at the offensive at Marasti.On the contrary attacking towards Marasesti ,the germans will only had to deal with the russians.And of the way the russians would fight ,Tarnopol was a fresh memory,with its shameful impressions.

But wasn t the case that over the front which had to be attacked,there were the symptoms to make the germans expect the best to come?Wasn t established between the german army and the IV-th Russian army ,that kind of correspondence exchange ,in which the slickness of the germans had managed to seed the anarchy seeds in the columns of the Russian army? And of those wern’ t two russian divissions,34th and 13th,which have obliged formally to 12^th bavarian divission ,not to fight between them anymore and to propagate the same kind of movment to the neighbouring divissions,in the favour of ending hostilities ?It was not known however that the negotiations between the russian infantry and the german delegation , had gone so far as to the point to which the russian infantry was firing on their own artillery(they were shooting their own artillery).,when the last one was maintaining a kind of discipline was by artillery baraj firing ,trying to stop the brothering of the two armies(german and russian).The negotiations went so far that at 1^st of July that the germans had printed a project to end hostilities with the 34^th russian division.”At article 2 of this convention ,russian infantry was employing to signal to the germans when the russian or romanian cannons will open fire ,so that the german response will be twice the number of projectiles(shells)”. At 19^th of July the commander of the first reserve german Army Corps ,General von Morgen , was officialy enpowered by Ludendorff “to end the suspension of hostilities with the 34^th and 13^th russian divisions ”.The great german headquarter preffered to begin the offensive in a russian sector .And it wasn’t chance ,neither the effect of some savant strategic combinations when the german commandment choose ,for beginning to break the enemy front ,exactly the sector defended by the 34^th russian division.

6 February , 2009

time for some map...The Battle Of Marasesti

legend : the thick black line,The Front line at 6th of August 1917

the interrupted black line,The Front line at 19th of August 1917 established as a result of stopping of the german offensive

the white vertical sectors,Territory in which the romanian-russian troops had retreated during the battle

6 February , 2009

The fighting forces of the two adversaries

Corresponding to the important strategic goal ,followed by the big batlle planed,it was put to Mackensen disposal an impozant military force.The Mackensen army groups was made,from west to east,of three armies:IX –th Army,Rimnic Group and Danube(river) Group.The army which was to start the offensive was the IX-th german.Until May,it was commanded by Falkehayn;he was then send to Asia Minor,to organize the Turkish-german armies “Yildirim”(spelling ilthrm?).his successor was General von Eben,ex-commander on the galitian front.

The front of the german IXth army started,considered from east to west,at Suraia on Siret river,10 km lower than the place where Putna flows into Siret.This front was following the Siret till Biliesti,in front of Movileni de Jos(lower Movileni),then it was farring Siret,taken the north-east direction,going through Siret field,meeting at Paraipan(Balta Ratei=duck pond) the Putna valley,following then all the time the southern shore of this valley,cutting the road Focsani-Marasesti at the 10^th kilometer ,north of Faureni,then cutting the railway south of railwaystation Putna Seaca,all the way to Iresti.here in the point where putna valley makes an angle ,towards south –west to enter Vrancea,the IXth Army was connecting with Gerock Army.the german front was itself cutting itself towards south-west,to draw the curve line,to which it has been pushed by our(romanian) victory at Marasti.On this opening of 60km the german front was split into two sectors:

a)Sector I reserve Corps,stretching from Suraia to a line wich would cut Putna valley and Susita,with south-north direction,between Ivancesti village and Satu Nou village.The terrain is flat with gorges,some of them with water some ofthem dry,with the west –east direction and and cut across by the road and railway Focsani –Marasesti,of which direction is north-south.General von Morgen ,the commander of the Ist reserve Corps,had in this sector,without counting the divisions,89 prusian,12 bavarianand 216 saxon,which were making the Ist Corps,of two more divisions:reserve76 and 115.To have the troops concentrated in the attack zone itself,Divission 12^th Bavarian,which previously occupied the shore of Siret,between Biliesti and Suraia,was withdraw and taken south of Padurea Neagra(black forrest),between Paraipan and Biliesti.In the place of this division was created a new one ,Divission 303 commnded by General Wehmer-made out of seven infantry battalions de Landsturm,taken from the occupation force of Muntenia.this subsector will have a pure defensive and observation role.

6 February , 2009

b)the sector of the XVIII army Corps,spread from line Ivancesti-Satu Nou,till Iresti.It is a terrain of hills covered with orchards of wine grapes towards east and with forrests toward west which,starting from the valleys of Putna and Susita are rising in higher and higher mountain ridges toward west.At south,Magura Odobestilor dominates with its crenelated cannopy the whole region.XVIIIth Corps was constituted by 62nd austro-hungarian Division,of 217th german Division and by detachments Stange and Vogel,of the value of a division,made out of troops taken from divisions 101st and 69th:regiments29th,59th,3rd grenadieri and of three german infantry battalions. Together with 217th divission these detachments made Gallwitz Group.The command of XVIII was given to bavarian General von Wenninger,brought in the eve of the battle from the french front.

6 February , 2009

Andrei, it is very interesting to read the material and I appreciate the hard work involved. Please only publish as much as you are able.

If you reduce the size of image and the size of the file, then it will upload. If you would like me to do this for you, then do not hesitate to send the images to me. I will PM you with my email details.

Robert

7 February , 2009

As a reserve for the IX-th army there were:german Division 12 at Focsani,13^th Austrian Division a liitle south of Plainesti,and from the French front arrived bavarian Alpine Corps.The units and the weaponry-especialy the artillery-have been completed with elements brought from the neighbouring unuts from the quiet sectors and from the deposits situated in Muntenia(central +south+east part of Romania,also called Wallachia).with this face ,von Eben Army,destined to force the crossing over Adjud,was made of 12 fighting divisions.Numericaly,was constituted of 102 infantry battalions,24 pioneers companies and 10 cavalry escadrons.The weapons were very strong:1135 machineguns and an artillery made out of 865 fire mouths of different calibers.The IX-th Army was prolonging,in the eastern direction with the other units of the general Mackensen Army Group.-von Bahr-The Danube Army-Kosch-constituted of german units,austro-hungarian units,Bulgarians and Turkish units,which occupied the souther shore of Siret River,till the flowing point of this into Danube River,between Galati and Braila;from this point it was the Bulgarian Army of Dobrogea –General Nerezov.

The role of the armies on the lower Siret was,that after the runthrough of the enemy front(romanian-russian) has been madeandd the Ist reserve Corps would have hit in Tecuci direction,if the enemy front will surrender in the face of the german front,they will cross Siret and pursue;the right wing to climb Prut river and cover Galati towards East.

As the germans were finishing their attack preparatives,the northern shore of Putna River was occupied,in front of the sector of the IX-th german Army,of units from IVth Russian Army-comanded by Prince General Ragoza.The Russian IV th army was mede organicly of three army corpses:VII,VIII and XXX,of three division each.Of those only three divisions were keeping the front line in the face if the IXth german Army and namely:34^th Divission ,from Movilenii de Jos,and at the right wing,103 Division,from Sirbi to Iresti.Another two divisions ,14^th and 15^th of the VIII th Corps-were outside the front of the IX th german armyhaving in front Gerock Group,from Irest to Sarii Valley,in the positions earnetd by the victory of Marasti.In reserve they had:71th Division in Zabrautu valleyand cavalry Division Zamurskaia on the left of Siret river at Nicoresti.Other units of the IVth army have been retreated previously from the fighting zone.

The whole of the Ist romanain Army was on the left of Siret river.From Liesti-the right flank of the VIth Russian Army-till Biliesti,were spread over the shore of Siret the troops of the 2^nd Romanian cavalry Division,unmounted (off their horses ),at the right of which took position a brigade of the 5^th romanian Division,at Movileni,replacing thus the troops of 80^th Russian Division,which left northern.

All the other troops were in the villages,behind the frontline:Ivesti,barcea,Umbraresti,Matca,Dorasti forrest,waiting to be transported on the right shore of Siret,to replace there the Russian divisions,which had to start to the North of Moldavia.The Movement had to start in the night of 6-7 August.

7 February , 2009

After examining the situation described one can see that,in the eve of the battle,the germans disposed in the first line of the fighting sector itself,of seven divisions,against three russian divisions,thus a crushing disproportion of forces.The unleashing of the german offensive,in the morning of 6 August,had surprised the romanian-russian army during their manouvering movements.Thus ,the enemy(germans) ,having in the beginning great numerical superiority and tactical,starting their offensive with a solid articulated front,has hit a front which was transforming,unorganized,made of russian trops which were prepearing to leave and of Romanian troops which had to arrive in a hurry,to replace the Russian ones.From here,a very critical situation,for the romanian –russian army ,almost without prior example in the history of wars:the battle of Marasesti was started by the germans against the russians and was finished,fighting on the same front with the romanians.

to be continued....

7 February , 2009

In the Eve of the Battle

The commanders of the enemy armies knew perfectly the material and moral situation of the Russian armies in front of them.They knew they combative value weakened by the revolutionary activities and by the german propaganda.They knew that some units were ready to commite supreme treason of their own country.To runthrough this decomposing army with the plough of the 12 austro-german divisions seemed loke a simple game.The success of the great offensive was beyond doubt.Moldavia given to the Russians to guard will soon be at the feet of the conquerors.

In the evening of 5^th of August,Mackensen left Bucharest(which was occupied by the germans at the time),to ,personaly take charge of the battle which will give him Moldavia and Basarabia.Shaking hands of the high officers and the germane-romanian demnitaries gathered on the walk of Bucharest-North-RailwayStation,to wish him luck,the marshall said good bye with the words:Good Bye to weeks from now in Iasi(biggest city and capital of Moldavia and also capital of Romania since Bucharest ,the capital was occupied by Mackensen)).And for two weeks the coffee shops of Bucharest sounded with the words of the marshal Mackensen,and the pro german Romanians saluted with joy “the re-whole of Romania” through the chains of german occupation.

It is not nevertheless true that in the knowledge of the perilous situation,the Romanian government and Romanian army hedquarter were concerned.At Iasi were kept sessions presided by the King Ferdinand with the members of government and generals Averescu,Prezan(Romanians) and Scerbacev(Russian),to discuss the eventuality of evacuating Moldavia and the retreat of the romanian government and the army in southern Russia.But it was taken into account of the haotic disorderly situation in Russia,of discipline,of the high moral of the Romanian troops which had the desire to fight,patrioticly,of different strategic considerations,of the political and military perspectives of an evacuation,and so they agreed that this grave step is not indispensabil,that the country can wait with trust the passing of this perlous momentThe program of evacuation of the country was limited to the preliminary measure of putting in safe of some institutions and goods.

7 February , 2009

The first day,6^th of August.

The Breakthrough of the Russian Front.

In the night of 5-6 August the german artillery started a strong bombardment over the line Faurei-Siret and over the eastern shore of Siret river,south of Movileni.Shells of different calibers,grenades,shrapnel,machinguning,they were all falling like the rain over the Russian lines between the railway and Siret river,and also over the Romanian positions across the river.Towards morning ,waves of axfixiant gass emerged from the enemy lines especially over Padurea Neagra(Black Forrest),chocking the air into a dense fog.Between the clocks 4 and 7 in the morning the bombardment reached an extreme of violence.

General von Morgen had the order to execute with the Ist german Corps the breakthrough of the Russian front.He had thus aligned on the first line of the front three divisions:12^th Division on the right side leaned over Siret river,89^th Division on the left,at Faureni;76^th Division in the middle,between the other two.Behind 12^th Division he sat 216^th Division,and in the reserve he kept the 115^th Division.

Like a restrained resort,which unstrains instantly, he then started the attack at 7:30 in the morning,the infantery of the three german divisions against the russian lines .It wasn’t even needed so much power.The Russians are leaving ,one by one their strong positions.Till midday they lose three lines of defence,which was one in front of the other.The germans cross Putna river on the northern shore,then they cross Sovarga valley and finally Putna-Seaca valley.The 12-th german Division occupied the village Radulesti,Padurea-Neagra,and then Ciuslea village.

Some part of the Russian infantry crosses the boat bridge thrown over Siret river at Ciuslea village,and they refuge on the eastern shore of Siret river.At the order of the Russian commander they proceed at burning the bridge.Following the Russians,the germans turn to the right and try to cross the bridge by surprise:they stand now in front of the burning bridge and they are received by a rain of projectiles thrown by the Romanian artillery from the front shore of the river.Forced to retreat,the germans give up the crossing of the bridge over Siret river and organize,for the night to come,to force the crossing over:the bridge parts are brought behind enemy lines and sheltered in Padurea Neagra(The Black Forrest).

At the left wing of the Ist german Corps,the 76^th Division and the left wing of the 89^th Division conquered the forrestBalta-Ratei(The Duck_Pond),pushing the left wing of the 13^th Russian Division,neighbor with the 34^th Russian Division,captured thus ten cannons positioning themselves in the front of Bizighesti village.Between the two wings which were going to left and right,Morgen pushed the 216^th Division,which was in reserve till then ,and by nightfall occupied Strajescu village without fight.The village has been evacuated by the Russians in their hasty run.

In the night of that day,the german victory seemed complete.The Russian front has been broken on a length of 10km at right,along the Siret river and with 3km along the railway Focsani-Marasesti.The Russian forces were blownaway ,some of them crossed on the left side of the Siret shore,under the protection of the Romanian artillery,and the big chunk was running disorderly to the north ,leaving their strongholds one after the other,without putting up the slightest of fights. It was after the expression of a Russian historyograph “the first act of cowardice made by the Russians on the Romanian front”. Many will follow.

7 February , 2009

the map of the battle of 6th of August 1917

front roman=romanian front

front rus=russian front,.....R=regiment,D=division,R=romanian,Rs=russian,G=german Inf=infantry

7 February , 2009

The Romanian intervention

Alarmed by the disaster of the 34^th Division and the danger of the situation created,the russians commanders ask for the help of the neighbouring romanian army.The romanian headquarter did not hesitate.It was a question of defending romanian land.Urgent orders are sent to from the Romanian headquarter to General Christescu,commander of Ist romanian Army,to quicken up the pace of crossing the romanian troops from the left shore of Siret river to the right one.General Christescu tightened the deffensive front of Siret river,which was kept from Liesti till Movileni by the 2^nd cavalry Division, with infantry and artillery troops,making a group under the command of General Greceanu.On the eastern shore of Siret,from Movileni to Cosmesti,were gathered the troops of the VIth Romanian Army Corps-divissions 5^th and 9^th-waiting to be crossed over Siret,to change ,as planned,the rusian troops.Under the pressure of the bad event of that day ,the operation could not be done with the time needed.The 5^th Division was ordered to quick up the pace and to cross their trops in the same afternoon,6^th of August,on the right shore of Siret river,to fill up the hole left by the 34^th Russian Division

The soldiers of the 5^th Division start marching at 4 in the afternoon.The 32^nd Mircea Regiment crosses the bridge at Cosmesti at 8 in the evening,between the russian groups which were running in disorder,without weapons,with their heads uncovered,some pedestrians,others on horses or in the carriages which were running in the horses gallop.A cazac military police ,with baionets mounted on their weapons,was trying to mentain order,stopping the runners to get onto the bridge.To open up the way to the Romanian regiment to cross to the front,they had to put a machinegun in firing position on the bridge and fire a few shots in the wind.Through the darkness which was falling stronger by the minute,guided only by the rockets thrown by the enemy,which draw the night sky with traces of different colours,the soldiers of 32^nd Mircea Regiment arrive on the frontline indicated –Girla Morilor-and assume position between Moara Alba and the western border of the Strajescu village.In the power of the night ,between the clocks 1 and 4,they organize their position,digging trenches,disturbed at every minute by the machineguns and patrols of the enemy.

On the boat bridge from Furceni,the 8thBuzau Regiment crosses the Siret river occupying Doaga.The whole of Siret shores are full of unorganized Russians.the regiment receives fire from the left,from the direction of Strajescu forrest.The romanians have no artillery ,which has been left on the left shore of Siret river,they advance as to occupy Strajescu village which they thought is still in russian hands.To their big surprise ,the romanians see themselves ,all of a sudden,attacked by a violent machinegun fire,which was coming from the outskirts of the village but mostly from the north-east line of Strajescu forrestthe russians evacuated the position and run away,without announcing the romanians,and behind them the germans occupied ,withot a fight the village and the forrest.the soldiers of 8^th Buzau regiment are not intimidated and attacks the enemy.A live fight of rifles ,grenades and machine guns is cooking in the middle of the night.The germans are pushed back a few hundred meters;they climb the machineguns up into the trees and start a killing machine gun fire over our troops which were advancing and over the reserve troops.Towards Dawns the fight is burning down;our losses are felt.The soldiers dig trenches for cover and fix their position on a line between Doaga and Strajescu,in next to 32^nd Regiment,which occupies at the right Girla Morilor.

7 February , 2009

All night the romanian artillery on the eastern shore of Siret river,high and steep ,has bombarded the german positions on the front shore,downstream,causing losses in both men and material to the germans.In the same time the other romanian divisions started to move,going in the direction of the forsaken placeThe 9^th Division was gathering at Cosmesti,14^th Division at Umbraresti and Dorasti,the 13^th Division concentrated at Matca;the smaller units were through the intermediary villages.Other divisions were marching from Northern Moldavia towards south.The whole Siret valley was filled with marching Romanian troops;a breach was made in the barrier which defended for six months the piece of land in which unchaining,virtue,and the life of the country was concentrated.Who was to fill the breach with more heart,then the romanian’s chests? .

8 February , 2009

Second day,7^th of August.

The Battle from Doaga.

The dawns of 7^th of August finds the 5^th romanian Division in position,in the center of the offensive sector of Ist german Corps,occupying the front on Girla Morilor.The right wing of the division connects with the remains of the 34^th russian Division ,at Moara Alba,and at the left prolonges between Doaga and Strajescu villages,leaning thus over Siret river,at Furcenilor.The 9^th romanian Division is spread on the left shor of Siret river:their artillery fires in the ribs,from dominant position,the german troops on the right shore.

Mackensen renounces at the plan of crossing Siret.After not being able to do “the surprise crossing”,von Eben reports that neither the plan of “crossing the river by force”has more of a chance.The front shore of the river is well fortified with Romanian troops and artillery,and this artillery is wonderfully shooting making heavy losses in the day to 12^th bavarian Division.Today the german attack would have in the ribs also the 5^th romanian Division,which is on the righy shore of Siret.This enterprise will be risky and exposed to a bloody failure.So the plan of crossing the SIret is renounced altogether:the 12^th Bavarian Division is let to rest and observe on the shore of the river,and Morgen receives the order to push with full strength the other three divisions-216,76,89-and to put in to the fighting line also the 115^th Division,which was kept in reserve.Morgen attacks with full power the front of the 5^th romanian Division.The german artillery starts to bobard the Russian-romanian lines,mostly the points Bizichesti, Moara-Alba ,Moara –Rosie and Doaga village;the artillery of the 5^th romanian divisions responds with”shot by shot”The germans have discovered the vulnerable point of the Romanian frontAt the right wing of the romanians are the leftovers of the 34^th russian Division.One column of the 89^th german Division attacks this very spot.The russians don’t hesitate much and run off their positions,leaving the right Romanian flank uncovered.Through this breach ,storms the thick of the 76^th german division,to turn the Romanian position.It is a critical moment.General Razu ,the commander of the 5^th Romanian Division,sends two battalions of the 7^th Regiment,which he kept till then in reserve,behind the 32^th Regiment.The romanians arrive in a hurry, they attack in point 77 the enemy, which was coming from Bizighesti, managing to stop the “stream of germans “and to fill the breach.

The preparations for the final german attack are finished around 11 o’clock.All the artillery has been brought near the new front,and the troops of the three german divisions:89,76 and 216 are ready to throw themselves over the line occupied by the for Romanian regiments:7,32,3 and 8.At half past eleven,the german bombardment,ignited from cannons of all kind of calibers,especially 105 caliber and 150,becomes frightening. Our positions(romanian) organized in haste,during the night,by the troops tiered by marching all day, are carefully distroied. The german artillery aimings,goes over and beyond our lines to the reserves.In Jugastru valley,a company of 32 Regiment, gathered here, without trenches is completely destroyed-amongst the dead is also their commander, Captain Andreescu.The bridge over Siret,from Cosmest i, is bombed with 210mm shells.

….

At noon,the enemy center begins to roll the waves of the 76^th german Division against 32^nd Mircea Regiment,between Moara Alba and Strajescu.All afternoon,till late into the night,the enemy attacked furiously,without stop,only for brief moments just as to remake the rare lines,in which time the artillery was restarting the bombardment over our lines well sighted.It is a frontal attack but full of violence,of overwhelming power.The first enemy troop waves are rejected over the whole front line by our macinegun fires;but they renew themselves and come in greater numbers all the time.Our fires cuts them,but also the rows of romanians are macerated..The reserve troops are running in haste to fill up the gaps on one side and the other. Between the two belligerant front lines ,the continous bombardment has rose a cloud of smoke and dust,so thick that the eyesight is obstructed ,so the fight stops for a few moments. The germans are using it to dig trenches and to form up for advance their reserves.The fight begins .The heat is overwhelming. The August rays of sun burns the fighters.Raws of sweat plough the blackened faces.Teargasses blinds the eyes and chocke the breathing.The Romanian soldiers throw away their blouses and their metal helmets.In their shirts with folded sleaves, heads uncovered, they rush to the counterattacks with their bayonets .The germans are stunned by the unexpected apparitions:veterans which have fought in colonies,clarifie their camarads that they benn attacked by” african soldiers”…

A little to the right,the enemy artillery concentrates their power over Doaga village.The hunters of the 3^rd Regiment have serious losses, between officers and soldiers.Captain Dumitru Florea deadly wounded by a shell,is climbed upon a brancard,when a second shell breaks him to pieces.His soldiers burry him just there ,on the battlefield in the infernal noise of 300 or 400 cannons,which salute him with honour.The attack of the enemy infantry against Doaga starts at 12 o’clock,but as thei reach our lines,they are attacked by hunters(Regiment of mountain hunters,which is an infantry regiment) with their bayonets and thrown in Strajescu village.

But Morgen is renewing all the time the waves of attackfrom the reserves of his three divisions.The Romanian raws of soldiers are decimated by the concentrated fire of the enemy.The Officers fall one after the other,commanders of platoons,companies,battalions.The romanian Front is breaking .Battalions 2nd and 3rd of Mircea Regiment are crushed,their remaining troops are retreating to the bridge at Cosmesti .The Commander of the Regiment,Col.Stamate,is trying to form at the command center a point of resistance with a hand of machine guns,but fells wounded by a bullet in the stomach.A handful of officers of which the French Captain Soubilleau , manages to gather some hundreds of men,the remains of the regiment,and brings them to Prisaca Forrest (Padurea Prisaca),on the shore of Siret,constituting them in reserve.

\through the breach of the front line,the germans are advancing till 500 m south of Susita corner and Jugastru valley.The troops of the 76^th german Division are executing now a surrounding to the left,to fall in the back of 7^th romanian Regiment,heavily attacked frontal by the 89^th german Division.One company of the Romanian regiment sacrifices staying on the spot,remaining behind,until is completely destroyed.Under her protection,the thick of the other battalions retreat to gather on the outskirts of Calini wood,in the angle of the railway Marasesti-Cosmesti.

Abig gap has produced now at the right wing of the 5^th romanian infantry division;the russian troops from here ,the remains of the 34^th Division have left a long time ago.A russian battalion is send to patch the opening,but it is altogether insufficient and unsure.From Cosmesti nears in forced march a newRomanian unit :the 9^th romanian Division had crossed one of its brigades on the right side of Siret river wit an artillery division.By nightfall,few battalions arrive on the battlefield front,and took position at the righr side of the 5^th romanian Division,closing again the romanian front.

At half four,Morgen throws into battle the whole 216^th Division against Doaga village.Four strong columns begin their attack against the Romanian positions ,defended by 8^th Buzau Regiment and by a battalion of the 3^rd Hunters Regiment.In the field razed and without shelters ,between Strajescu village and Doaga village,a real firing polygon,the enemy columns are blownaway by the machine guns and artillery baraj fire of the romanians.The Bayonet completes the masterpiece .The field is filled with enemy dead bodies:353^rd and 354^th enemy regiments have severe losses.The attack is crushed in the blood of the attacker.

But the germans don’t give up.Furious by the bloody failure,they begin at five o’clock a new bombardment which reaches ,after one hour a horrifying violence.For three hours,cannons of all calibers beat with furry.The fronline of the 8th Romanian Regiment is covered by a thick black ashed smoke of gunpowder,dust and toxic gas es,which chokes and blinds.At quarter past nine,through the blackness of night which was falling and of the smoke that veiled everything,an enemy column approaches unseen by anyone at Doaga.goes through a cornfield unoccupied by the romanian hunters battalion and turns the Romanian position which attacks frontal and in flankA savage battle body against body cooks.Taken by surprise,the romanians cannot recollect themselves immediately;they have to leave Doaga village and retreat,with heavy losses,on the south edge and west edge of Prisaca Forrest(Padurea Prisaca),behind the reserve troops.The soldiers are finished withexhaust.They haven’t slept in the last three days and nights,always marching and heavy fighting.Some of them cannot articulate a word .In the forrest they fell to the ground taken by a deep sleep.Still the new line of resistance organizes solid;The officers are between the men,encouraging them.The enemy is also tierd and has given up attacks.

The day have been a bloodbath.The losse were big,both sides.The 5^th romanian Division had 44 officers and 1770 soldiers dead,wounded or missing.The calculus for victory was weak for the germans:it was well disproportional with the sacrifaces made.The Romanian Front hasn’t benn broken in any place;it managed to iremediate with 2-3km backwards,along a line which passed from west to east,1,5 km north of Bizighesti- Susits elbow-Jugastru valley-the nortern edge of Doaga village.But the most important discovery was made by the german commander was-with a lot of unpleasantness –that in the place of the russians the romanians yelded,and these are serious adversaries.An official german description of the day:”at 7^th of August the enemy front strengthens.Powerful enemy forces were brought in fast marches to the point of breakthrough,to stop our advance and strengthen the Russian resistance.In strong counterattacks,executed-in the opinion of our infantry-with a brilliant air,are the Romanians trying to repair the Russian failure in the eve…”

In this day also arrives on the battlefield the commander of thrXVIII-th german Army Corps,General vonWenninger,which takes his command,while in Focsani and the surroundings they organize the general reserve of the army with elements,newly arrived,of the divisions 212^th,13^th and of the alpine Corps.The frame of the german power offensive is now complete.

9 February , 2009

The third day,8^th of August, The Battle of Patrascani

Having the consequences imposed by the unfolding of Doaga battle,Makensen decided to change the initial direction of his attack plan.Looking for the sector occupied by the russians,he moved a bit to the left the direction of the attack.In the eve he renounced the idea of forcing the Siret,to attack towards north.Today he gave up the attack to north and choose as attack zone the sector which was beyond the railway,with the center in Patrascani.In the raport to the army ,von Eben said:”The strong resistance overcome by the Ist Army Corps in the battle days till today,from the forces strengthened hard,of the enemy,has made the necessity of a new decision “.Mackensen has found the tactic formulae:avoiding romanians,attacking the russians.

The attack of the 8^th of August was combined with the attack of the Gerock Group,on the mountaineous front of the west.The battle of Oituz was starting ,this day, for the incercling the IInd Romanian Army.The mission given to von Eben was conquering Clipicesti-Diocheti,stretched obliquely from south-west to north –east;to close Putna valleys ,of Susita and Zabautu,making thus a baraj on the roads, cutting the way of retrat of the troops of the IInd Romanian Army ,which had then to be thrown towards east by Gerock offensive.The attac k wil be commenced by the 115^th german Division,which was kept in reserve,at Faurei;she was elongated by 89^th and 76^th divisions,on a line from Ivancesti,on Putna-the south of Calin forrest,in the Susita elbow.The right flank of the german attack front was defended by the 212^th Division along Siret,in the region Ciuslea-Radulesti,replacing thus the 12^th bavarian Division which was taken out and brought back to Faureni.

On the Romanian Front they continued to gather troops into the fighting zone.Three regiments of the 9^th Division,togheter with the artillery of the division,were marching as to occupy their positions on the front;the 40thRegiment was overimposed over the troops of the 5^thromanian Division;only one regiment was still on the left shore..In the place of the 9^th romania Division came the troops of the 14^th romanian Division,on the left shore of Siret,ready at a sign to cross the river.A very powerful heavy Romanian artillery was now stretched on this shore ,from Cosmesti from the hill to Movileni:17 batteries of caliber 105-155mm;she kept under her fire Girla Morilor,Doaga,Strajescu,Ciuslea and Padurea Neagra.At the right of the romanian sector,between 9^th romanian Division and 13^th russian Division,it was overimposed the 71^st russian Division,brought from reserve.

All morning till noon,the germans and the romanians have bombarded eachother ’s positions. The german bombardment was made with an extraordinary waste of ammunition, which made our soldiers to say that they installed near each battery an ammunition factory.On the Romanian Front of the 5^th romanian Division the germans have tried several attacks, some of them reaching our barb wire fence.All of them have been easily rejected by the baraj artillery fire and by the machin guns.Especialy has suffered heavy losses the infantry of the 76^th german Division,which was surprised in open field by the fire of machineguns of the 5^th romanian Division, redrew on the edge of the Calin Forrest.

The main attack was made by the germans over the Russian Front, kept by the 71^st and 13^th divisions.The attack given with powerful forces and with a violence beyond say,has defeated the russians, producing them considerable losses.One Russian regiment was almost wiped out.The germans said that only one sanitary company has buried at Patrascani 800 russian dead bodies.The Russians have lost the villages Patrascani and Batinesti and have disorderly retreated to Susita.The german front has advanced on a line to the north of those villages,connecting them to the right,over the railway and driveway ,with the front of the 76^th austrian Division, from the XVIIIth Corps,brought forth by the advancing of the Ist german Corps,she has done progress to Olesesti.With this face,the fighting action was progressing step by step from east to west,transmitted to the sector Wenninger Corps,quiet till then.

All night between 8-9 August,the artillery bombardment was very violent forseeing a hard day.

……

9 February , 2009

The fourth day,9^th of August.

The 9^th Romanian Division in the attack sector.

With all the yesterday’s succes on the Russian Front, the german commandment has no reason to be pleased:the target proposed by the new offensive to north-west has not been touched and the line Clipicesti-Diocheti was still far away.So the action wil continue doday with power in the same direction and by the same units,as yesterday ,by the 115^th,89^th and 78^th divisions, from east to west.In the left of the german attack sector ,the 62^nd austro-hungarian Division will join the fight, as far as the circumstances will permit, and on the right side ,the 216^thgerman division will attack the positon occupied by the 5^th romanian Division.Along Siret, in Ciuslea sector, the 212^th and 303^rd german divisions will maintain their resistance positions, facing east.The main blow will be received by the 71th Russian Division, seated in front of 76^th and 89^th german divisions,as well as the 13^th russian Division,disposed in font of the 115^th german Division and 62^nd Austrian.The germans were following consecvent their tactic program :attacking only the Russian troops.But again the saying”the money count you make at home is different from how much tou’ll spend in the market”-romanian saying.The 9^th Romanian Division has reached the front.In the night 8-9 August it has replaced the 71^st Russian Division, elongating the right wing of the 5^th Romanian Division,on a line which was the same as the driveway Panciu-Tecuci., til the south –west corner of Calini forrest(Padurea Calini).In the sector of the 9^th Division,two battalions of the regiments 34 and 36,on from each regiment, were in the first line,another three in the second line.The 9^th Hunters Regiment was in the reserve of the division, north of Marasesti. The rest of the division in the army reserve.

The first front line ,inherited from the Russians had no organization whatsoever of defence.Over the whole stretch was only the south trench of the driveway, dug here and there to shelter the shooters standing on theur knees.It was the line on which the 71^st Russian Division has stopped on 8^th of August, unorganized by defeat and anarchy.On the stretch of a sector,which a Romanians battalion came to , there were in the first line as Russian defense troops, one soldier every big distance.,and in the second line ,companies of 20 or 30 soldiers!On the other hand,through the corn field,in the back of this position ,it was found in the morning, more tan a thousand Russian weapons,trown away;over the day around 10 soldiers came ,looking for their weapon for fear of being shot.In this open field ,without threnches and defense, the troops of the 9^th Romanian Division had to receive the fight.At the left of the 9^th Division, from Calini forrest to Siret, the 5^th Division was disposed with four battalions in the frontline, another three in the second line and in the third line with the 9^th Rimnicu Sarat Regiment,in the reserve of the division.On the eastern shore of Siret, the place of the 9^th division was taken by the 14^th Romanian Division,and the field artillery of this division was strenghtening the 17^th batteries of the heavy artilleryIn this way the Romanian front stretched in a transversal line continues between Siret and and Focsani-Marasesti dreiveway, it was very well flanked on the left leaning on the Siret.The critical point was at the right in the Russian sector,west of the driveway, where the 71^st Russian Division has shaken the front. The two Romanian divisions were commanded by two trialed armymen:General Razu and General Scarisoreanu,which have given the proof of their military skills in the 1916 campaign.These divisions constituted together with the VIth Romanian army Corps, commanded by General Eremia Grigorescu, the famous “Defender of Oituz”.General Christescu, commander of the I-st Romanian Army, was aquainted with “the troop” and their commanders. He knew that, in the pretious moments,grave,that they were living and of the danger which was well realized,the soldiers, the officers and the commanders ,are all decided to the Last Effort ,for facing the enemy menacing to conquer the last piece of land on which the Independent Romanian Flag was still upheld.And also to revenge tha shameful and humiliating campaign of 1916.The Commandment of the Ist Army was sure of its men,he was only waiting for the initial crisis, rivered from the surprise of the german attack, by the desertion of the russian troops and by the need of transporting the romanian troops,,to come to an end,so that they coud step to the best means that an attacked troop has, which is the counteroffensive over the enemy.For one moment,Christescu,thought that the enter in the front of VI-th Army Corps,will give him this will.In understanding with General Ragoza, the commander of the IVth Russian Army-which has arrived in the third day since of the Battle of Marasesti has started,,to take control of his armies,has decided to retake the counteroffensive to win the frontlines Bizighesti-Strajescu.Many things made that the planned counteroffensive not to start that very day,and be postponed for the next day.The artillery brought into position ,had not the time to make sufficient preparation.The 9^th Division was tierd by the last days marches;she had on the frontline only one of her brigades ,and in the first line there have been installed only three battalions,which have been hard working to deepen the trenches and organize the fighting position.The 5^th romanian Division and 71^st russian Division, weakened by the previous fights, were not yet capable of offensive.All these made that an attack over the enemy, which had four divisions in the first line, to seem rather risky.

So ,in the day of 9^th of August, the romanian-russian troops will maintain defensive on the front of the three divisions:5^th and 9^th romanians,71^st russian.

……..

9 February , 2009

Andrei, it is very interesting to read the material and I appreciate the hard work involved. Please only publish as much as you are able.
If you reduce the size of image and the size of the file, then it will upload. If you would like me to do this for you, then do not hesitate to send the images to me. I will PM you with my email details.

Robert

Do you think I shall continue with the translation and keep publishing?I it is nut such pleasant fiction....Not to mention the English-Linguata mistakes I make.

10 February , 2009

Andrei, it is wonderful material. Do not worry about any linguistic problems! The content is clear. It is so interesting to see the details. What an extraordinary defence! The manoeuvre of crossing the river and then creating a defensive position would have been extremely difficult.

You must only provide as much material as you feel able to do. Anything is very welcome, but I understand that it is an onerous task.

I have received your other images, thank you. Today, I travel to Barcelona. During the weekend, I will resize the images and then upload them here for you.

Robert

10 February , 2009

Robert,

Yes,it is a Honour task.

Andrei

10 February , 2009

The heroic fight of the 9^th Division.

The germans have prepeared the today attack, by a long(time) bombardment of the romanian-russian positions.In the afternoon of the day,the bombardment has reached its paroxysm.The romanian and russian artillery answers with equal strength on the whole line of Siret shores and valley,way up to Panciu hills.The wholw battlefield is covered by the projectiles smoke which explode over friendly and unfriendly positions.Shells of different calibers, srapnels , brizants ,asfixiants,with smokes of different colours,are intersecting their trajectories in all directions,and the thick clouds,yellow-redish,of the choking gasses ,are crawling the Earth,veiling the trenches with their poisonous myst.At 6:30 in the evening ,the german artillery is extending its aiming,and the attack waves of th e76th german Division starts towards the positions occupied by Russians in the eve.To their surprise,instead of Russians,ready to run away,the germans are greeted by the Romanians,which resist with manhood and counterattack with vigour.The Romanian artillery opens ,to its turn,a baraj fire very well aimed ,and the machineguns crops the terrain in front of the lines.The upwind of the enemy is drowned in its own blood and the broken and rared raws are getting to a stop.The germans are always changing the palce of the attack.Wherever they make the attempt of breaking,at the edge of Calin forrest,at the point of union of the 5^th Division with the 9^th,on the sectors of front ,of regiments 36 and 34,to the right wing of the 9^th Division,everywhere the resistance is stubborn and the enemy has to withdrew ,seeding the terrain with dead bodies and the wounded. Arround seven in the evening the battle is at its apogee.Big attacks ,in successive waves,are given on the whole front of the 9^th Division,which has only two battalions in the first line.An enemy column ,of three battalions,starts furiously over our left wing,which is made out of a single battalion of 36^th Regiment,they attack him in front and on the flankand they infiltrate between him and the right wing of the 5^th neighbor Division ,to the north of the driveway Susita.The Romanians are decimated and forced to withdraw from their positions with heavy losses;their neghbours on the left have to retreat as well.The two battalions,with the help received from reserves,are stopping few hundred meters behind railway Marasesti-Tecuci and they strengthen themselves on the terrain.

In the same time,to the right wing of the 9^th Division, the russians are stopping their resistance and start to retreat in chaos,uncovering the flank ,of the Romanian battalion, to their right(The IInd romanian Army,34^th Regiment).

The situation has become extremely critical.Two breaches have been made in the defense front,at the two flanks of the 9^th Division,between them the enemy flows have started to make way.But the critical moment is not long.The Commander of the brigade is in place of the peril and he is named Colonel Stan Poetas ;he is the commander from Amzacea,Topraisar and Neajlov.Mounted on a giant horse, much like himself,the commander is always in the middle of his troops,passing from one group to the other ,giving orders with a cold blood.His presence and his courage is rising the moral of the officers and the troop.The attacked battalions are keeping their positions with heroism; they stay now like two unmovable pillars under the powerful enemy blows. And between the neighbouring empty spaces,reserve troops,placed in rows in depth,are thrown to lightning counterattack against the enemy which was advancing triumvial.The commanders of the counterattacking units are at the honour and danger place, infront of their troops. On each side of the battalion of the 34^th Constanta Regiment, isolated in advanced position,are hasting to counterattack the two reserve battalions.At the right side ,beyond the railway ,the 1^st Battalion of the 34thConstanta Regiment, attacks with machinegun,with grenade and bayonet.Captain Stefanescu,the commander of the battalion,falls dead,pierced by bullets,in front of his troops ,but his soldiers have started as a tornade, drawing back to the fight also the Russians ,who left the front,reject the germans,they advance all the time without being impressed by the enemy artillery ,they take 60 prissoners together with they commanding officer,never to stop till they reach the german trenches on the shore of Seci Susita(the Dry Susita).

At the left,in the emty space between regiments 34^th and 36^th,throws the other battalion from reserve of the 34thRegiment.Just like their mates on the right side,the soldiers are advancing with strength through the rain of bullets and grenades.The officers are in the firsts of the front lines,giving a good example to the troops,by their enthusiasm and despise for death.They fall one after the other. Frome the whole battalion ther’s only one officer left;the commander himself, Major Gheorghiu, fells ,wounded.All three battalions of trhe regiment are now on a line that advances on an tough fight.The enemy is taken out ,of our positions, where he had installed, and send beyond the trenches from which he has attacked.

To the left side of the division front, where the danger is greater, the battalion in the second lin of 36^th Regiment,is running to help the mates of the same regiment ,which holds with difficulty the railway Marasesti-Cosmesti.The fight is furious,cause the enemy is superior by force and encouraged by the small initial success. The two romanian battalions of the 36^th Regiment are engulfed in the death current.Both commanders of the said battalions,Majors Barozzi and Georgescu Dumitru, fell dead.The commander of the regiment,Colonel Georgescu Ioan, was personally driving the troops. Wounded twice,in the arm and knee,he doesen’t leave the fight, commanding the counterattack when a bullet goes through his chest from one side to the other…The command of the regiment is taken by a captain ;one after the other fell the officers;the french Locotenent (translation?) Binsse takes the command of a company, of which commander fell, encouraging the men and keeps them on fighting. The “price” is not in vain ;the enemy is thrown out from here as well,from the positions he has conquered,and send with big losses to Suta Seaca valley.

All the gain made by the germns ,with heavy losses,is now lost.Towards east,the artillery on the left shore of Siret violently bombards in flank the german lines,making big losses to 216^th,212^th and 303^rd divisions.At the center,in the middle of the duel of the two artilleries adversary , which does not weakens the strength ,german troops attack the front of the 9^th Division,without being able to take out of their positions the heroic troops of 34^th and 36^th regiments.The 5^th Division takes part in the fight with troops of the 32^nd Mircea Regiment .The Romanian troops have had very big casualties and cannot occupy the line on the whole stretch.Empty spaces appear in which the enemy tries to infiltrate.In the emty space of 2km at the right side of 34^th Regiment,by retreating the right wing of the 36^th Regiment ,the enemy has established itself in the trnch of the driveway,next to the Romanian line,but facing north, towards Marasesti.He is trying tu turn the Romanian wing.The commander of the Romanian battalion takes measures for defence,by rising a wall of dead bodies in the driveway trench;the germans ar doing the same on the other side and, sheltered by this double dead bodies wall

,the two enemies are watching and attacking eachother.Only in the morning of the next day, a romanian platton attacks and by body to body fight they manage to away the enemy and to evacuate the trench. The enemy attack was defeated. We won. But so dear we had to pay!The 34^th Regiment had lost 35 officers:eight dead,27 wounded; the troop 309 dead,1242 wounded.Almost all battalions commanders were dead or wounded. From the rest of the three battalions of 34^th Regiment ,Constanta,(Commander Colonel Dumbrava),of which behavior was one of deepest admiration, they could reconstitute during the night only one battalion.From the rests of the two battalions of 36^th Regiment, very cruel trialed, they could reconstitute only one unit of 200 men, with eight officers.

A hard day had passed.Bloody and full of life-gaving,but of courage giving,of trust and proud.The romanian troops have made the probe of a beautiful soldiery qualities and solid war knowledge.The undefeated power of resistance whit which they endured the violent bombardment,with all the isuficency of the trenches,dug in haste,the splendid coat of the division artillery, which sustained with energy at all times the action of infantry,with which whom cooperated most tightly ,the judicious set of the division units in depth,,which made capable the throwing of the reserve troops to counterattack in the critical moment,the devotion,abnegation, and the spirit of life-giving shown by the commanders, which have been in front of the troops, giving the highest example,and above all the incomparable braveness and heroism of the soldiers, which followed their officers into the death spin,gave us the victory.The 9^th Division has made the blood baptize in the battle of Marasesti, in circumstances which were up to the fame earned in Dobrogea and on Neajlov.

In the russian sector,the right wing of the 89^th german Division, taken in to flank by the artillery of the 9^{th Romanian} Division, had big losses and realized small progress.To the west ,the germans, encountering a less resistance, have advanced in the interior angle of the divisions 71^st and 13^th russian. Their offensife here is in full development.

.......

11 February , 2009

The fith day,10^th of August

The tragic counteroffensive

To reconstitute the fighting front after the bloody day in the eve,General Scarisoreanu puts in the line the 9the Hunters Regiment.By doing this he manages to make hardly seven battalions of which he sets three in the first line,two in the sector reserves and two in the division reserve.The 35 th Regiment it is at the disposal of the Army Corps, as general reserve.The artillery of the 9^th Division is all in position.At the left of the 9^th Division,the 5^th Division was decimated more,after three days of bloody fights.Men are send to complete it, from the regiments of march, so General Razu can place five battalions in the first line and five in reserve.The 9^th Regiment stays in the reserve of the division.The 13^th Romanian Division has crossed the Siret and finds herself between Marasesti and Padureni,ready to enter the fight.

With all the exhaust and shortening of his troops,General Christescu persists in his opinion that the best defense is the counteroffensive.In understanding with Ragoza,they set for 5 in the evening the attack against the enemy front,having as first objective pushing the front on the line Bizighesti-Strajescu,and as a second objective,to occupy Girla Morilor.

All day,the two artilleries have bombarded the adverse positions with unstoppable fury.Our airplanes glide over enemy positions,throwing bombs,or shoot with machinegun from small heights .Dogfights are beginning;from time to time a giant bird ,hit by death,can be seen falling onto the ground.

At the set hour for the attack,the artillery targets her fire further,throwing srapnels behind enemy lines. The attack of the infantry unleashes on the whole line of the driveway Focsani-Marasesti,up to Siret river. The soldiers get out of their trenches and start with an astonishing enthusiasm and despite for death in the flat terrain , uncovered, without the slightest of shelter.

From the intact german lines,undestroyed by the artillery fire,which was not enough,the enemy prepeared for attack,waves down fires over the braves that are advancing to attack.

At the extreme right line of the 9^th Division,the soldiers of the single battalion left of 34^th Regiment,get out of the trenches and haste themselves to attack between the bullets falling like rain over them.They are alone:at the right side the Russians are not getting out of the trenches ,and at the left side their mates ,from 36^thRomanian Regiment,are pinned down by the machinegun fire of the enemy from the trench of the driveway.Under the sheet of bullets and machinegunings,,the soldiers of the 34^th Constanta Regiment advance;in ahead of the battalion,falls firstly the commander,Major Mihail,then one by one the other officers.The French Captain,Pierre Bart,which has taken place in the first raws of the heroic constanters(soldiers from Constanta),fells down wounded.The battalion has reached its first objective;he is reduced to less than half ,though.From the back reserves,arrives a battalion fron the 30^th Romanian Regiment,which replaces him.

At the left of the 9^th Division,the 9^th Hunters Regiment is waiting apprehensively the moment of the attack.;the hunters will fulfill their duty with the legendary heroism of Amzacea,Topraisar and Neajlov.But the commander of the brave regiment,the unfearful Rasoviceanu foresees that the attack wil be premature,that the bridge over Suta Seaca,which has cost till now hundreds of Romanian lives ,is filled with enemy machineguns,over which,our artillery,not adjusted enough,had no effect whatsoever.

Rasoviceanu asks for postponing of the attack.The commander of the army corps takes this remark as one of fear and exclaims:”the infantry must not know what machinguns are”,he repeats the attack order immediately.The trumpet man ,sirens the attack;the battalion of major Virtejeanu starts with enthusiasm,throwing himself in the middle of a shattering artillery baraj,bombards and machinegun fire.The soldiers of two plattons ,just as they stood up from their trenches,and were thrown to the ground ,by the cutting machine gun fires installed in the trees of the driveway;the rest of the battalion advances wave after wave and disappears in the spin of the fire,covered by the thick cloud of smoke risen by the explosion.The commander of the regiment kneeled down ,and shouted:”Forgive me my brothers!”.

After two hours,the rays of the setting sun, lightened the total catastrophe of the heroic battalion: sixteen officers and five hundred soldiers lay dead on the battlefield, at 50 meters from their point of start. Atop of them ,fell dead the commander ,Major Virtejeanu,one of the elite army officers,and so much many neared him!The result of the bloody attack was that the right wing of 9^th Division managed to reach Susita Seaca,which could not cross;the rest was all on the starting line.Regiments 34 and 36 are almost completely wiped out .Regiment 34^th Constanta had to be withdrew from front:of 3000 men which has started the fight in the eve,had remained 200 with seven officers.The remains of the 36^th Regiment have been also withdrew from the fight.The 9^th Hunters Regiment was also halfed.The Front of the 9^th Division has been left only with 40^th Regiment,and the commander of the division has obtained,finally to obtain the 35^th Regiment which has been kept in army reserve.

On the Front of the 5^th Division the Romanian attack is given in almost the same circumstances.In the right sector of the division,the soldiers of the 7^th Regiment and with the remains of the 32^nd Regiment are advancing in Jugastru valley,in the middle of a storm of bullets and shrapnels.At the edge of the 59 point small forest,ther is a nest of machineguns,which will make a baraj of fires,which cannot be crossed.The first three waves of Romanian attack are decimated.One company of the iind Battalion/7 is exterminated:the commander of the battalion,Captain Constantinescu,fells dead ahead of his troops.Even the commander of the brigade,Colonel Caracas is wounded and evacuated.

In the left sector of the 5^th Division,3^rd Hunters Regiment and 8^th Buzau Regiment attacks the village Doaga.The enemy has fortified the village very strong,surrounding it with trenches and barb wire and filled it with machinegun nests ,hidden in the houses and in the trees at the outskirts of the village.The enemy artillery set at the south of the village,has beaten with gret precision all day the troops in Prisaca forest(Padurea Prisaca),but because of the sandy terrain has not made great damage to them.At five o clock unleashes the Romanians attack.The 8^th Regiment attacks the sat by the front,and the hunters from the west.The soldiers of the assault battalion of Buzau Regiment,advance under the rain of bullets which flows over them from the edge of the village.The men have to hit the ground and crawl forward,for advance, crawling one after the other,till they reach 150 meters to the village.Here the attack is stopped by the machinegun nests,intact,undestroyed by our artillery.Our 53mm canons fire upon enemy strongholds,destroying few machinegun nests,but there are plenty left to forbid our advance.our assaults are in vain.The raws of the heroic soldiers are crushed helplessly ,before the barb wire net,by the machineguns killing fires.Wave after wave is testroyed;all companies commanders fell wounded.

At the right side of the buzauers(men from Buzau),the hunters startup from their trenches,to surround and attack the village frome the west.The waves of assault are advancing ,running fast,but in a complete order.The enemy fires a very precise baraj shooting,behind the attackers,on the edge of Prisaca forest,while the front lines of soldiers get into the killing flood of the machinegun fire at the outskirts of the village.The hunters do not weaken their elan,they annihilate the advanced enemy posts ,which they meet through the cornfield ,they advance all thetime,although their lines are raring and get 50- 150 meters to the edge of the village;small plattons have even managed to get into the village,from where they been driven back.But the fatal cutting puts to the ground officers and soldiers.The commander of the battalion is wounded and evacuated.The French Captain Raymond Gras throws himself ahead of his soldiers,and leads them till he is also wounded and evacuated.The chiefs of units are falling one after the other;company command is taken now by sub-lieutenants,of the sergents platoons.Some companies are without a single officer;the 7^th Company has reached the village entrance ,but has lost all officers and re employees and ther ‘s no one in command;their remains have to stop50 m from the edge of the village.The machine gun company remains with only one man a piece of gun,;they keep firing thus permitting to the warriors to dug themselves in shelters on the very spots.The reserve companies are trying heroic attacks in the sound of trumpets ,but they also have to stop in front of the deadly curtain.From the stopping line the soldiers at all times,over to the hidden enemy,machinegun fires,of rifle-machineguns and grenades.

From the direction of Strajescu enemy columns are advancing ,prepearing to counterattack.Our artillery ,on the left shore of the Siret,catches them in the middle of a very violent and precise firing range,and covers the field between Strajescu and Doaga with enemy dead bodies.Clouds of dust and smoke covers the village,on which the shadow of the night begins to fall.At the aid post of 3^rd Hunters Regiment ,it is a big crowd.The medical stuff cannot face up with somany wounded,which have to wait lomg hours till their turn.Then, the wounded officers ,with their heads and arms badaged,stand up on the edges of their stretchers ,and speak with soul to the soldiers.And thus,the mass of people have forgotten their misery and the agony of their full with holes bodies or torn ,the moanings and groaning have ceased,for enthusiastig cheers to cover the words of speakers which brings the full of admiration and gratitude of the country for which they have martyr.

Lately ,the regiment makes count:of the whole regiment,there are left 400 warriors with seven officers.

…The night begins to stretch its shadows over the field spread with dead bodies and soaked with blood.The forcing ,made with so much elan,starts to fade.The nois lowers slowly.From time to time,a cannon ,or a late rattle machine gun,a moan of a muribund.

Doaga village could not be taken by Romanians..The commander of the sector gives the order for retreat to the start positions.In front of the enemy lines the first raws of Romanian soldiers does not move.The retreat order is renewed.The same immobility.The shooters lay on the ground with the weapon reaching towards the enemy,unmoved,in the position they assumed under the stone rain of bullets over the day.A few times,the commander repeats the order by signalling,by agents but the rows stay unmoved.In the end the commander understood what distance impede him to see.Entire lines of shooters could not listen to his retreat orders anymore,as they listened the attack orders.They died without even trying a gesture of step aside,with their hands clutched on their weapons aimed as a sign of threat,towards the perimeters which will not let them to catch,in fair fight,brave fight,the enemy.

The assault troop has remained all night to guard before the enemy barb wire nets,as a symbol of fulfilling the duty, beyond death….West of the railway,in the russian sector,the germans continued to unfold their offensive action started in the eve.They have rejected on a large front the troops of the 71^st russian Division-which have fought badly-and they pushed the front line,in the shape of an angle,in the depth of the russian positions.,crossing over Susita.Hung by the german advance,the 62^nd austro-hungaran Division was advancing as well,almost without will,thus occupying the villages Oltesti and Tifesti,left by the russians.In the afternoon however,the russians started a counterattack from the direction of Poiana,with four battalions of the 13^th Division.The austrians have given thus to the Russians the possibility of a cheap success;they quickly withdrew from the conquered positions;a whole regiment have given up their weapons double-crossing thus to the enemy,together with all their material(military gear).The german troops of the alpine Corps ,situated in reserve near the front line,together with the left wing of the 115^th german neighbor Division,intervine into the fight and retake the position lost by the austrians.

The fifth day of the great battle was one of the bloodiest.On the romanian battlefield,a small success,payed dearly with great martyr.But also the adversary had to pay expensive for his resistance :the 89^th german Division,which was in front of the 5^th romanian Division,had big casualties.Overcome with exhaust,driven to half of its effectives ,had to be drawn out of the fight and brought behind the front,at Ivancesti,for rest and recovery.On the russian front however,the germans have made a felt success;they have pushed north the frontline, constituting a serious threat for the romanian flank and a joyful hope for the germans.The unfolding of the next day action will be made by exploiting this situation.

.....

12 February , 2009

The Six-th day,11^th of August

The reciprocal offensive

The painful sacrifices made by the 5^th and 9^th Divisions in the eve,have not been able to fulfill to a certain extent, the proposed objectives of the Romanian headquarter.The advance of the Romanian front has been made at the left wing of the 5^th Romanain Division,along Siret river,with 2km, up to Doaga village,and at the right wing of the 9^th Romanian Division with only few hundred meters,touching in this point the Susita Seaca valley.Between these two extreme points,the advance has been made little and unregulated ;the front was not continuous.General Christescu fixed as goal of today offensive action ,to reach the whole line Susita Seaca-Paduricea(small forest) at point 59-Jugastru valley-Doaga village,for to have on it the base for further attack of the line Bizighesti-Strajescu.For to reconstitute the fighting front of the 9^th Division,General Scarisoreanu brought to the line the 40^th Calugareni Regiment,of which only one has had gret casualties,but the other two were intact,as well as the 35^th regiment,which was kept till then in reserve.In the first line there were two battalions from 40^th Regiment and one from 35^th Regiment;in the second line was one battalion from the 49^th Regimentand two from the 35^th Regiment.As a reserve of division,were gathering north of Marasesti the remains of brave and unfortunate regiments,9^th Hunters and 36^th Infantry,which were completed by men from the march battalions.Thus was reconstituted the 9^th Hunters Regiment,with two battalions.The front of the 5^th Romanian Division was remade by taking out of the fight the 3^rd Hunters Regiment-which was decimated in thr eve attack-and bringing in his stead the 9^th Rimnicu Sarat Regiment,which was kept in the reserve corps.The raws of the 8^th Buzau Regiment were completed by men from March-ing Battalion.The 5^th Division was in this way maintaining the front ,with three battalions in the first line,two in the second line and three in the third line;the 9^th Regiment with three battalions was in the division reserve.

At Baltareti,on the left shore of Siret,it was a regiment of the 13^thRomanian Division,as a reserve of the VI-th Army Corps,and the rest of the division was crossed on the right shore,between Marasesti and Padureni as a reserve of the I-st Army.Along the left shore of Siret,the 14^th Division and the Cavalry Division, were maintaining the positions they had in the eve.

The offensive action wil be given on the whole front of 5^th and 9^th Divisions,with the involvement of the Russian divisions from the right.As the Romanian command was taking measures,the german commandment,was measuring himself for a great offensive which he has also planned for the same day.Under the impression of the success obtained yesterday on the Russian front,Mackensen was sure that he will be able to give today a major blow.This was supposed to be made out of two attacks:one attack wil be given at the left side of the IX-th german Army,in the sector of XVIII-th Wenninger Corps,which was inactive up until now.The concentrations of forces of this Corps was now complete.The Alpine Corps was now in position,overimposed between 62^nd Austrian Division,which has gathered her front-and 115^th German Division.The 13^th Austrian Division was in the Corps reserve,and the 217^th Division was taken from Gallawitz Army,and passed under the orders of XVIIIth Corps.Wenninger wil attack with the Alpine Corps,leaned on the right ,by ist german Corps:Morgen will attack wit 76^th and 12^th Bavarian Divisions-the las onetaken again into front,after rest and recovery.He will hit the Russian troops,made out from the remains of the 71^st and 34^th Divisions,along the driveway and railway Focsani-Marasesti-Adjud,in the right flank of the 9^th Romanian Division.So ,a double offensive,both hitting the Russian troops.The day of 11^th August was announced to be a bloody one,filled with high hopes ,both sides.The German offensive has started in the morning in Wenninger sector.The Alpine Corps attacks fith full strength the 15^th Russian Division,assaulting Poiana village,advancing all the way in to Susita valley.At the left the Austrians have occupied the village Sirb.The German front has made in this way an important advance;he mastered Susita valley,Putna valley up to Vitanesti.

.....

The Battle of Marasesti in Romania 6-19 August 1917

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