II. Bayer(ische?) Armee Korps

[ph0ebus]

Hi everyone,

I just learned of a distant relation who was an Unteroffizier (and perhaps even a higher rank) in the unit mentioned above. I am getting some confusing results via Google and was hoping someone could clarify what unit the II. Bayer Armee Korps was attached to (as listed in Histories of the 251 Divisions) and if a Unit History exists for this particular unit.

Next, I am now somewhat familiar with what a Leicht Munitions Kolonne is, but how is it the same or different from an Artillerie Munitions Kolonne?

Lastly, my understanding is that since this unit was (I think) a Bavarian unit, the records for individual soldiers still exist? If so, can someone who perhaps has ordered Bavarian Army service records tell me a bit about the process (cost?) and time frames?

Thanks,

-Daniel

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Daniel

Yes, it is the 5th Artillery Ammunition Column of the II Bavarian Army Corps, which consisted in 1914 of the 3rd and 4th Bavarian Divisions although its composition varied as the war progressed.

Each Army Corps had eight Infantry Amm Columns ands nine Artillery Amm Columns. They were divided into two groups which presumably worked alternately: 1-4 Inf and 1-4 Art ACs formed one group, and 5-8 Inf and 5-9 Art ACs formed the other. There were not, as far as I know, any "Leichte MKs" in WW1: it is a WW2 term.

Each column was roughly company-sized.

I do not have any info on whether the Bavarian men's service records have survived but someone else on the Forum should be able to tell you.

You will not find any of these units in "Histories of 241 German Divisions..." because they were not organic to divisions and, as I have mentioned, the divisions within a Corps changed over time. It is probably a fair bet, though, that in Aug 1914 they were supplying 77mm ammunition to the artillery of 3rd Bav Div, or maybe 4th.

Ron

[Jack Sheldon]

II Bavarian Army Corps was one of the three active Corps which formed the bulk of the war formations of the Bavarian Field Army. From 2 August 14 until 28 May 15 the Munitionskolonnen of that Corps were commanded by Oberstleutnant Gramich, but after May 1915 they were combined with the Trains (i.e. supply organisation and columns) under the command of the newly promoted Generalmajor z.D. Zach. I am fairly sure that a few histories of the Trains of some of the contingents of the German army were written, but I have no idea which they were. There is no history of II Bavarian Corps, except where it is mentioned in the Bavarian 'Official Histories'. I am as good as certain that the relevant files for the Bavarian Kolonnen/Trains will be somewhere in the Kriegsarchiv in Munich but, never having sought them out, I cannot be 100% definitive in this reply. The only way is to go and see. I have often seen references to 'Light Ammunition Columns' in the German Great War literature, by the way. In fact I have only just recently translated an eyewitness account from a gunner in the Light Ammunition Column of RFAR 54 for my forthcoming book on First Ypres.

Jack

[ph0ebus]

II Bavarian Army Corps was one of the three active Corps which formed the bulk of the war formations of the Bavarian Field Army. From 2 August 14 until 28 May 15 the Munitionskolonnen of that Corps were commanded by Oberstleutnant Gramich, but after May 1915 they were combined with the Trains (i.e. supply organisation and columns) under the command of the newly promoted Generalmajor z.D. Zach. I am fairly sure that a few histories of the Trains of some of the contingents of the German army were written, but I have no idea which they were. There is no history of II Bavarian Corps, except where it is mentioned in the Bavarian 'Official Histories'. I am as good as certain that the relevant files for the Bavarian Kolonnen/Trains will be somewhere in the Kriegsarchiv in Munich but, never having sought them out, I cannot be 100% definitive in this reply. The only way is to go and see. I have often seen references to 'Light Ammunition Columns' in the German Great War literature, by the way. In fact I have only just recently translated an eyewitness account from a gunner in the Light Ammunition Column of RFAR 54 for my forthcoming book on First Ypres.

Jack

Hi Jack and Ron,

This is helpful. Indeed, as Jack says, there were Light Munitions Columns in the Prussian Army in the Great War; my grandfather (not the fellow mentioned in this thread) was in the Leichte Munitions Kolonne, II. Abteilung, Reserve-Feldartillerie Regiment 57 briefly, from 31.1.1915 to 3.3.1915.

-Daniel

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Jack and Daniel

I had forgotten the leichte MKs with artillery Abteilungen, which were equivalent to the British Brigade Amm Columns RFA. Further support, equivalent to the British Div Amm Column and Div Amm Park, was given in the German Army at Corps rather than divisional level, by the Artillery Amm Columns mentioned earlier.

Ron