Prince Wolrad Killed in Action, Moorslede

[Joris Ryckeboer]

Hello,

A friend asked me to investigate the dead of a German Prince KIA at Moorslede (October 17, 1914)

While researching it, I was suprised by this lesser known story.

Can someone add more details to my short resume? Like possible unit of the advancing English troops?

Any traces left? What happens to his aide de camp Zimmermann? His unit(s)? Etcetera...

Prince Wolrad Friedrich of Waldeck and Pyrmont (or in german Prinz Wolrad zu Waldeck und Pyrmont)

Source: http://www.pickelhaubes.com/forum/viewtopi...30778d712569fcb

Family tree (!):

The story:

Transcription from an old article:

Prince killed on patrol:

Wolrad Frederick of Waldeck and Pyrmont a War Victim.

AMSTERDAM, Oct 20, (via London)

The Handelsblad publishes a dispatch

which says that the Prince Wolrad Frederick

of Waldeck and Pyrmont, half

brother of Emma, Dowager Queen of

the Netherlands, was killed in the western

theatre of the war while engaged in

patrolling.

Prince Wolrad was born at Arolsen

and was the son of Prince George Victor

of Waldeck-Pyrmont and his second

wife, Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein.

He was 22 years old and was a

Lieutenant in the Twenty-third Prussian

Regiment of Dragoons and on the

staff of the Eighty-third Regiment of Infantry.He was the only child of his father by

his second marriage, and was a half-

brother to Princess Helene, Duchess of

Albany, Louise, the Princess of Erbach-Schonberg,

and Princess pauline, Serene Highness

of Bentheim-Steinfurt, besides

the Dowager Queen of the Netherlands.

His half-brother, Prince Frederick, is

the reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Count of Rappolstein, &c.

Source: The New York Times Published October 21,1914

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/...9669D946596D6CF

From www:

I can add the first name of a holder of a Silver Merit Medal with X

You`ll find him in the new Waldeck Roll on page 92. It is one of the Zimmermann`s :

Karl Hermann Zimmermann - Unteroffizier, Garde Dragoner Regiment 23.

Medal awarded: 14.12.1914.

And here`s the story:

I was able to get No. 14 of the war magazine called "Feinde ringsum!", dated around 1915. This number told the story of the death of Prince Wolrad of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

At the outbreak of WW-1 Prince Wolrad was a Leutnant in the Gro?herzoglich-Hessische Gardedragonerregiment Nr. 23

On the evening of the 17. 10.1914 he was the leader of a cavalry patrol. He was accompanied by his aide Unteroffizier Karl Hermann Zimmermann of the same Regiment. Suddenly the patrol came under fire of advancing English troops.

Several Dragoner fell and the horse of Prince Wolrad was also hit. He together with Zimmermann reached a nearby trench and searched for cover. It was then Prince Wolrad saw one of his wounded man lying in the open. He crawled to him and tried to pull him to safety. Crying for Zimmermann, this crawled forward and was immediately hit - so was the Prince!

Prince Wolrad was killed in action, while Zimmermann was only wounded.

The award of the SVM with X must have been for his part on this sad day for Waldeck.

Source: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5156&st=160

THANKS!

[Westdiep]

Hallo Joris,

It is bizarre that in these expertise forum nobody seems to know the Waldeck-Pyrmont’s, or in particular the last day of Prince Wolrad . Indeed it is a very small principality, but related to the Winsor’s and Orange-Nassau line.

No monument or exact position to visit?

Regards, Jens.

[Ken S.]

http://ypres1917.3.forumer.com/index.php?act=Search&nav=au&CODE=show&searchid=41d781e147bd0df3cbd4773ddc41c2f2&search_in=posts&result_type=posts

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5156&st=160

The British official history can be found here:

http://www.archive.org/index.php

[Westdiep]

Hello Ken,

Thanks for the interesting links, hower they are not the exact answer to my questions: where (exact spot) and who (the Regiment)?

regards, Jens.

[Ken S.]

I'm thinking that with a little effort you should be able to determine this yourself. Why should I spoil your fun, then?

[AOK4]

Hello,

 

This is an old topic, but I want to say that yesterday a small memorial was unveiled near where Prinz Wolrad zu Waldeck und Pyrmont died in 1914. Two family members (Fürstin Cecilie zu Waldeck und Pyrmont and Prinz Carl Anton zu Waldeck und Pyrmont) were present at the small ceremony in Moorslede. I was present to give some historical background etc as I had written down the story in my book about the German military cemeteries in Moorslede.

 

Some pics can be found on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/PhotographytorememberWWOne/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2390754107804016&__xts__[0]=68.ARB7TvXaltSMLWmFfxugLhgU4AjCTuXx6pCB0WP4ltmNG40S8QEp2mg9mCyG4WH-YUxGue65Dp4J2gyCsCrDsK5g0s9OqQAXchy2_SBoZAlvqE-xzJ6ByUX6fp0fmHqL7QmfGRRHk4YMzSgh8ghbXi1WrWDNRpLlNaXkJOxUPzQzM5xSFw8EyAFvQAMKx8PX1NgNOF4RmRDDhBeRFgOGaKDozawexp0eyJX3XGqZFbr5tSPTBRfSoVK6_bZgYVO1jF1ucdlJDivYvBUWg800NDc5ad40bruvGEWkWEHWP1_nomqvjKper5C_cNuZdCOp3kfPYZSuiTI_TMIFtjoEU9zzweue1UmcCckEdfz_E4wg9N82rbIkKLVVFbHm2Oaw9lF0cm4uKRnOHqHhd7iTyUxUbBPIeaNljJ1XK_D_3njHP8OT3IUvUpxrB28MM8PnN4irnO4zfsa4ZepbgVK7Rm4rkw&__tn__=-UC-R

 

Jan