Help please with Bavarian Regiment.......

[RAY NICOLAIDES]

Gentlemen,

This is my first post on this wonderful Forum.

I would be most grateful if any knowledgable member could give me some details about where the Bayer. 8. Infanterie-Regt. Großherzog Friedrich II von Baden served in WW1.

Despite much time searching on the internet I have been unable to locate any information regarding front line or other service of this regiment.

The only fact I have found is that the Regimental headquarters was in Metz.

Your help is much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Ray.

[BottsGreys]

Ray:

Starting in August 1916, the 8th Bavarian Inf. Regt. was taken from the 33rd Reserve Division and assigned to the newly-formed 14th Bavarian Inf. Division. Try this link--see pgs 246-248.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VfoLAAAAY...ion&f=false

See this link to a mention/map of the 8th Bavarian Infantry Regt. at Les Eparges in 1915 as it was a part of the 33rd Reserve Division.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php...22&p=571823

Chris

[Jack Sheldon]

Ray

The regiment was raised on 1 October 1753. Its garrison town prior to 1914 was indeed Metz. On the outbreak of war in 1914, together with Bav IR 4 it formed 8 Bav Inf Bde, part of 33rd Reserve Div. On 11 August 1916, 14th Bav Inf Div was formed. Its infantry was found by expanding 8 Bav Inf Bde by the addition of Bav IR 29.

With 33rd Res Div, it fought mostly in Lorraine, around Verdun and between the Meuse and the Moselle. Once part of 14th Bav Inf Div, it fought on in 1916 at Verdun, then moved up to the Somme in mid November 1916, staying there until the withdrawal to the Hindenburg line the following March when it went into OHL reserve, then fought at Arras April 1917, went north to Flanders then back to Reims by the end of the year. In 1918 it was involved in the spring offensives then from May moved north to the Somme where it fought until early September, moving back to Flanders briefly before being involved in the disbandment of the divison on 15 Sep 1918. I hope that this helps a bit. Get back to me if you need anything else.

Jack

[joerookery]

The only fact I have found is that the Regimental headquarters was in Metz.

Ray,

Your question is a lot more interesting than it sounds at first. In my opinion that is a special regiment. When the armies moved on the Western front this specific regiment was quite different. It was actually part of the fortress of Metz. The regiment was assigned to the 33rd reserve division which in turn was assigned to the fortress rather than to an Army. It gets even more convoluted as in peacetime this regiment was quartered in Metz in Lorraine. However due to the treaty of 1870 this and the fourth Bavarian infantry Regiment, were administered by the Bavarian II Corps and not by the corps with which it was stationed such as the Prussian XVI Corps. This anomaly is to the best of my understanding only explained in the English language in the "Handbook of Imperial Germany". You might be able to find it somewhere else but I can think of nothing off the top of my head that gives you the fortress order of battle in that kind of detail. After that the link you were given is pretty darn good. God bless.

VR

Joe

[Ken S.]

33. Reserve-Division:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/33rd_Reserve_...(German_Empire)

and:

http://www.1914-18.info/erster-weltkrieg.p...eserve-Division

14th Bavarian Infantry Division

http://www.1914-18.info/erster-weltkrieg.p...nterie-Division

Regimental history:

Link zu diesem Datensatz http://d-nb.info/579990869

Titel Das k. b. 8. Infanterie-Regiment Großherzog Friedrich II. von Baden : Nach d. amtl. Kriegstagebüchern / bearb. August Götz

Person(en) Goetz, August

Verleger München : Verlag Bayerisches Kriegsarchiv

München : J. Lindauer

Erscheinungsjahr 1926

Umfang/Format 143 S. : Mit 11 Kt. u. Skizzen [auf 1 Taf.] 18 Bildern [auf 3 Taf.] ; 4

Gesamttitel Erinnerungsblätter deutscher Regimenter ; Bd. 43

Einband/Preis 2.70

[RAY NICOLAIDES]

Thank you all for your replies and the information supplied.

There is plenty of information for me to get my teeth into now.

I'm very grateful for your expertise and the promptness of the replies.

Thank you.

Ray.

[Jack Sheldon]

Ray

I have just had a look round and find that I have the regimental history, so can tackle any specifics you may have. I should mention that it is a very abbreviated one, with two thirds of the book being given over to a very detailed Roll of Honour, inofrmation concerning command positions within it and a large number of medal citations. If you need more detailed information ultimately, all the regimental records will be stored away safely in Munich.

Jack

[RAY NICOLAIDES]

Ray

I have just had a look round and find that I have the regimental history, so can tackle any specifics you may have. I should mention that it is a very abbreviated one, with two thirds of the book being given over to a very detailed Roll of Honour, inofrmation concerning command positions within it and a large number of medal citations. If you need more detailed information ultimately, all the regimental records will be stored away safely in Munich.

Jack

Thank you Jack.

This may be a long shot, but is there any reference to a soldier named Hans GANSER?

I know that he survived the war, but any reference to rank or medal awards would be wonderful.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,

Ray.

[Jack Sheldon]

I am afraid that there does not seem to be any mention of him. He is not listed amongt the recipients of the Bravery Medals in Gold or Silver and the text itself is too abbreviated for names of individuals (with few exceptions) to appear.

Jack

[RAY NICOLAIDES]

I am afraid that there does not seem to be any mention of him. He is not listed amongt the recipients of the Bravery Medals in Gold or Silver and the text itself is too abbreviated for names of individuals (with few exceptions) to appear.

Jack

Jack,

Many thanks for looking.

Regards,

Ray.