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Remembered Today:

Marcin FELEDZIAK Infantry Regiment 171


Martin Feledziak

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Here is a very detailed corner section from a 1900 schematic , No14 Militar Informations - Tafeln ( XIV Armee Korps )

This section shows the structure of the infanterie element of the 39th division

IR 169 appear in the 84th infanterie Brigade along with IR170

IR 171 ( Martin Feledziak 1897 ) appear in the 82nd infanterie Brigade along with 172

there is also a Jager Bataillone made up from Jager 8 and 14.

interestingly the units were formed in 1897 and made up of 2 battalions

I am guessing that this was not far from the 1914 situation.

of course I may be interpreting it wrongly.

Although nearer 1914 have seen IR169 listed with IR170 in the 29th Infanterie division (still XIV AK)

IR 170 and 171 and Jager 14 are still in the 39th Division but then with XV Armeekorps

169 and 171.jpg

the big overview is here for XIV AK

http://www.historisc...ges/u122-14.jpg

http://www.historisc...-1914/index.php

The below is just some housekeeping for me.............

 

VII Armeekorps

14th Infanterie Division

28th Infanterie Brigade

After 1915

V Armeekorps

50th Infantry Division.
100th Infanterie Brigade
Fusilier Regiment No39 (DUSSELDORF)
Kompanie 4 ...........................Martin Feledziak born 1895 (12) POW 1915

XVI Armeekorps
34th Infanterie Division.
68th Infanterie Brigade
Konigs Infanterie Regiment No145 - (METZ)
Kompanie 12.........................Andreas Feledziak born 1889 (11) Wounded 1914

XVI Armeekorps
Pionier Regiment No29 (POSEN)
Kompanie 2..........................Johann Feledziak born 1891 (3) Killed 1915

V Armeekorps
10th Infanterie Division.
77th infanterie Brigade
Fusilier Regiment No37 (KROTOSZYN)
Kompanie 4..........................Johann Feledziak Born 1897 (4) Died of wounds 1917

 

 

XV Armeekorps
39th Infanterie Division.
82nd Infanerie Brigade
From April 1915
115th Infanterie Division
229th Infanterie Brigade
Infanterie Regiment No171 - (Colmar)
Kompanie 10.......................Martin Feledziak Born 1897 (6) Wounded 1918

I Reservekorps

36th Reserve Division.
69th Reserve Infanterie Brigade
Reserve Infanterie Regiment 61 (GDANSK)
Kompanie 10 &
Reserve Jager Battalion No2
Kompanie 2..........................Jacob Feledziak Born 1886 (8) Seriously Wounded 1914

 

V Reservekorps

9th Reserve Division.
18th Reserve infanterie Brigade
Reserve Infanterie Regiment No6 (POSEN)
Kompanie 13........................Jozef Feledziak born 1894 (9) POW 1916

Just missing the last section
Armee and Unit
for........................................Anton Feledziak Born 1892 (3) Killed in action, Unknown Grave

Edited by Martin Feledziak
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The below is a postcard sent from 20 year old Johann to his parents. I believe he was undergoing military training which would be normal for 20 year olds.

The card was sent from Metz ( France ) to Sonfeld ( Poland ) near Poznan. I do not know which one he is. He does indicate he is present by telling his mother that he could do with a parcel of ham as his ribs are showing.

post-103138-0-27698600-1461496603_thumb.

The next image is from early 1915 and features the officers from 2 companie Pionier Battalion 29.

Johann was an unteroffizier killed 22 April 1915. If this photograph was taken early 1915 then he should be present.

post-103138-0-85381700-1461496611_thumb.

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Looking at appendix B page 408 The German Army early 1914 - from the book "The Great War Dawning"

The 5th ( V Armeekorps ) Posen.

10th Infanterie Division.

19th Infanterie Brigade - Grenadier Regiment 6 and Infanterie Regiment 46

20th Infanterie Brigade - Infanterie Regiment 47 and Infanterie Regiment 50

77th Infanterie Brigade - Fusilier Regiment 37 ( Johann Feledziak 1897 ) and Infanterie Regiment 155.

Amongst the other units

10th Kav Brigade

10th Field Art Brigade

Jager Btl 5 - Pioneer Battalions 29 ( Johann Feledziak 1891 ) Pionieer Battalion 5.

After mobilization

XXV Reservekorps (49th and 50 Reserve Divisions) were established from the Posen district including Reserve Infanterie Regiments 225, 226, 227 and 228.

Reserve Jager 21 Kav 49 and field Art 49.

Also from a different source :-

The below is a visual representation from Militar Jnformations Tafeln from around 1900 which although 14 years earlier seems to match fairly closely. The 10th Division depicted on the right side of the graphic.

post-103138-0-54225300-1461843623_thumb.

http://www.historischer-bilderdienst.de/uniformen/deutschland/deutsches-kaiserreich-1870-1914/v-armee-korps-posen.php

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  • 1 month later...

I picked up a copy of the above 1900 V Armee Korps so I can now read the details in the small type.

I now see that Grenadier Regiment No6 was a Posen based unit.

 

Josef Feledziak was a prisoner of war in 1916 and I think he would have been in the Verdun sector at the time. He was listed in two reports as serving with Reserve Infanterie Regiment No6 (RIR6)

He was born in 1894 so would reach military service requirement just as the war started in 1914. RIR 6 were formed late 1914.

 

two issues then.

1- Did RIR6 have anything to do with  Grenadier Regiment No6, IE were older reservists from the Grenadiers making up the new RIR6 

2- Why did Josef start in the reserves and not into training.

 

NB

His Brother, Johann was 3 years younger and was Killed in 1917 serving with Fusilier Regiment No37 also featured on the below graphic. ( 77th Infanterie Brigade - Krotoschin )

His Brother Anton was 2 years older and also killed in 1917, I am yet to find his service details.

10th Division.jpg

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hello,

 

RIR 6 was raised: I. Bataillon in Glogau by IR 58, II. Bataillon in Görlitz by IR 19 and III. Bataillon by Bezirkskommando Muskau. The Ersatz-Truppenteil was Ersatz-Bataillon/RIR 7.

 

New recruits could end up pretty much anywhere, not necessarily in an active unit. There were active soldiers in reserve units, but also Landwehr or Landsturm. The differences between active and reserve units became very tiny during the war, it was mainly a matter of how the unit was once formed.

He was either called up or volunteered and was at some point sent to RIR 6 apparently. Because of the large number of volunteers, some of them had to try their luck with several units before being accepted. Others joined the Ersatz unit of an active unit but were later sent to the front in a different unit.

 

Jan

 

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Thank you Jan,

 

That is a great answer and falls in nicely with the other part of the graphic covering the year 1900 set up of the Posen 5th Armee Korps.

Below is the section covering the 9th Division Glogau.

 

IR58 and IR19 appear forming  17 infanterie Brigade. I know this is 14 years before the war but I can now see the structure and see where

RIR6 and Josef fit into the scheme.

 

Many Thanks

 

 

9th Division.jpg

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Skizzie 22.jpg

 

I have just returned from a trip through the Argonne Forest in France. I included a visit along the D998 through some impressive areas of history.

This is  where I believe my GF was in 1918. The above is an overlay from a page in the regimental history of IR171 onto Google Earth. IR 171 were retreating through the forest opposed by the American 32nd Division. 

 

 The countryside is epic and you could almost imagine that nothing had happened here until you come across the truly awesome  American Cemetery in Romagne Sous Montfaucon.

 

It is the largest American Cemetery in Europe and was initially established on 14th October 1918 when the 32nd and 5th Divisions advanced.

Which, coincidentally, was my Grandfathers 21st Birthday.

Edited by Martin Feledziak
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American 1.jpgAmerican 2.jpgAmerican 3.jpg

 

The above are images taken at Meuse Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial,

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German 3.jpgGerman 1.jpg

German 2.jpg

 

Here are images from the German Cemetery in the same town.

Not sure what the large poster translates out to.

The Cemetery has undergone a tidy up and many large old trees now removed.

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4 minutes ago, Martin Feledziak said:

The Cemetery has undergone a tidy up and many large old trees now removed.

Hi Martin,

 

Thanks for posting the photos. In my opinion it is such a shame that the old trees were cut down, it was a beautifully tranquil cemetery in its own way, a contrast to the precise well kept  lines of the American one down the road.

 

Before:

romagne_soldaten_01.jpg

 

 

Steve

 

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Thanks Steve,

 

I have not been along this road before so it is new to me, I can now see that it was quite different, but they have replanted similar trees so it should be good for the next 100 years.

Have you any idea what the large poster is trying to convey in its message.

 

I have added a close up of just one cross as an example and perhaps a gift for anyone searching for names.

 

Stanislaus MICHALOWSKI 11 05 1916

 

Hans NURBAUER 12 05 1916 

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/4788846

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/3583234

 

 

German 4.jpg

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A lot of the trees in the Thiaucourt German cemetery were largely destroyed in the hurricane of 1998.Nothing could be done about it.

 

What is also interesting is that this is actually three cemeteries in one. The main part is WW1, but walk towards the back of the cemetery, and fist of all you will find gravestones in sandstone; some of these being French, not German (although German design). Just below there is a strange hollow which is 1870 (and some gravestones to tell you).

Behind that and at the back of a wall are German early WW1 family gravestones.

 

In the centre of the area there is a large concrete block. This is a memorial to the mass grave beneath, which is for German POWs who died in a camp in the field next door in 1944/45. They buried the men, but the Germans had no way to get a memorial, so they just cast the concrete block.

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Thanks Heldav.

 

I wanted to visit Thiaucourt but it was just a little too far for me to visit in one day. I know we discussed the topic in a thread about German Cemeteries in France.

I remember reading about the 1870 graves. In fact Ernst JUNGER mentions those old graves when they buried men from his patrol that were killed in a 1917 action.

 

I will have to visit another time.

 

 

 

 

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11 hours ago, Martin Feledziak said:

Thanks Heldav.

 

I wanted to visit Thiaucourt but it was just a little too far for me to visit in one day. I know we discussed the topic in a thread about German Cemeteries in France.

I remember reading about the 1870 graves. In fact Ernst JUNGER mentions those old graves when they buried men from his patrol that were killed in a 1917 action.

 

I will have to visit another time.

 

 

 

 

Let me know when you are coming. I can take you to places that few others know.

 

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Thanks Heldav - that would be a pleasing invitation.

----

 

The below is from Google Earth, Romagnes Sous Montfaucon,  The coloured line is from my Sat Nav. This image provides an idea of the scale of things.

To enter the grounds of the American Cemetery is quite some experience.

 

Romagnes Sous Mountfaucon.jpg

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Overview.jpg

 

The below passages are taken from the Regimental History of IR171   during erley October 1918 ( from pages 270 + )

last year forum member JWK kindly translated various paragraphs  for me and now I think I understand it far more having visited.

 

The Americans were advancing in a Northerly direction.

 

At 09:45 the enemy attacked again from the woods of Chene-Sec. As 9 and 11 Coy were not yet connected to us they had to retreat to “Hill 2888?” where they withstood the various attacks.

As the danger of a pincer movement was still there we deployed 4/171 (which was still on the approach) on the right hand side.

Through a renewed attack by the enemy the right wing of II/169, which upto then had withstood the attacks, had to withdraw. There was now a gap between 11/171 and II/169.

We were therefor forced to deploy 1/171 to this gap. 1st and 2nd Coy were sent to ?.?.? III/171 at around 9 o’clock. 2/171 took the positions in the reserve trenches formerly occupied by 11/171.

They arrived there at 10:20.

At 10:15 the Batallion came under heavy enemy fire from Hill 218 and North-east of there. But despite heavy enemy artillery fire this attack was repelled.

At 11:30 the frontline came under heavy fire again.Apparently the enemy had shifted their artillery forwards. They attacked once more from Gesnes, but our Batallion could drive them back. We noticed a large gathering of the enemy in Gesnes.

 

Page 271 starts with the writer recollecting how he was on his way to 10 Coy, with the order to deploy a Machine Gun troop somewhere, but on his way there he encountered, behind a little bush an apparently rested, and ready to deploy, Machine Gun troop of IR169. 

So he used that troop instead.

They positioned themselves close to Gesnes, from where they could cover Gesnes main street, which was full of Americans. 

 

Two of our men got killed, one wounded. Through our machinegun fire the enemy was driven out of Gesnes. Our field guards were sent to Gesnes immediately, and they found the place deserted and noted heavy casualties on the enemy side, which was confirmed by the many wounded transports into the hinterland that we noticed later on.

The 9th of October would become an even heavier day for IR171 with many more casualties. Almost the entire II/171 was wiped out. [“Er [Der Tag] rasste fast das ganze II/171 hinweg” 

And then it goes on about the Commander of IR171 (Major Kaulbach) who got a new posting (to IR136) a few days earlier, and he would be killed not much later near Romagne.

New commander was Hauptmann Fahnert, Fliegeroffizier (!), who had volunteered for the Infantry. He was always to be found in the frontline.

Thick fog lingered over our positions in the early morning hours, as was usual in these October-days.

 

Heavy fire from around 09:30 led us to expect something special.

And indeed the Americans suddenly attacked en masse.

Their weapons pushed through the thin lines at II/171 , east from Gesnes.

The machinegun crews in the back couldn't see anything because of the thick fog, and therefor could not aim and fire.

The Minenwerfer in the frontline was overrun.

Neither Batl. Kiesslich, nor the Regiment could send any help, as the first was also under heavy attack, and one Battl. 109, upto then in reserve, was sent to IR 173 already.

The left and right flanks were closed off, but the Americans did however, coming from the east of Gesnes, encircled the main part of II/171, for a part killing many {niedermachen: to butcher, to slaughter], and capturing the rest. Only a few escaped, amongst whom the Batls.Commander.

III/171 Hauptmann Kiesslich desperately fought on.

The Americans were halted by a counter-attack from 10/171 and a Company of the Leibgrenadier Regiment 109, at the old front of II/171.

Parts of II/173 counterattacked from the north in the direction of the former left-wing of II/171.

Repeated attacks with heavy artillery-fire, including attacks with tank, of which one was destroyed, were repelled, even though the Americans, who were already in the vicinity of the “Robinette Fm” [Robinette Farm?], behind III/171, and fired at them from there.

How persistent the fighting was is evidenced by one single Machine gun which fired 13000 rounds.

At around 08:30 at night the III/171, which lost over 70 men, got the order to withdraw to the Kriemhild-Stellung, where they were joined by their neighbours.

As also to the south of Romagne the Americans had attacked heavily.

Only after many casualties were they pushed back. They had to retreat because of the renewed attacks.

Reinforcements, which took over south of Romagne, held the line.

At night the front ran somewhat along the road Somerance-Romagne-Cunel.

Sequence of regiments, from west to east: IR171, IR 173, IR 136.

 

An account from the American 32nd Division can be read on the below link 

http://www.32nd-division.org/history/ww1/32-ww1a.html#Meuse-Argonne

 

Here is a short passage from that account.

 

On the morning of 9 October 1918, the assault began. Our troops closely followed the artillery barrage right up to the wire. On the right, the 126TH Infantry, supported by tanks, succeeded in breaking through and reached the southern outskirts of Romagne. On the left, one battalion of the 125TH Infantry fought its way to the top of Hill 258. Along the rest of the front, the attack was stopped by organized positions about 1 km south of Romagne.

The fighting continued on 10 October and after repeated efforts, the 125TH Infantry captured one of the outlying defenses of La Cote Dame Marie and held it in spite of the efforts of the enemy to loosen our grip. La Cote Dame Marie was the name given to a hill that lay immediately in the path of the 32D Division and seemed to effectually bar further progress. It was flanked by similar crests and the approaches were regarded as extremely difficult. It was one of these smaller crests which the 125TH took on 10 October and to which they clung with so much tenacity. On the right, the 126TH Infantry had advanced to the Tranchée de la Mamelle, an important bulwark in the Kriemhilde Stellung. In this deep and well-fortified trench, the 126TH met the enemy in a hand-to-hand conflict and succeeded in occupying a part of the system. In the center of the line, the enemy held firm and succeeded in turning back every effort the Americans made to storm the approaches to the trench. 

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Apremont.jpg

 

On leaving Gesnes on the way to the site of the American lost Battalion. There in the forest at Apremont is a small Cemetery dedicated to Landwehr Infanterie Regiment 27

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A short distance from Apremont is the roadside memorial to the American 77th known as "The Lost Battalion"

 

Here is an article about the monument and the circumstances of the amazing survival. This was taking place at the same time as the previously mentioned action at Gesnes and Romagnes Sous Montfaucon.

https://www.army.mil/article/13322

 

771.jpg

772.jpg

 

 

 

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The object of the trip was to revisit Servon Melzicourt Cemetery - so that was from the "Lost Battalion" site via Binarville.

Johann had been killed at Bagatelle during underground mine warfare during April 1915. 

 

Servon.jpg

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These are images from Servon Melzicourt - I was most surprised to see a red poppy affixed to one of the crosses

It marks the resting place of :-

Oswald MALLATHIA - Killed 16 02 1915  could be http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1677417

Eduard BERGER - Killed 08 01 1915.      Could be http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1586012

 

I say surprised because I placed a similar Poppy to mark Johann FELEDZIAK last year.

 

 

Servon 2.jpgServon 1.jpgServon 3.jpg

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You quite often see poppies in the cGerman or French cemeteries. I lay one or two at randon every time I go to one.

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Greetings Healdav,

 

I would not be surprised to see Poppies in German Cemeteries in the popular areas within easy reach, but this is Servon, quite some distance from the usual visitor routes.

 

Can I just ask you what you think of the image just above. It stands a short distance from the cemetery and has faded wording on it. I can certainly see 1870 - is this a possible memorial to the 1870-71 conflict ?

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Quite probably. There are 1870 memorials all over the place.

I fact, I know of one crossroads that I call the European crossroads. There are memorials to both sides in 1870, 1914-18, 1940 and 1944!

I don't particularly know this, one but there are som many, I get confused at times.

 

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