Martin Feledziak Posted 22 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 22 April , 2015 Remembered with Rifleman George PAGE, 1st/21st Battalion London Regiment (East Surrey Rifles) who also died on 22nd April 1915, Le Touret Military Cemetery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 22 April , 2015 Share Posted 22 April , 2015 Rest in peace, Johann... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 25 April , 2015 Share Posted 25 April , 2015 Hi Martin, a fascinating story, you have really detected a lot of interesting details over the years. And so many fine photographs! You seem to cope well with the German language now as well. I have still difficulties to read the old fonts, especially when handwritten. Best regards Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 3 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2015 Hi Christine - We learn new things each day. So today I find conformation of information relating to Valentine Feledziak. He was clearly involved in the Polish uprising. I also see that he survived both wars so there is more to find. Valentine had two brothers in the German Army, Martin who was a prisoner of war and Andreas who was with IR145. Valentine was a cousin of my Grandfather. Feledziak , ValentineParents : Vincent Feledziak, Anna Ur. : 1898-02-02, Małgowo (Krotoszyn, PL) State Council Resolution No: 0/152 from 1960-07-28 Description : On 28-12-1918 joined the ranks of the insurgents, where he took an active part in arms in the liberation Sarnowy, Rawicz, Zdun and Bojanów. The Polish Army served until 1921. Then, from 1922 until 1930 he was in the Customs Guard Corps. Since the year 1945 - 1951 he worked in the PGR in Konarzewo. In 1951, after the train accident which was broken both legs, he retires. He is an active member of ZBoWiD and deserves a medal http://powstancy-wielkopolscy.pl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 6 May , 2015 Share Posted 6 May , 2015 Hi, have you been to Poland? Several of my relatives are from areas that are situated in Poland today, but there were almost all Germans. Though my grandmother’s mother (fathers side) was either Polish or half Polish. My grandmother, who is born in Gdansk could also speak Polish. I would like to go to Poland as well, to see places where several of my relatives were at home. But that is a difficult story. I am curious, but also kind of scared. Besides of my father’s mother none ever went back. I do not think I could trace anybody involved in any uprising….. Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 7 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2015 Hi Christine. My late 19th Century family were inhabitants of the small farming villages in the lands near to Poznan. So they had been under Prussian rule since the late 1700's. During the Great war many were conscripted and pressed into service. At the end of the great war Poland was reborn. During the next few turbulent years some of the family choose to leave their homeland and search for better lives in France. Those making this choice effectively cut themselves off and lost their identity. Those who remained in the Fledgling Poland were to face the next evil with the expansion of the Third Reich. So 1939 was bad news for those in Poland - but the German invasion was growing and eventually the family in France were occupied too. They never had it easy. I did spend a weekend in Krakow in November last year which was excellent. The visit coincided with their national day which was marked with a big military parade in the City square. The individual depicted on the 1918 pennant is Antoni Stawarz - heavily involved in the Liberation of the City. I have not visited the lands of Poznan as yet but I hope to. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 15 May , 2015 Share Posted 15 May , 2015 Hi Martin, A very nice photo! I have heard that Krakow is a beautiful town, and I think your picture shows that. The British can be really proud to have offered many refugees – also those who fled from the Third Reich a new home country. But I can immagine that to be forced to leave the home country is never easy. Christine Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 15 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 15 May , 2015 Sadly there was much more hardship to follow after 1918 even considering the sacrifices taken by people like Walenty and Antoni. I also visited that hideous place just a few miles from here. A vile death camp of WW2 However Here is my favorite photo from my trip to Krakow It is "just" the park in the centre of the city. But the good news is that today people have freedom to sit on a bench and just enjoy. This must be something Walenty and Antoni would be proud of.!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 30 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2015 It has taken 100 years and 1 month for Family to find himand pay a visit to his final resting place.It is done !http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1594749 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 30 May , 2015 Share Posted 30 May , 2015 Fantastic Martin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 30 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2015 Fantastic Martin! I almost fainted when I saw who was named on the very same cross. But now I see he is not of your family. But what a coincidence - Florentin Sandrock Died 30 September 1914. But he is from Hamm http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/504303 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 30 May , 2015 Share Posted 30 May , 2015 Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 30 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2015 I have to say for me it is was an epic adventure . And a trip which had to be made.In this cemetery there are just above 10,000 souls.I have affixed a rememberance Poppy to the cross which marks Johann and 3 others.There is just 1 other obvious marker in the entire estate which would indicate a visitor with knowledge of a loved one - Sad this is.i imagine most families do not know they are there - But the internet will provide the key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 31 May , 2015 Share Posted 31 May , 2015 I almost fainted when I saw who was named on the very same cross. But now I see he is not of your family. But what a coincidence - Florentin Sandrock Died 30 September 1914. But he is from Hamm Unbelievable! But not related to my family. The closest my Grandfather was with Johann was most likely either on Truppenübungsplatz Hammerstein (training grounds), pre war exercises and training for Gnesen and Posen garrisons. Or the other possibility was that Gottfried met Johann's girl friend in Posen when my Grandfather was stationed there as Feldwebel in 1916 for training of new recruits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 31 May , 2015 Share Posted 31 May , 2015 Hi Martin, Great that you could make that journey! What an excellent photograph as well. How was it to be there? This is really something I would like to do myself – to go to France and visit the actual cemetery. You wrote that internet will be the key for more to find the places. I hope so, too. Best regards Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 31 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2015 Hi Christine We made a holiday of the visit. We left England and stopped for one night in Bray Dunes. Then we made our way to Charlesville Mezieres. The next day we visited the Graves of two Feledziak soldiers in the Verdun area. Then we drove up to Brugges for two nights, visiting Leper and the British Cemetery at Tyne Cot. Then back across the channel to England. I am very pleased to honor the fallen soldiers. You should consider a visit to Gustav at Fins, but also make a holiday of it too, stop somewhere nice. Here is another image from Servon Melzicourt, where Johann the Pionier is at rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceF Posted 31 May , 2015 Share Posted 31 May , 2015 Sounds like a fine journey combining serious past with beautiful sites. You had nice weather as well! Yes, I will go to Fins, just the question when (I tend to postpone things – it is always next year). And have either to convince the family (who thinks that my new interest of spending hours searching 100 year old casualty lists is a bit odd) or go by myself. Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 1 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2015 Battalion 29 Movement 1914- 1915 where 1.jpg and Where Johann was Killed 22 April 1915 where 2.jpg JWK. If you are still reading. I have worked out most of the locations that Johann visited during the mobilization and movement of his unit to the Argonne but I can't work out the the locations for 12, 18 and 19th August 1914. I am guessing they could be train stations in Germany or Switzerland. if you can make them out on (Where 1.jpg above) that would be good. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 1 June , 2015 Share Posted 1 June , 2015 9/8 - 12/8 Train Posen - Mainz - Gerstlingen (= Guerstling, France) 12/8 - 17/8 Bettingen = 57220 Bettange, France "Innendienst" means "chores" I think 18/8 Oberrengten = 57570 Haute-Rengten / France 19/8 Göblingen = Goeblange = Giewel / Luxemburg (edited a few times as e.g. there are 3 places called Bettingen/Bettange close to eachother : 1 in Germany, 1 in Luxemburg and 1 in France ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 1 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2015 Thanks for those locations JWK. They are just right and most logical. The rail network was crucial to troop movements but I had trouble understanding those first few names. So now at the end of his route. I have now added the map from the unit history to Google Earth. Certainly on 2 October 1914 , Johann and his pioneer Battalion were with the 5th Army, 16 Corps. They were working with 34th and 33rd Infanterie Divisions. We know that he was killed on 22 April 1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 2 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 2 June , 2015 The pink route is from my Sat Nav. I drove down in a loop to pick up both Cemeteries, I would love to have gone to Hill 304 and Bagatelle but you just have to stick with your itinerary and mission objectives. There is just so much history here. The Red 'H' are locations for Pi Bat 29. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 2 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 2 June , 2015 Thanks to JWK I have added this schematic which represents just part of the 16th Armee Corps. Johann appears on the first line in the 2nd Company of Pioneer Battalion no29. His cousin, Andreas is part of the same Corps and is in the 12th company of the third Battalion of IR145. Andreas is wounded at around August time in 1914. I assume this is just the basic blueprint for an Army Corps - I have amended this diagram to reflect my understanding of how it works, as always I am just having a guess !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 2 June , 2015 Share Posted 2 June , 2015 It's a minefield this German Army stuff ! 16th Armee-Korps was with VII Armee-Inspektion as from 1913 (or 1912) : http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Heer_(Deutsches_Kaiserreich)#Gliederung It was in V Armee-Inspektion from 1906 - 1913 (or 1912) Forget all above, an Armee-Inspektion is one step above an Armee apparently.... The familytree looks a bit like this I think: 7th Armee Inspektion 5th Army 16th Army corps 34th Division 68th Brigade IR145 + IR67 and on that wiki page there's also a great map of Germany showing where those Army-Korps' originated: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Heer_%28Deutsches_Kaiserreich%29#/media/File:Deutsche_Korpsbereiche_1914.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Feledziak Posted 2 June , 2015 Author Share Posted 2 June , 2015 That tree looks good. I thought that was how it worked. I am getting the hang of how the infantry units formations are used. I should like to understand how the Foot and field artillery units are made up. how many guns per battery etc. Anyway.. Looking at the below two maps it looks like it was Jager Battalion No 5 who were supporting the 2 Infantry Divisions in this Army Corps. Just to complicate it a little bit more - this is how the book of 251 Divisions saw the make up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 2 June , 2015 Share Posted 2 June , 2015 That tree looks good. I thought that was how it worked. I am getting the hang of how the infantry units formations are used. I should like to understand how the Foot and field artillery units are made up. how many guns per battery etc. Anyway.. Looking at the below two maps it looks like it was Jager Battalion No 5 who were supporting the 2 Infantry Divisions in this Army Corps. 33 and 34.jpg Just to complicate it a little bit more - this is how the book of 251 Divisions saw the make up From Book of divisions.jpg I *think* I've got it, (But if someone, múch more versed in the intricacies of German Army organisation than I am, would like to clip my ear (in the "You stóopid boy! " manner) please do. I can only learn from that) From : http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillerietruppe_(Deutsches_Kaiserreich) Im Zuge der Mobilmachung 1914 wurden planmäßig aufgestellt: 102 Feldartillerie-Regimenter und 29 Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regimenter mit je 2 Abteilungen zu 3 Batterien mit je 6 Geschützen, die als Feldartillerie in die Artilleriebrigaden der Infanterie-, bzw. Reserve-Divisionen eingegliedert wurden oder als Fußartillerie auf Armee- oder Heeresgruppenebene geführt wurden, dazu kamen 11 reitende Abteilungen der Kavalleriedivisionen zu 3 Batterien mit je 4 Geschützen, 5 selbständige Landwehr-Batterien, 22 Landsturm-Batterien, 3 Landwehr-Feldartillerie-Ersatzabteilungen und 40 mobile Feldartillerie-Ersatzabteilungen zu 2 Batterien mit je 6 Geschützen. And that tells you that : Following the mobilisation the following were established: - 102 Field-Artillery Regiments , and 29 Reserve Field artillery regiments, with each 2 Batallions of 3 Artillery Batteries each with each one having 6 guns. - Etcetera, - enzovoorts, - und so weiter, .... So apparently (as I understand it) : 1 Field-Artillery Regiment = 2 Batallions = 6 Artillery Batteries = 36 guns and they could be deployed as Fieldartillery or Footartillery, whatever was most in demand at the time I should think. JW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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