Germany : Fritz Limbach - letters from the front - 1915

[Martin Feledziak]

With the anniversary of the start of the battle of Loos approaching here is a little slice from a Panorama which shows where Captain KILBY and his party were sure to have advanced.

 

I have added a red arrow which is below the railway embankment and between the embankment and the edge of the canal. Their task was to take the "Railway Redoubt" strong-point, left part of the arrow, which was being defended by IR16 and Fritz LIMBACH.

 

The mission failed and many were killed including Most, if not all, of Kilby's raiding party and at least 9 defenders on top of the embankment including LIMBACH.

 

[Martin Feledziak]

 

This is a direct overhead - Not sure of the date, But it did not change much over the full period of war.

 

I have marked it to what I think is the most probable situation on the morning of 25th September 1915.

ONLY considering What faced C Company ( Kilby's Team) 2nd battalion of the  South Stafford's.

 

And Fritz and 6 company who would be just above the point of the pink arrow.

 

The bridge on the above image to the right can be located at bottom right of this image.

 

The brick stacks were actually massive piles of building bricks which had been manufactured on site and were presumably awaiting distribution around France.

BUT war came.

 

[Martin Feledziak]

Remembering those who gave so much - this day 25th September 1915.

[JWK]

[Jools mckenna]

[Martin Feledziak]

Greetings JWK - hope you are staying safe !!

Just leafing through the regimental history of Leib Grenadier regiment 109, as you do.

 

( Not that I can read it )

 

and happened upon this map.

Clearly from 1914 so long before Fritz would be sent there.

 

NB. The regiment 109 were part of the defence of hill 255 in the later in the Argonne in October 1918. Researching IR 171 .

 

 

Edited 11 October , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[JWK]

Absolutely nothing to do with WW1, but came across this side-by-side video of the Wuppertal Schwebebahn in 1902/2015.

The Schwebebahn travelled over the river Wupper outside the house where Fritz grew up, and, although he was just a 6-year (or so) Bursche in 1902, chances are he travelled on it (certainly in later years), and would recognise his city.

 

 

Edited 10 September , 2020 by JWK

[Martin Feledziak]

Great comparison video. Very well constructed and clearly a very useful system which has stood the test of time.

 

 I noticed a fairly impressive statue in the original clip which is either now gone or has been relocated.

 

see below

Edited 7 October , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[Martin Feledziak]

Could it be :-

 

although the arms do not match

 

NOT the same statue EDIT !

 

 

 

Edited 7 October , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[JWK]

10 hours ago, Martin Feledziak said:

Could it be :-

 

It's the Elberfelder Bismarck statue, destroyed in 1943.

Stood near (or on) the corner of Schlossbleichen and Mäuerchen

[Martin Feledziak]

Great - That is it. A google of the co-ordinates places it right where the video had it.

 

i just love technology and the way it can be used with historical events.

 

Even the postcard below looks back at the overhead 

 

Edited 7 October , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[Martin Feledziak]

Here is the supplementary Statue Question.

 

from 03.07 minutes on the original video.

or rail support number 248.

 

Here is another epic monument which is also missing.

 

 

[Martin Feledziak]

I had a guess who it could be and was correct.

BUT

I don't know if it was relocated or destroyed.

 

I can see that there area is in major redevelopment.

 

 

Edited 7 October , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[Martin Feledziak]

even better image.

 

 

[Martin Feledziak]

On 10/09/2020 at 01:08, JWK said:

Absolutely nothing to do with WW1

 

This is everything to do with The Great War.

The quality of that original video is excellent. 
 

The Statues are exactly a demonstration to the community at that time. The pride and honour. It is perhaps what sent Fritz and his generation to the “Glorious” front.

 

just my view !

[Neil Mackenzie]

Rest in peace Fritz - killed 105 years ago today.

 

Neil

[Martin Feledziak]

25th of September.

 

I will always think of Fritz On this day. A person who liked flowers, Brandy and a Browning. A person happy to shoot out a periscope but always wrote to his family. 
 

 

 

[JWK]

[Martin Feledziak]

Rest in peace - Fritz 

[Martin Feledziak]

Remembering Fritz this day

[Martin Feledziak]

Remembering Fritz and all those who died or endured this horrible episode in history. I always think of a captain Kilby of the South Stafford’s who died in the same place.

 

[JWK]

Remembering Fritz (and Captain Kilby, and all who died/were wounded on this day 108 years ago)

 

Which reminds me: I still have Fritz's letters here.

Thinking of donating them to the Feldpost Archives in Berlin ( http://www.feldpost-archiv.de/english/index.html ), where (I hope) they will be read and used for historical research, keeping his memory alive.

 

[Martin Feledziak]

Very interesting project.

Are they both wars WW1 and 2 ?

 

could be the very place !!

Edited 25 September , 2023 by Martin Feledziak

[JWK]

By chance I happened upon the Findagrave website, and a certain Stefan has uploaded (1,5 months ago) a picture of the grave of Fritz's parents, on which he's also commemorated.

So now we know when he was born: 25 October 1894 !

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/258575069/fritz-limbach

 

 

 

[Martin Feledziak]

Well done,

The internet is a wonderful thing. New information arrives everyday. 
 

Fantastic slice of the big jig saw you have most of the pieces for.

I can relate to Fritz as my grandfather was born 14 October 1897. So three years younger. He would face his 21st birthday fighting for his life in the Argonne.

of course Fritz never made 21 and was dead in 1915.