trajan Posted 26 September , 2015 Share Posted 26 September , 2015 I have found a reference to some form of 'disaster' suffered on this day by what seems to be the Füsilier batallion of this unit at Jastrzębna, which I believe is / was a village now in the Gmina Sztabin district, in Augustów County, Podlaskie Voivodeship. The 'disaster' was - it is alleged - brought about by the weak firing pin springs on the Chinese Mauser 07's they were using. Can anyone enlighten me about this episode? Thanks, in anticipation! Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 September , 2015 Share Posted 26 September , 2015 Hello, I checked the regimental history. It just mentions that the Füsilier-Bataillon was fighting a numerically superior enemy and had to fall back after which it was put in reserve. No mention about a disaster, or about trouble with their rifles. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 26 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 26 September , 2015 Thanks Jan. One of those exceedingly annoying and frustrating cases, in this case in Finze and Gortz, Fremde Gewehre, pp.95-96, where all I have as the reference is a quote with no further details. In this case the relevant section reads: " ... der Geschichte des Reserve-Infanterieregiments 262, aufgestellt im Dezember 1914, zur Aufstellung des Regiments vermerkt: "... dessen Mängel [of the Chinese Mauser 07 they were using], inbesondere die schwache Schlagbolzenfeder, am 21.Febr.1915 dem Füsilier-Btl. bei Jastrzembna zum Verhängnis wurde,"" the italicised part being the quote allegedly from the regimental history... Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 26 September , 2015 Share Posted 26 September , 2015 Hello, I checked the first pages of the regimental history and the quoted sentence can be found there indeed. However, the description of the fighting on 21 February 1915 doesn't mention anything about these problems... Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 27 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 27 September , 2015 I checked the first pages of the regimental history and the quoted sentence can be found there indeed. However, the description of the fighting on 21 February 1915 doesn't mention anything about these problems... Thanks - and very interesting... I don't have the full reference to hand right now, but the pieces quoted (allegedly) from the history in 'Fremde Gewehre' start by explaining how the unit was provided with the "07", and then comes the detail I quoted, about the spring mechanism... If it is not too much of a problem, then would you scan and send the relevant part for me? It is not vital to my own interest, but it would be useful to know exactly what was written about these rifles in the regimental history. Best, Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken S. Posted 22 October , 2015 Share Posted 22 October , 2015 In this context it probably means that the problem was instrumental in the unit being defeated or failing to meet its objective, not suffering some sort of "disaster". I don't have the history, but do have the one for RIR261 and can check to see if it has anyting to say about problems with their rifles. edit: RIR261 appears not to have been heavily engaged or suffered many casualties on this day. No mention of rifles or any problems during this period. In general the history is not very detailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 22 October , 2015 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2015 In this context it probably means that the problem was instrumental in the unit being defeated or failing to meet its objective, not suffering some sort of "disaster". I don't have the history, but do have the one for RIR261 and can check to see if it has anyting to say about problems with their rifles. edit: RIR261 appears not to have been heavily engaged or suffered many casualties on this day. No mention of rifles or any problems during this period. In general the history is not very detailed. Thanks - and interesting! The book I quoted gives the impression that they had taken their information directly from the Regimental History for 262... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 22 October , 2015 Share Posted 22 October , 2015 Thanks - and interesting! The book I quoted gives the impression that they had taken their information directly from the Regimental History for 262... The sentence you quoted comes from the regimental history of RIR 262, nothing else is mentioned there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken S. Posted 24 October , 2015 Share Posted 24 October , 2015 I just wanted to add some context. RIR261 was raised at the same time as RIR262 and in the same division. RIR261 passed through or near Jastrzembna a day or two earlier and all it's regimental history mentions is that the Russians were defeated and much "booty" taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 24 October , 2015 Author Share Posted 24 October , 2015 Thanks Ken, I surmised the two units were intimately connected somehow at this location. And AOK4, just to satisfy my curiosity, would you transcribe from the original diary or (if too long) copy the relevant piece for me? It would be appreciated! Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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