Tunnellers captured in Portuguese sector - 14th August 1917

[bierast]

As briefly described in our book Fighting the Kaiser's War - The Saxons in Flanders 1914-1918, on 14th August 1917 the Saxon 219. Infanterie-Division launched a highly successful raid at Neuve Chapelle in coordination with the Bavarians on their left (1. Bayer. Reserve-Division). According to Sachsen in Grosser Zeit (vol.III / p.202) Saxon infantry from IR 391 and IR 431 accompanied by Pionier demolition teams temporarily occupied the Portuguese trenches within a zone 500m wide by 200m deep, before withdrawing according to plan with a total of sixty-one Portuguese prisoners including an officer. Unfortunately neither of the aforementioned regiments has a published history, but we do know that Ltn. der Ldw. Arthur Vorwerg (whose company led the assault) and Ltn. Otto Hamann (whose platoon secured the right flank) of IR 431 were both awarded the Ritterkreuz des Militär St. Heinrichs Ordens for their contributions to the success of this operation. On the opposing side, Portuguese Alferes (ensign) Hernâni Cidade of Batalhão de Infantaria 35 distinguished himself by taking several German prisoners - supposedly including an officer.

 

In addition to the photo of raiders from IR 431 with their prisoners which appears in our book, I recently acquired the following photo which purports to indicate that a number of 'English miners' were also captured that day. Can anyone identify the Tunneling Company involved, and perhaps even any individual miners recorded as missing or captured that day?

 

 

This very rough divisional artillery map from the regimental history of EFAR 45 is unfortunately the best one available showing the regimental sectors of 219.ID on this front.

 

[Chris_Baker]

I believe that it would have been 251 Tunnelling Company RE, although the references I have talk about it being active at Festubert/Givenchy at the time. Its war diary can be obtained for a small fee from the National Archives.

[bierast]

Thanks Chris - it appears that you were correct. A quick search on this TC together with keywords 'Portuguese' and '1917' turned up some relevant material in a published history of the unit. One tunneler was reported missing as a result of the Saxon raid and presumably appears in my photo (if the German caption is accurate); I will seek out the war diary.

 

[bierast]

A full list of the Portuguese prisoners with a breakdown by units (plus a further list of those of them who were being treated in German hospitals after capture) can be found at the following Portuguese website. Their losses were overwhelmingly from Batalhão de Infantaria 35 (35th Infantry Battalion) in the Vielle Chapelle / Neuve Chapelle subsector - i.e. directly opposite IR 431 as anticipated.

 

http://www.momentosdehistoria.com/MH_05_03_01_09_Exercito.htm

[Loader]

Very interesting subject. Was the  Portuguese ensign decorated for his part in the fight & the capture of some prisoners?
 

[Chris_Baker]

Some good information at http://arepublicano.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/hernani-cidade-parte-ii.html

 

Google Translate is your friend!

[bierast]

There are specific references to the activities of Alferes Hernâni António Cidade on 14th August 1917 on the following Portuguese page: http://www.momentosdehistoria.com/MH_05_03_01_02_Exercito.htm

 

Looking at my photo again, I think the last word is probably the singular 'Mineur' rather than the plural 'Mineure' - and that it refers to the bare-headed fellow in the greatcoat (in August!) with his back to the camera. He clearly stands out from the Portuguese prisoners in their summer uniforms and steel helmets; see also the photo from our book below.

 

[bierast]

Having acquired two more photos from this series and checked references on British and Portuguese uniforms, I have changed my mind. I now believe that the tunneler is actually the gentleman on the right in the waders and steel helmet, standing apart from the Portuguese group.

 

[bierast]

I'm resurrecting this thread after encountering some interest from the Portuguese side (well, a French gentleman interested in the Portuguese) on Facebook. Upon going through my sources again I see that the regimental history of Ersatz-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr.45 (the divisional artillery regiment) has a brief account of the operation which adds details missing from Sachsen in Grosser Zeit. It makes no mention at all of IR 391, and in addition to attached Pioniere also refers to Mineure (German tunnelers, presumably to identify mine entrances for demolition) and a Stoßtrupp from Sturmbataillon 6 (the assault battalion of 6. Armee) as part of the raiding force. 

Quote

Apart from a few artillery-supported patrol operations, which resulted in a number of prisoners, no major combat action took place. The most successful enterprise was the one carried out by IR 431 under the codename "Urlaubstage" [leave days] on 14th August in the sector of that regiment. The primary purpose was to seek out and destroy the mine galleries which, according to prisoners' testimonies, had been established within the enemy's front trench system and were aimed at blowing up the Artillerie-Schutzstellung [artillery defence line]. A secondary objective was to take prisoners. Surprise, speed, the strongest Zerstörungsfeuer [destructive fire] together with precisely controlled fire protection by artillery and Minenwerfern were the prerequisites for success. 

In addition to the artillery of the division, several batteries from neighbouring sectors and [a total of] 10 heavy, 14 medium and 20 light Minenwerfern were employed. Balloons, Meßtrupps [artillery flash-spotting and/or sound-ranging troops] and aeroplanes were called upon for observation and especially for detecting enemy batteries firing into the Angriffsabschnitt [presumably, the sector from which the attack would be launched]. 

On 14th August at 5:45 a.m. after Zerstörungsfeuer on the [enemy] forward trenches lasting only four minutes, three companies of IR 431 with attached Mineure [tunnelers], Pioniere [presumably, demolition parties of engineers] and a Stosstrupp [assault squad] from Sturmbataillon 6 breached the enemy positions under the protection of the forward-shifted  Sperrfeuer [defensive ‘blocking barrage’], blocked off the side approaches and penetrated beyond the second English [sic.!] trench northeast of Neuve Chapelle, inflicting bloody casualties on the enemy in close combat, locating and destroying the mine galleries, and in addition leading back an officer and 60 Portuguese and Englishmen [sic.] as prisoners.

It was a complete success. The artillery kept up a [gradually] diminishing fire until 7:00 am. The ammunition consumption of the regiment alone averaged 720 rounds for each battery in this short period [presumably this ‘period’ means the entire duration of the raid].

- Johannes Brückner, "Das Kgl. Sächs. Ersatz-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 45 und seine Stammabteilungen" (pp.82-83)

 

Edited 13 March , 2023 by bierast

[bierast]

The distinguished photo collector "Drakegoodman" (https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/) has this beautiful photo of an Unteroffizier and Kanonier of EFAR 45 escorting what I strongly suspect to be a Portuguese prisoner. There is no mention of any 'hands-on' involvement by artillerymen in either the major raid or any of the lesser "patrol operations", but these two could plausibly be members of a forward observation party in the Saxon trenches.