German infantry records

[bcockburn]

Good point, Jan, about the possible relationship between Erich and Ernst!  They were either brothers or maybe cousins.

 

The Red Cross date (Aug 18) must be inaccurate since the letter, which Ernst Werner had received before he lost his notebook, was written on August 23.

 

We can track the possible places and dates by reviewing the movements of the Princess Patrica Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) regiment.  Pelves, where Ernst was reported to have died on August 26 (three days after the letter was written), lies about 10 km east of Arras.  In the published war diary of the PPCLI, the regiment captured a trench system at Pelves on August 26 (see the attached file).  It seems quite likely that Ltn. Ernst Knueppelholz died on that day during the Canadian attack.  Five weeks later Lt. Loptson, who likely took the diary from Ltn. Knueppelholz's body, would also be dead.  That diary was sent back to Lt. Loptson's family in Alberta, and has spent most of the last 100 years untouched in a trunk of old photos and letters.

 

Bruce

[Martin Feledziak]

A very interesting thread is developing.

 

So we have some photographs from the Grandson of a so far nameless member of IR141.

BUT

we also have a very nice notebook which could have been in the possession of A German soldier from IR141 and later a Canadian soldier who had the same book when they were killed in action.

 

I almost missed the link to the notebook so here it is again.

Werner_notebook_pt1.pdf

 

I do not understand the text in the notebook and I am intrigued about the little drawing which appears on the last page.

 

 

 

Martin

[JWK]

It's a "Rangier Rätsel" , a shunting puzzle.

Locomotive L (at the bottom)  should shunt wagon W1 to the position of Wagon 2, and vice versa.

 

And then he gives the solution.

 

Used to have a game on my computer with 60 or 70 of these puzzles, increasing in difficulty until it was at first sight completely impossible.

Didn't know this sort of puzzle existed 100 years ago!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_shunting_puzzle

 

 

Edited 7 November , 2018 by JWK

[JWK]

Ernst's father was Richard Knüppelholz, at Blumenthalerstrasse 11, (now Einsteinstrasse)  Magdeburg

ICRC card

 

In 1932 there was still a Richard living at Blumenthal strasse 11 ground floor, "painter and decorator"

Magdeburg addressbuch 1932

Edited 7 November , 2018 by JWK

[JWK]

And here's the text from the song/poem on page 7:

 

[bcockburn]

Most of the pages of the notebook are handwritten copies of excerpts of poetry and some newspaper articles that were of interest to him.  It seems likely that on the front line the men were very limited in what they could bring with them.  Probably everything had to fit into the one notebook.  I've attached a second set of pages.  The poem on the last oage, "The Dead on the Battlefields", is very moving.  It's like a German version of the famous Canadian poem from WW1, "In Flanders Fields".

 

In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

Werner_notebook_pt2.pdf

[bcockburn]

I've done a bit more digging to see what was happening on August 26, 1918 to have allowed Ltn. Knueppelholz Iof I.T. Nr. 141) and Lt. Loptson (of the P.P.C.L.I.) to have crossed paths.  August 26 was the day when the Canadian Corps, including the Princess Patricia Light Infantry, launched the Battle of the Scarpe, at the start of the 1918 Battle of Arras offensive.  The initial objective of the Canadians was to capture the town of Monchy-le-Preux, which was located on a small hill that dominated the otherwise flat surrounding land.  Going east beyond Monchy the objectives were to breach two German trench lines: one that ran south of the town of Pelves and a second, further east, called the Fresnes-Rouvroy switch.  The early morning attack by the Canadians was very successful, with Monchy quickly taken and with Canadians capturing parts of the first trench system, south of Pelves.  During the evening and night of August 26 the PPCLI were subjected to fierce German counter-attacks, which failed to dislodge the Canadians.

 

It turns out that just before August 26, the German 35th Infantry Division had entered the German defences in the same general area.  It seems that I.R. Nr. 141 was one of two regiments of the 35th I.D. that was ordered to eject the Canadians from their recent gains.

 

It seems likely to me that Ltn. Ernst Werner Knueppelholz was killed either as a defender when the trench system south of Pelves was assaulted by the Canadians early on the 26th, or he was killed during the German counter-attack late on the 26th.  Lt. Loptson commanded a section of scouts and so he would have been among the first to see documents collected from enemy dead.  Information taken from German officers would normally have held the greatest intelligence value.  In this case, however, Werner's notebook held nothing of military value, and that is why it was kept by Lt. "Barnie" Loptson.  As I mentioneed earlier, Barnie was seriously wounded on September 26 while leading a scouting party prior to the Canadian assault on the Canal-du-Nord, just west of Cambrai. He died of his injuries the next day.

 

I wonder if Ltn. Knueppelholz is buried in Neuville-St Vasst German military cemetery.  Lt. Loptson is buried in Ontario Cemetery at Sains-les-Marquion.

 

I've attached various maps and other files, including images of the terrain around Pelves.  What strikes me is how flat and featureless the land appears today in peacetime.  There would be very little cover for troops attacking an entrenched enemy.  It's amazing how successful the Canadian attack was, early on the morning of August 26.

Edited 9 November , 2018 by bcockburn
Corrected description of Canadian attack on Aug 26

[Bob Walker]

Someone once asked me the name of my neighbour's grandfather in the 141`st.....it was Ernst Friedrich of Wuppertal.....

Survived the war. Became a schoolmaster 

 

[Bob Walker]

Ok guys...I'm assuming this lot were in the 141st  as they were in my neighbour's grandfather's collections....it's my favourite as it shows they were just like the Tommies...only with more impressive facial hair! 

[Bob Walker]

More of the 141. I'm assuming they are in a dug out or bunker. I'm not an expert though . Obviously 

[bcockburn]

Amazing photos!  The first is clearly in a bunker or dugout.  The second is obviously away on leave from the front, with so much alcohol lying around.  Some of the men are the same in the two pictures.  Was Ernst the photographer?  It seems likely if he ended the war with a large collection.

[bcockburn]

In several other photos of German troops that I've seen, taken earlier in the war, many were smoking fairly elaborate looking pipes.  Also, the letter that was sent to Werner mentioned a prized set of Krugs cigars.  Clearly smoking was considered a precious luxury by the troops.

 

I've attached a colorized photo that shows what appears to be a German leutnant with some of his men.  Are there any photos of junior officers in your neighbour's grandfather's album?

Edited 10 November , 2018 by bcockburn

[Bob Walker]

It's my neighbour's grandfather..I'm helping him out...I'll check to see if any of the faces appear in other photos..he has hundreds. 

[Bob Walker]

Regt Cemetery....and I think the band on the way to a funeral. 

[adk46canada]

This is a most interesting thread. I would like expand on the discussion of the operations of the PPCLI versus the 141st IR. I am working on a detailed operational study of the Second Battle of Arras from 26 August to 3 September. I have read two of the three infantry and the artillery regimental histories of the 35th ID including the 141st IR.

 

As BCockburn described the 141st IR engaged the PPCLi in the late afternoon of 26 August as part of a failed counterattack by the 35th ID. The initial counterattack was stopped before it could reach the Canadian lines. Sniper patrols from the PPCLI observed the Germans massing, so there was time to call in artillery fire and even the RAF to bomb the assembly areas. The 141 IR made further attempts to advance along communication trenches but were stymied. The PPCLI did not report taking any prisoners on 26 August in the fighting. It is not impossible that there were prisoners taken or bodies searched and the documents found, but it is more likely the documents were captured on 28 August.

 

On 27 August, the PPCLI held the line while another brigade attacked the 35th ID including elements of the 141st IR. The Canadians only made a relatively short advance before getting stopped by the strong defences of the Fresnes-Rouvroy Line in front of Boiry Notre Dame. The PPCLI attacked again in the sector held by the I/141st IR as part of a general attack across the front on 28 August. The PPCLI captured Jigsaw Wood and took 175 prisoners primarily from the 141st IR. The 141st IR also faced the 49th Battalion which captured Pelves on the Scarpe early on 28 August. One interesting aspect of the regimental histories of the 176th and 141st which fought side by side was that they blamed the other for failing to hold the Fresnes-Rouvroy Line. Essentially, they each claimed the other folded up and allowed the Canadians to outflank them. According to the 141st IR, it emerged from the battle with a strength of 26 officers and 1061 other ranks. This was quite a high total as often regiments were reduced to the strength of a company. For instance, the 132 IR's three battalions comprised 15 officers and 180 men after it was pulled out of the line on 27 August.

 

Regards

Bill

[bcockburn]

I haven't seen a copy of the regimental history of I.R. 141.  I did come across the attached list of officers killed during war.  Oddly, Ltn. Knueppelholz does not appear.  Perhaps he was still considered missing and not yet confirmed dead.  Or perhaps his rank was a temporary one.  Or maybe it was just a error.

[bcockburn]

Back on the Canadian side, Lt. Svienbjorn "Barnie" Loptston MC, was the Regimental Scout Officer of the PPCLI.  He earned his Military Cross while leading a trench raid on July 5. From his name you might recognize his Icelandic-Canadian background.  Lt. Loptson is mentioned a few times in the regimental history of the PPCLI.

 

The attached posed photo is almostly certainly not of Lt. Loptson, but that it depicts the kind of work that he did at the front lines and sometimes beyond. The insignia on his collar seems to read C.V.A..  In Nicolson's history of C.E.F. the only abbreviation that looks remotely similar is Canadian Field Artillery.

Lt_Loptson_MC_citation.pdf

Lt_Loptson_MC_action_July_5_1918.pdf

Edited 10 November , 2018 by bcockburn

[bcockburn]

Here are some English translations from the second part of Werner's notebook.

Werner_notebook_pt2_Laughing_by_M_Troll.pdf

Werner_notebook_pt2_Only_Ridicule.pdf

Werner_notebook_pt2_ArmyBread_DeadOnTheBattlefields.pdf

[bcockburn]

Here is Lt. Loptson's obituary, in Icelandic.

Edited 10 November , 2018 by bcockburn

[AOK4]

Hello,

Lt. d. Res. Ernst Knüppelholz is mentioned in the regimental history as having died 26 August 1918.

I found him in the published lists of the missing as well. He was born on 11 April 1885 in Magdeburg and is mentioned as missing since 28 August 1918 near Boiry-Notre-Dame.

Jan

Edited 10 November , 2018 by AOK4

[bcockburn]

I wonder how it was that Ernst Werner ended up serving in a regiment that was based in West Prussia when he was from Magdeburg.

[GreyC]

This mostly had family or work related reasons. If he was there as student or for other work, while he was drafted, he ended up in these local regiments.

GreyC

[AOK4]

A lot of those regiments from the sparsely inhabited areas lacked enough local recruits, so the losses had often to be made up with men from other areas.

[bcockburn]

I've spent quite a bit time trying to track down the family of Ltn. Ernst Werner Knueppelolz.  Interestingly, a Mr. Paul Knueppelholz, upholstery manufacturer from Magdeburg, contributed to the Magdeburg exhibit at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.  I wonder whether Paul was related to Richard Knueppelholz, who was apparently Ernst Werner's father.  And then there is the architect Erich Knueppelholz, who appears in a list in Werner's notebook.  Erich served in Landwehr I.R. 153 and survived the Great War.  He also survived WW2, and apparently died in 1959.  In 1939 Eric was living at Stglz. Albrechstr. 56 in Berlin (according to a telephone book listing), but I don't know where he was living in 1959.

Edited 10 November , 2018 by bcockburn

[bcockburn]

Werner used one end of his notebook for personal information, and the other end for military information.  I now attach a scan of the end with military information.

 

On one page there is a chronology of postings, which begins with an entry on August 3, 1914.  It seems that he was transferred to I.R. 141 on October 4, 1915.  The last dated entry (on another page) is for May 28, 1918.

 

I'd much appreciate a translation of the page that mentions "the Kaiser!".

 

The last two pages give names of men and women, along with dates.  These seem likely to be personal friends and the dates when he sent letters to them.

Werner_notebook_pt4.pdf

Edited 10 November , 2018 by bcockburn