fraser.skirrow Posted 11 May , 2020 Share Posted 11 May , 2020 Hello All I am researching a series of raids around Bullecourt in 1917 and trying to match German and British accounts. I have been lucky enough to find the Regimental Histories for the German side of these actions and supported by Google translate and German friends have got some very good material from 84 RIR. The 71 RIR history is very uninformative, locations of battalions only. Both refer to more detailed regimental documentation that they drew on to write their accounts. How do I begin to find these documents in German archives, has anyone had success finding this sort of thing and can give me a hint? 84 RIR are from Schleswig and 71 RIR from Meiningen, Mühlhausen and Hersfeld. Cheers Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 11 May , 2020 Share Posted 11 May , 2020 Hello, They don't exist any more as far as I know. Most Prussian WW1 military archives were destroyed during the allied bombings of 1944/45. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraser.skirrow Posted 11 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2020 Hi Jan. I was hoping that regional archives might have escaped - I heard the Bavarian Regiments have records still. My fingers are crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 11 May , 2020 Share Posted 11 May , 2020 40 minutes ago, fraser.skirrow said: Hi Jan. I was hoping that regional archives might have escaped - I heard the Bavarian Regiments have records still. My fingers are crossed. Believe me, there's nothing left (I just checked the BA/MA in Freiburg). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 11 May , 2020 Share Posted 11 May , 2020 There's another possibility though: under which Gruppe (Generalkommando) where they serving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraser.skirrow Posted 11 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2020 Jan - thankyou for checking AOK4 - 71 RIR was 43rd Reserve Infantry Brigade / 22nd Reserve Division / IV Reserve Corps / 1st Army. I am looking into their period around Reincourt in early September 1917 when they were raided by the 2/6th West Yorks of 62 Division. 84 RIR are part of 18th Reserve Division, not sure on Corps.They are at Queant in the same period and raid the 2/6th West Yorks. Lots of to and fro in No Man's Land at that time. Does this help with Gruppe?- I am new to German matters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 12 May , 2020 Share Posted 12 May , 2020 No, it doesn't. By 1917, divisions were attached to Generalkommandos which remained in the same sector for a longer time (nad not necessarily any more to the Generalkommandos of the recruitment area). I'll have a look whether I find something more. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 12 May , 2020 Share Posted 12 May , 2020 You're lucky, if I am not mistaken they were under the Gruppe Arras (Generalkommando XIV. Reservekorps) at that time (at least that's mentioned in the history of RIR 71). If there were battle reports of the raids, they should be in Karlsruhe. See http://www.landesarchiv-bw.de/plink/?f=4-1531430 Even though I am in Germany every now and then, it seems improbable that I will get there anytime soon. You may try and contact the archive explaining what you're exactly looking for. Perhaps they are willing to provide you with some scans (and an invoice for their work). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraser.skirrow Posted 12 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2020 Hi Jan - many thanks for this, I will follow it up with the assistance of my German speaking friends. The material will go into a WFA talk for later in the year - assuming that face to face lectures ever start again. Cheers Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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