Gardening in the Trenches

[bierast]

Battalion HQ of III. Batl. / Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr.350, a Saxon unit on the Eastern Front (sadly not dated):

[RegHannay]

I had to smile when I saw this photo Bierast, reminded me of a couple of small entries in my grandfathers diaries, one entered by myself from the 7th battalion ESR war diary, and one written by the doctor.

7th batt diary 15th Sept 1915. Le Touquet.

"We hear that the Saxons have been taken away and sent to Russia as they were not active enough in this post." (the men in the photo don't look to active.) " They were relieved by Landwehr consisting of 9/10 Landsturm, very old, one battalion being commanded by a major of sixty years old." 

Doctor's entry 20th Sept 1915.

"Evidentially the German deserter was correct when he said that the Bavarian's had left and the Landwehr Prussian regiment are now facing us. They may be old men but their fighting spirit is there judging by the increased amount of "strafing" that is taking place since they arrived."

I don't suppose you would know what regiment it was

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

[RegHannay]

 Hedley, Two more entries while convalescing and standing in for M.O's on leave at No9 hospital Rouen. Reg had a lot of spare time to go walking and to explore the area.

 

Tuesday 16th May 1916.

" A warmer day with glimpses of sunshine. Am writing this as I recline on a fallen tree in the midst of the pine forest. It is beautifully still, and the birds sing so joyously. It is difficult to believe oneself to be not in England as I lie in a glorious sun among some long grass on the side of a little wood. The same trees and the same blackbirds singing away. There is a wonderfully varied fauna. I have already found a number of unfamiliar flowers and I can see by strange leaves the promise of many more species quite unknown to me. Solomon's seal, Lily of the valley, some large Spurges and a beautiful red Milkwort are common."

 

Monday 22nd May.

"If I ever survive this tremendous war do not let me forget to grow Ranunculi's in my peaceful garden. They have got a whole border of them in the garden of the mess, it is extraordinary the variety and brilliance of the colours. They are as variant as the single Poppy, also they flower fairly early and are at their best just as the Anemones begin to wane. As the Ranunculi's has done so well  I ought to say that the soil is extraordinarily sandy and what soil is among it consists of a large extent of loam such as one might expect to find seeing that this ground here is simply cleared forest land. They have enriched the soil by adding a little manure."

 

The diaries have many entries on flowers and fauna, forests and wooded glades. I had the privilege of playing  in the doctors garden in the late 50's and all of the 60's, yes it was peaceful, although as a child I didn't recognise it as such. (Through these diaries I do now) Please don't ask if he grew Ranunculi's because I would not have a clue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 June , 2020 by RegHannay

[bierast]

On 20/06/2020 at 22:58, RegHannay said:

I had to smile when I saw this photo Bierast, reminded me of a couple of small entries in my grandfathers diaries, one entered by myself from the 7th battalion ESR war diary, and one written by the doctor.

7th batt diary 15th Sept 1915. Le Touquet.

"We hear that the Saxons have been taken away and sent to Russia as they were not active enough in this post." (the men in the photo don't look to active.) " They were relieved by Landwehr consisting of 9/10 Landsturm, very old, one battalion being commanded by a major of sixty years old." 

Doctor's entry 20th Sept 1915.

"Evidentially the German deserter was correct when he said that the Bavarian's had left and the Landwehr Prussian regiment are now facing us. They may be old men but their fighting spirit is there judging by the increased amount of "strafing" that is taking place since they arrived."

 

Assuming we're talking about Le Touquet on the Lys (just across the river from Frelinghien) I do indeed know exactly which units he's referring to, though the rumour he relates is only partly true. This was on the front of Saxon XIX. Armeekorps, which extended from the Douve in the north to Bois Grenier in the south. The German bridgehead at Le Touquet had been held until 20th April 1915 by the detached III. Batl. / IR 104, after which the line was reorganised and it became part of the sector of the neighbouring IR 181 (which henceforth extended from Pont Rouge to the Lys). IR 181 continued to hold this sector until July 1916, when the entire corps was sent to the Somme.

No units were ever sent away from the XIX.AK front for want of aggression. So far as we can tell, this Saxon corps maintained 'live and let live' here for as long as possible as a matter of policy, allowing it to conserve ammunition and manpower while providing mobile reserves to deal with emergencies further south. Units of XIX.AK fought with distinction at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers and in the great Entente offensive of September/October 1915. Meanwhile the actual XIX.AK front remained quiet most of the time (with unpleasant exceptions at the mining hotspots); only actual fraternisation was suppressed. Frelinghien brewery served for a prolonged period as the German 'tourist line' for journalists, politicians and foreign military observers, much to the annoyance of its garrison! This idyllic state of affairs along most of the XIX.AK front came to an end in early 1916, due to the British policy of aggressive large-scale trench raiding.

 

The Frelinghien sector on the south bank of the Lys changed hands far more frequently than Le Touquet. Until the end of May 1915 it was held mainly by IR 133 with II. Batl. / IR 134 attached (the rest of that regiment was north of Ploegsteert Wood on the corps' right flank). At that point IR 133 and 134 were both withdrawn into army reserve, with the corps receiving the Prussian 38. Landwehr-Brigade in return, consisting of LIR 77 and 78. These regiments were raised in (Prussian-annexed) Hannover, Brunswick and adjacent parts; although undoubtedly consisting of older men, though they had seen a great deal of fighting in the 1st and 2nd Battles of Ypres. As you would expect they were used to relieve IR 133 and 134, and LIR 78 took over the Frelinghien sector. They were there until 19th June and were then relieved by Saxon Jäger-Bataillon 13 until 25th August (the quietness of the sector and the solidity of the fortified brewery evidently allowed it to be quite thinly held). After that the Jägers were relieved by LIR 77, which held the sector until March 1916 and was thus in residence at the time of the diary entry you quote. It evidently refers to LIR 77, although I am pretty sure he exagerrates their lack of fighting value. Highly unusually for a non-Saxon junior officer, Ltn. d.L. Horst Ritter von Schwarze of 6. Komp. / LIR 77 was actually awarded the Militär-St.Heinrichs-Orden (the highest Saxon and oldest German decoarion for valour) for his part in beating off a raid on 26th January 1916.
 

The following photo of NCOs and men of LIR 77 at Frelinghien ca. September 1915 appears in our upcoming book 'For King and Kaiser' (due out from Pen & Sword at the end of September).

 

[RegHannay]

8 minutes ago, bierast said:

 

Assuming we're talking about Le Touquet on the Lys (just across the river from Frelinghien) I do indeed know exactly which units he's referring to, though the rumour he relates is only partly true. This was on the front of Saxon XIX. Armeekorps, which extended from the Douve in the north to Bois Grenier in the south. The German bridgehead at Le Touquet had been held until 20th April 1915 by the detached III. Batl. / IR 104, after which the line was reorganised and it became part of the sector of the neighbouring IR 181 (which henceforth extended from Pont Rouge to the Lys). IR 181 continued to hold this sector until July 1916, when the entire corps was sent to the Somme.

No units were ever sent away from the XIX.AK front for want of aggression. So far as we can tell, this Saxon corps maintained 'live and let live' here for as long as possible as a matter of policy, allowing it to conserve ammunition and manpower while providing mobile reserves to deal with emergencies further south. Units of XIX.AK fought with distinction at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers and in the great Entente offensive of September/October 1915. Meanwhile the actual XIX.AK front remained quiet most of the time (with unpleasant exceptions at the mining hotspots); only actual fraternisation was suppressed. Frelinghien brewery served for a prolonged period as the German 'tourist line' for journalists, politicians and foreign military observers, much to the annoyance of its garrison! This idyllic state of affairs along most of the XIX.AK front came to an end in early 1916, due to the British policy of aggressive large-scale trench raiding.

 

The Frelinghien sector on the south bank of the Lys changed hands far more frequently than Le Touquet. Until the end of May 1915 it was held mainly by IR 133 with II. Batl. / IR 134 attached (the rest of that regiment was north of Ploegsteert Wood on the corps' right flank). At that point IR 133 and 134 were both withdrawn into army reserve, with the corps receiving the Prussian 38. Landwehr-Brigade in return, consisting of LIR 77 and 78. These regiments were raised in (Prussian-annexed) Hannover, Brunswick and adjacent parts; although undoubtedly consisting of older men, though they had seen a great deal of fighting in the 1st and 2nd Battles of Ypres. As you would expect they were used to relieve IR 133 and 134, and LIR 78 took over the Frelinghien sector. They were there until 19th June and were then relieved by Saxon Jäger-Bataillon 13 until 25th August (the quietness of the sector and the solidity of the fortified brewery evidently allowed it to be quite thinly held). After that the Jägers were relieved by LIR 77, which held the sector until March 1916 and was thus in residence at the time of the diary entry you quote. It evidently refers to LIR 77, although I am pretty sure he exagerrates their lack of fighting value. Highly unusually for a non-Saxon junior officer, Ltn. d.L. Horst Ritter von Schwarze of 6. Komp. / LIR 77 was actually awarded the Militär-St.Heinrichs-Orden (the highest Saxon and oldest German decoarion for valour) for his part in beating off a raid on 26th January 1916.
 

The following photo of NCOs and men of LIR 77 at Frelinghien ca. September 1915 appears in our upcoming book 'For King and Kaiser' (due out from Pen & Sword at the end of September).
 

Hello Bierast. 

Thank you for all the information, I will take time later to read it fully. I dare say the 7th ESR war diary entry for 15th Dec would have been second or third hand info and gossip. The doctors entry on the 20th showed his respect for the fighting spirit of the opposition. He talks often of the mining and crater warfare.You are right about the "live and let live attitude on the front at that time, the doctor often wrote about heavy shelling falling harmlessly  and rifle grenades/mortars causing no casualties and falling away from the trenches. At one point a letter arriving by rifle grenade and  a conversation from the German trenches a few yards in front,(Monday 23rd Aug.) My grandfather was the only officer present at the time and records it all in his diary ( there are discrepancies between his version and the 7th war diary. Higher command ordered to only reply with a bullet) I hope the allied troops had  the same  live and let live attitude.

Dave