ZweitesSchwere Posted 22 May , 2020 Share Posted 22 May , 2020 Hello, I'm interested in the experiences of the 2nd Bavarian Reserve Cavalry which took part in the 2nd Battle of Champagne 25-27 Sept 1915. They were in a position nicknamed the Weidenbusch (Willow Bush). In particular, I would like to know which French units attacked. Does anyone know? I think it was not the Foreign Legion who were slightly to the right (from the French point of view) . I have here an informal regimental history by Fritz Najork, where it is mentioned that they saw new French uniforms for the first time. In case it is of interest I attach here a picture of the Weidenbusch Dugout from that history with the caption "Das Weidenbuschlager. Gesehen aus dem vordern Graben bei Souain. I take it that it is a picture taken from the foremost German trench, looking back at the Weidenbusch reserve dugout.: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 22 May , 2020 Share Posted 22 May , 2020 According to this map from volume 9 of the German official history it looks like it was the French 10th Colonial Division. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZweitesSchwere Posted 22 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2020 Thank you for this. I have translated a short passage from Najork's informal history. It's quite hard to fit the numbers on your map to his account. From the reference to 110 Baden Grenadiers, I'm wondering if they were in fact the unit facing the attack of the French 15th Colonial, where the number 110 appears. (Page 81): "The Rifle Platoons of the 1st and 3rd Squadrons (of the Reserve Cav Regt) in the B of Champagne 22.9-27.9.1915 While the French barrage raged from Sept 222-5, 125 troopers were at the front. Meanwhile the newly assembled rifle batallion was transported to Tagnon on Mon Sept 20. It consisted of a company under Rittmeister Heddesdorf with platoons made up of 60 men of 1st Sqn under Lts Haniel and Bornhelm, 60 men 3rd Sqn under Lt. Albrecht von Blumenthal and Sgt Grüning; a second company of men from 5th Reserve Uhlans under Rittmeister Baron von Bothmer and a third company from the Saxon Reserve Uhlans. The Battalion Commander was Major Count Magnis. In Châtelet a second rifle battalion from 5th Light Infantry (Jägers), 3rd Cavalry and Saxon Reserve Hussars, had joined Count Lippe's Cavalry Division. The two battalions had been taken to Somme-Py by railway which had already been bombed and disrupted by air attack, and had stayed at the Kaisertreu barrack camp on Sept 20. With a battalion of 110 Baden Grenadiers, they were to move into a position on the heights at Souain." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 22 May , 2020 Share Posted 22 May , 2020 Hello, The official french website "Memoire des hommes" seems to be currently on maintenance, the website gives most of the war diaries of the French units for the entire period on WW1. I'll have a look when it will be accessible, but here is what I can say for the 10th and 15th Divisions d'Infanterie Coloniale (D.I.C): Some information that could help, in September 1915 the French Infantry Regiments in the 10th D.I.C. were: -52ème Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (52ème R.I.C), previously it was called the 2ème Regiment mixte Colonial until August 1915 -53ème Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (53ème R.I.C), previously it was called the 3ème Regiment mixte Colonial until August 1915 -33ème Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (33ème R.I.C) -42ème Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (42ème R.I.C) + artillery, etc... and for the 15th D.I.C. the units were: -1er Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale -2ème Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale -5ème Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale -6ème Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZweitesSchwere Posted 22 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2020 Thanks very much! Lt. Bornhelm saw "for us what were new French Uniforms". Is it known when the new uniforms were issued to these units? Or had they all been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly Posted 22 May , 2020 Share Posted 22 May , 2020 I am not a specialist in uniform but I believe that the French Colonial uniform has always been different from the traditionnal blue (dark blue and "horizon" blue) of the other French soldiers, untill the official regulation for the "Moutarde" uniform specificaly aimed the French colonials in 1918. So that could explain why it was the first time that the Germans saw a different uniform in 1915 ? Sly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 22 May , 2020 Share Posted 22 May , 2020 There is quite a bit regarding the actions of 1st Bn Gren.Regt. 110 in the regimental history and a nice sketch of the area on page 165 of the book. http://dfg-viewer.de/show/cache.off?tx_dlf =180&tx_dlf[id]=http%3A%2F%2Fdigital.wlb-stuttgart.de%2Fmets%2Furn%3Anbn%3Ade%3Absz%3A24-digibib-bsz47628564X0%2Furn%3Anbn%3Ade%3Absz%3A24-digibib-bsz47628564X0.xml&tx_dlf[double]=0&cHash=4d42a484f8a020c2e735595efd8b40d7 Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZweitesSchwere Posted 22 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2020 Very excited to find a map showing the Weidenbusvh, thank you. it’s quite a struggle reconciling the sketch with the description I have but I will look closely in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZweitesSchwere Posted 23 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2020 Good morning, I've had a good look at this map. I see that there is a small image between the Kampf-Grenz (battle line) and the Weidenbusch Str (Willow Bush "street") which could either be the willow tree itself or a mill which the history mentions. I have been exercised by how to translate the phrase "Reserve-Lager" because "reserve camp" doesn't seem to cover it. I was using "reserve dugout". According to the history it was screened by a finger of wood or forest and I see that on the map there is a pace marked Wald Lager (Forest Camp) so I take it that is the place referred to. It doesn't seem to have been what one would think of as a camp, more a complex of trenches, dugouts and shelters. According to Lt. Bornhelm, this section of trench was outflanked on the left by the French. Facing left they saw columns of French marching over towards what I take to be Navarin Farm. I take those to have been the 10th Colonia. If so the frontal assault came either also from 10th Colonial or 15th Colonial. I incline to think the latter. Heddesdorff's company was supposed to occupy the Weidenbusch Trench. But it was so crowded that Haniel sent back Bornhelm to be on standby at the Reserve Lager. He was woken up in the night and ran to fill the flanking tench where he saw the columns just mentioned. His men then faced the forward assault. They had only 150 rounds each. They were beaten back. Next morning, Heddesdorff, Haniel, von Blumenthal and Sgt Grüning were missing. I take it they were captured by the frontal assault of the 15th Colonial (or 10th as may be) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZweitesSchwere Posted 31 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2020 Hello Sly, Is it possible that the 42nd Regiment was in 14th Division on 25 Sept? Ive been reading the memoires of Father Doncoeur, Chaplain of 28th Brigade, consisting of the 35th and 42nd Regiments, in the 14th Division. (Or am I confusing Colonial with line regiments? Was there coincidentally a 42nd line regiment fighting almost next door to a 42nd colonial?) He seems to have been quite a chap; since all the brigade colonels were killed he took command. He also had an underground chapel built where he said Mass for the troops. Anyhow, he provides an annotated map showing the corridor of advance of his brigade, which was left (west) of the infamous Moulin de Souain, which is faintly but still discernibly marked on Charlie2's map, which corroborates the Padre. If I follow correctly, 42nd Regiment must have enfiladed the foremost German Trench which extended westwards from works constructed around the Moulin, called by the Germans "Kampf Gr and by the French Tranchee de Hambourg. After that they did the same with the next line of trenches which the Germans called the Weidenbusch Stellung and which I think must corresponded to what the French called the "Tranchee Blücher" In Najork's account, a company under Riitmeister Heddesdorff-Peters and Lt. Albrecht von Blumenthal, plus a half company under Lt Haniel, got cut off in the front most position while Lt. Bornheim was defending the left flank, Reserve and Battery. They only had 150 rounds per man, and surrendered after being surrounded. I think this must mean that H-P, von B and H were in the "Kampf Gr" trenches around the Moulin. This corresponds to Doncoeur's account of the Colonel of 42nd sending in a German-speaker to offer the trench garrison surrender, which was accepted. What do you think? Is that a fair summary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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