What happened in Mesopotamia around 26 March 1918

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

 

A German Naval list (Geheime Marine Verlustliste) threw up some names most I had for other reasons but it added a number of PoW's I was not aware of?

 

Some came from an Air attack by the RFC, some where in Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates River detachment possibly near Mosul, but not those shown kriegsgefangen England?

 

Any ideas here?

 

A list of those shown;

 

Bäcker Otto    ObHeizer d.S II Marine    der Seewehr II - Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Weidenau ) schwer verwundet (badly wounded) WIA 26-3-18 possibly when Fliegerbombe (by bomb) Mesopotamia
Böhmer Wilhelm    BootsMaat deR Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Leipzig ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Braun Gustav    Heizer Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Siegen ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Foerster Max    ObMatrose Marine     Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Jastrow Dtsch. Krone KIA 26-3-18) Tot Fliegerbombe, ObSch und bd. Beine (killed by bomb lost both legs) Mesopotamia
Friedrich Franz    Ober-Matrose Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Rübsen ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Fürst Wilhelm    ObBootsMaat Marine    CPO Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18     (born at Neumünster possibly KIA 26-3-18) kriegsgefangen England bisher vermißt* died in Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18 or died? possibly when Fliegerbombe, rechte Seite (killed by bomb) Mesopotamia
Kosik Robert     ObHeizer Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Neustadt ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Lübbe Otto    ObBootsMaat d.S II Marine    der Seewehr II - Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Gr. Oschersleben Magdeburg ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Pulway Bernhard    Art-ObMatrose deR Marine     Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at München-Gladbach KIA 26-3-18) Tot Fliegerbombe, rechte Seite (killed by bomb) Mesopotamia
Roth Wilhelm    BootsMaat Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Wiesbaden ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Rupp Eduard    BootsMaat Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Bous ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Schütz Oswald    Minen-ObHeizer Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Daasdorf ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
Wohlert Willi     Sanit-Maat Marine    Sanitäts Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at Kiel ) schwer verwundet (badly wounded) WIA 26-3-18 possibly when Fliegerbombe (by bomb) Mesopotamia
Zink Otto    Feuerwerks-Maat Marine    Euphrat-Stamm-Detachement - Euphratfluß-Abtl. - Euphrates River Dept - Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) Mesopotamia    1917-18    (born at München ) kriegsgefangen England shown Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW 26-3-18
 

Just for the weekend

 

S.B

Edited 12 February , 2021 by stevebecker

[charlie962]

Probably the Khan Baghdadi operations covered here in Moberly's  Official History.

 

This extract notes 18 German PoWs:

 

Chaarlie

[david murdoch]

43 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

Probably the Khan Baghdadi operations covered here in Moberly's  Official History.

 

This extract notes 18 German PoWs:

 

Chaarlie

This ties in with my  armoured car research showing L.A.M.B cars moving from Khan Baghdadi up past Anah and taking a lot of Turkish prisoners over those days. They also noted capturing a "German" wireless station

14th L.A.M.B diary is more legible and notes 8th L.A.M.B taking the wireless and capturing a German intelligence officer with documents and maps and a bag of gold on 28th March 1918. 14th were running petrol resupply (with their support vehicles) to 8th L.A.M.B and had orders to bring back "as many Germans as possible", the German wireless equipment and any important arab prisoners. Given they were taking Turkish prisoners by the hundreds they were certainly focused on hunting down and capturing Germans!

 

Kermit Roosevelt (with 14th L.A.M.B) mentions in his book capturing some Germans - in the context of his story this took place at Abu Kamal now  (Al-Bukamal across the Syrian border) and about 120km past Anah, and likely end of March 1918

"When the cars came up we set off again in pursuit of the elusive gold convoy. We could get no accurate information concerning it. Some said it was behind, others ahead. We never ran it down. It may well be that it was concealed in a ravine near the road a few yards from where we passed. Just short of a town called Abu Kemal we caught three Germans. They were in terror when we took them, and afterward said that they had expected to be shot. Under decent treatment they soon became so insolent that they had to be brought up short."

 

Those three Germans are noted in the war diary  captured on 29th.

 

This photo is copied from a tiny contact print my grandfather (8th L.A.M.B) kept. On the back of the original is written " from a negative found in a captured German wireless station". So probably came from there. Two figures standing just in from the left are likely Germans.

 

[Guest]

Mates,

 

Thank you an interesting ideas here. Makes a lot of sence.

 

I was looking at some naval action, like a River boat being attacked by aircraft and captured by ground troops, but seams unlikely. but a Wireless det looks good.

 

If correct I would expect more Funk men amoung the PoW's, but none are shown as such?

 

I was surprised with the large number of SNCO's in the men, with few sailors and no Officers

 

Charlie I tried your Red Cross PoW lists but got no where with these names?

 

Cheers

 

S.B

[Guest]

Mates,

 

I was reading the book you gave me, and an another interesting comment showed up.

 

The shooting down of the aircraft of Col Tennant and Maj Hobart page 133

 

I did look for any claims by the German/ottoman forces around that date (27 March 1918)?

 

There were of cause none shown by German or Ottoman aircrew but one around that date?

 

Ahmet Cemal Efendi (Turgutlu)    Pilot Airforce 2nd Aircraft Company 8-17    Sgt / Çavus        Mesopotamia reported Rumpler C1 (RK1) (Ex 1832/15) with Lt Hasan Basri (O) shot down a British plane around the Euphrates 22-3-18 (1 victory) (spelling in Ole Nikoljsen)

 

There are no other claims around that date?

 

Just for interest.

 

S.B

[charlie2]

9 hours ago, stevebecker said:

Charlie I tried your Red Cross PoW lists but got no where with these names?

Steve,

For what ever reason they have been misfiled and are in the RC database of German civilians

 

Böhmer & Braun, PoW 27.3. Abu-Kehal

Friedrich, Roth & Zink, PoW 27.3. Haditha

Fürst Rupp & Schütz, PoW 28.3. Anah

Kosik, PoW 27.3. Khan Baghdadi

Lübbe, PoW 27.3. El-Us

 

Charlie

[david murdoch]

22 hours ago, charlie962 said:

Probably the Khan Baghdadi operations covered here in Moberly's  Official History.

 

This extract notes 18 German PoWs:

 

Chaarlie

Some great reading about this operation which I had not read before. The capture of the wireless station and documents is also noted in the book and ties in with the war diary entries. The rescue  of Col Tennant and Maj Hobart is also mentioned in war diaries and Roosevelts book, as well as Tennant's own account. The CO of 8th L.A.M.B was awarded the DSO for that action and I've found a couple of the Army Service Corps drivers also were decorated. The armoured cars were also hunting what was believed to be a large amount of (German) gold - this from intel was to be used to pay the locals to revolt against the British.

It is also noted that the Germans burned their wireless station at Haditha (it was the one further up at Anah that was captured while trying to escape).

On page 137 it notes the Germans had a flotilla of launches and barges of which the British had sunk four launches and two barges - so I'd imagine this accounts for some of the German casualties/POWs. The speed and extent of the  British advance (particularly the armoured car units) clearly confirms the road (to Aleppo) was in good state.

Photo of Anah  - going by the number of armoured cars present almost certainly around 28th March 1918.

 

Edited 13 February , 2021 by david murdoch

[david murdoch]

See page from 14th L.A.M.B war diary for 28/3/1918. Reference German prisoners and captured wireless equipment. Note the reference to captured German intelligence officer has something in brackets after it. To me it appears to be " Pacusser" is this his name?

[Guest]

Dave,

 

Sorry mate I can't find who that Intell officer was, as he is not listed with spelling around that name as such, maybe Charlie will find is name through his sources?

 

Charlie,

 

Mate thank you for finding these lost men.

 

Stay safe

 

S.B
 

 

[charlie2]

Sorry, I can‘t make anything out of „Pacusser“ as a name or rank/appointment.

[seaJane]

9 hours ago, charlie2 said:

Sorry, I can‘t make anything out of „Pacusser“ as a name or rank/appointment.

Could it be Preusser with a correction after the initial P?

[charlie2]

14 minutes ago, seaJane said:

Could it be Preusser with a correction after the initial P?

Well done Jane! he was Leutnant Dr. Conrad Ludwig Ernst Preusser, taken PoW 27.3. Nehije, Ana.

 

Charlie

[seaJane]

Oh good .

[Guest]

Mates,

 

You sure about him?

 

I had him down as 

 

Preusser Conrad    Civilian    archaeologist in Persia    1915-    (born 1881 died 1964) served in Expedition Klein in Persia Mesopotamia wrote book "Die Paläste in Assur" 
 

He is shown on stab/Staff in Mesopotamia but I had no job for him other then staff duties because of his history in the area.

 

Another German who's history follows TEL.

 

S.B

[charlie962]

17 hours ago, stevebecker said:

 archaeologist

A bit like that archaeologist Charles Leonard Woolley whose knowledge of the terrain was put to use. Took the rank of Captain in the RFArtillery. Unfortunately the yacht he employed to recce landing sites for agents  hit a (French) mine and sank, killing a number of crew. He ended up a prisoner of the Turkish. See thread on HMY Zaida here

 

He mentions other archaeologists so employed, incl TEL. Woolley and Preusser certainly knew of each other. Perhaps they met and swapped Pow stories ?

 

Charlie

 

 

Edited 15 February , 2021 by charlie962

[charlie2]

[Guest]

Charlie,

 

Yes that looks more like it, as the men in Funker-Abteilung 151 - also shown as Divisions-Funker-Abteilung 151, was a German radio unit which ties in more with what Dave passed on.

 

I also have;

 

Ehlert Joseph    Funker    Funker-Abteilung 151 - also shown as Divisions-Funker-Abteilung 151    1917-18    (1893 at Klopeten Braunsberg ) in Gefschaft (in prison) possibly PoW
 

Possibly he was taken around the same time, as I have no details on his capture?

 

The only other officer I have for this unit was ObLt Ernst Liesching, but he was RTG in 1916 due to illness, common with most of those who served in Mesopotamia.

 

Preusser must have stayed on as a Intell officer while on staff, but his unit if I am reading it right, Stab LW I/48 (possibly 1Bn/48th Regiment)

 

Sorry charlie to save you the trouble if you can just give me the site of list 212 then I can check those men around that dates.

 

Cheers

S.B

Edited 16 February , 2021 by stevebecker

[charlie2]

Steve

The link to list 212 https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/3840905/935/2799/

 

Joseph Ehlert is recorded on a RC list of those in French captivity who were taken PoW by them on 08.08.1918 on the Somme.

https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/874370/897/47809/

 

I think Lt Preusser‘s parent unit is more likely to have been Landwehr (Lw) Infanterie (I) Regiment 48. He doesn‘t appear on the list of officers on detachment from IR48 in the regimental history. 

 

Charlie

[charlie2]

2 hours ago, stevebecker said:

Funker-Abteilung 151 - also shown as Divisions-Funker-Abteilung 151, was a German radio unit

Steve,

I may be wrong but I don‘t think they are the same unit, hopefully @The Prussian can provide clarification.

[charlie962]

As an aside, this is from Capt Neville's history of the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry:

 

The CO of the OBLI (part of 50th Bde), Lt Col Whittall, spoke to some of the German and Turkish prisoners, who said, "Why fight ? The war is over and we have won." They then showed him the wireless reports of the 25th and 26th dealing with the German offensive in France.

 

[The Prussian]

Hello!

Here is a photo of Funkerabteilung 151. It´s the same unit

 

 

Reverse:

Briefadresse (Letter adress): By Marine-Post-Office, Berlin

Paketadresse (Package adress) by Militärpaketdepot (Military package depot) Leipzig

Telegrammadresse (Telegram adress): Funkerabteilung 151, Konstantinopel

 

Edited 16 February , 2021 by The Prussian

[GreyC]

Great photo!

GreyC

[The Prussian]

And something happened in march 1918...

( I wrote this article in our Feldgrau-Forum)

 

The "Kaiserlich Deutsche Funkerabteilung Nr. 151" was established in the spring of 1916 at Nachr.Ers.Abt.1 in Berlin-Treptow and was initially detached to Constantinople in June. Commanding officer was Captain Erich v. Salzmann. According to ERL he was Adjutant of the Insp. of Field Telegraphy with the uniform Tel.Btl.1. but there no "von".
The detachment comprised eight units - command, six heavy radio stations, and depot - and also carried portable radios, directional receivers, light signal lamps, heliographs, and telephone equipment.
It arrived in Baghdad during October and November 1916 (Turkish AOK6). She was deployed with various combat groups on the Euphrates, at Kut-el-Amara, on the Tigris, and in Persia. It participated in all operations of the Turkish 6th Army for two years until the end of the war.
The return march to the homeland was first through the mountains of Kurdistan and Armenia.
In mid-December 1918, they reached the port city of Samsun on the Black Sea, where they were embarked for Constantinople on January 12, 1919. There they were interned on the Prince Islands until the spring of 1919.
They then arrived in Germany on the steamer "Kerkyra" (arrival date and port unknown) with 6 officers and 53 men.
I got this info from the excellent book by Oberleutnant Thiele ("Zur Geschichte der Nachrichten-Truppe 1899-1924", Berlin 1925). There is more info and photos of the division on 19 pages!
In the book "Telegraphen-, Nachrichten-, Fernmeldetruppen und Führungsdienste" (Hrsg. Fernmeldering e.V. 1999) it is still written that the division had to deal with primitive means of transport, predatory tribes, unusual climatic conditions and the better equipped Englishmen. Radio distances of 500km were covered!
Since the boys all still look quite fresh, the picture may have been taken Oct./Nov. 16 in Constantinople.
By the way, Captain Salzmann sentenced a Turkish cavalryman to 15 strokes of the cane in March 1918 for not saluting him. Enver Pasha himself then complained to the HQ of the 6th Army and demanded that Salzmann be ordered back to Germany and tried there. However, the case was dropped because Salzmann apologized to the soldier. Well, he will have thanked him, too...

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[charlie2]

1 hour ago, The Prussian said:

It´s the same unit

Thanks Andreas, strange that he was in France and his unit in the Middle East. I agree a great photo, thanks for sharing it here as well, the translation isn‘t bad either

 

Charlie

[The Prussian]

Hi Charlie!

I hope it was understandable. I used an internet-translator because I was too lazy to translate it by myself...