German Cavalry outside Bapaume

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

I was checking the file of Leslie William Ward 501 L/Cpl 13 LHR when I noticed a marking of how this man died, he died of sabre wounds.

Les Ward was a Sgt in B Sqn 1st Anzac LHR when in March 1917 during the advance from Bapaume France there occured a number of clashs with German Cavalry in which we held or own.

Les was shown WIA on the 18th March 1917 but so far there are shown no contacts on that date?

There are shown contacts on the 17th March and 19th March (see pages 46-47 "My Corps Cavarly" by Doug Hunter) and mention engagements with Sturm detachments of 230 soldiers and 25 Cavalry (in this case Uhlans).

Sad to say there are no details of who or which Sqn from the 13 LHR/1 Anzac LHR carried out these contects, a note on page 42 refers to B Sqn capturing Mory and C Sqn Thilloy on the 16th March.

During the advance from the Bapaume to the Hindenburg line B Sqn was on the left flank of the advance and C Sqn on the right with A Sqn in Reserve. The two recorded contacts happened on the 17th March at Bancourt and 19th march at Beugny.

The 17 March at Bancourt was clearly in C Sqn's area (see map page 44 of advance route) and so must have been that Sqn while the 19th March at Beugny appears on the border of both Sqn areas?

So did B Sqn have a contact on the 18th March as shown by this soldier record where he was cut about the neck by a sabre welding German Uhlan and where he died from his wounds the next day.

I should note that the 13 LHR/1 Anzac LHR was not issued with sabres to defend them selves at this time and had their rifles only.

Can you tell me which German Uhlan Regt took part in these operations around Bapaumne in March 1917?

Cheers

S.B

[Chris Henschke]

I cannot vouch for the veracity of My Corps Cavalry. Never read it.

As to no contacts 18 Mar 17 this must be incorrect.

In the 6 Brigade advance guard according to the 13 LH War diary :

‘B Squadron received orders to take up position as advance guard from B29 central to C14 central – relieved at 6.15 pm by 21 Aust Inf Bn. Casualties I OR wounded. SQN bivouacked at BEUGNATRE from 7.15 pm to 11.45 pm when orders received to retire to 6 Aust Inf Bde now situated at BAPAUME, arrived 1.45 am 19/3/17.’

C Sqn on the same day;

‘…Patrols despatched in direction FREMICOURT – heavy fire encountered from village and high ground to south – 1 troop despatched to check resistance at latter place – 3 prisoners taken. I Troop despatched to enter village from left but held up by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. At 12 noon 2 troops despatched totake DELSAUX FARM from right flank but held up by heavy machine gun and rifle fire – casualties 1 OR killed 1 OR wounded and missing 3 OR wounded 4 horses killed.

From that information B Squadron’s advance guard on 18 Mar 17 was 6 to 7 km NE of Bapaume, slightly NW of Vaulx-Varaucourt.

Chris Henschke

[stevenbecker]

Chris,

Yes thanks mate I found the same when I checked the War Diary after I posted the above, I mistook a note in his book saying "The War Diary is not possible because the pages after 18 march are missing", clearly they are not. It only goes to show don't believe every thing you read.

The one wounded must be Sgt Ward as B Sqn was advance guard for the 4th Australian Div and C Sqn for the 5th Aust Div. I should also note the war diary makes no coment of a contact of the 17th march or any German Cavalry during this peroid.

The Offical History Vol 6 1917 by Bean refers to the following German units in front of the advance on page 175,

"Parties of the 1st Guards Reserve Div and the 91st RIR, 119th RIR (26th Div) ".

So we need to find who were the cavalry units of either the 1st Guards Res and possibly the 26th Div's March 1917?

Never the less Sgt Ward is shown mortally wounded by a sabre, surprisingly this is the first such mention in France or Egypt of any LH soldier being killed by a sabre.

Cheers

S.B

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

I may have found my answer;

According to my copy of the history of 250 German Divisions the Cavalry for the 1st Guards Reserve Division was the 1st Sqn Guards Reserve Dragoon Regt in 1917. The 26th Division cavalry was 2nd Sqn 20th Uhlan Regt.

So these Germans may be the Guards Res Dragoon Regt that did the damged as that Div fought the rear guard actions during March in the area. The 26th Div arrived soon after and relieved the 1st Guards Res Div.

But I await your expert knownage here.

S.B

[Chris Henschke]

'The one wounded must be Sgt Ward as B Sqn was advance guard for the 4th Australian Div and C Sqn for the 5th Aust Div. I should also note the war diary makes no coment [sic] of a contact of the 17th march or any German Cavalry during this peroid [sic].'

4 Div?

B Sqn formed only part of the advanced guard for 2 Div on that day, based around 6 Bde.

[Robert Dunlop]

Don't be misled by the term 'Uhlan'. This was the generic term used by the British and Dominion forces for German cavalry, based on the fact that all branches carried lances and therefore looked like uhlans. If German cavalry were involved, then almost certainly they were divisional cavalry, or temporarily assigned to that duty. They could have been dragoons, uhlans, hussars or heavies. Unfortunately, I do not have the detailed accounts from this period.

Robert