; more follows...........................CAVALRY AT LODZ.
THE BREAKTHROUGH TO BRZEZINY. 24 NOVEMBER 1914.
In narrating the events of this day, a brief synopsis of the main forces of the XXV Corps will be given first, followed by a more detailed account of the I Cavalry Corps. (See Sketch No. 11).
General Scheffer, Commander of the XXV Corps, because food and ammunition were running very short, ordered that a breakthrough out of the Russian ring must be accomplished on 24 November or the corps was lost.
The 50th Division was to push north and outflank from the east, the Russian position on the railroad bank in front of Galkow. The 49th Division was to make a direct frontal attack to be delayed until the 50th Division had begun its attack.
Although no news had been receIved from the 3d Guard Division, orders were issued for it to march on Brzeziny on the left of the 49th Division. The I Cavalry Corps was to cover from the west, south and east.
The 50th Division advancing north, turned sharply west in the vicinity of Zakowice and massing its artillery, took the Russian position on Hill 229 and the artillery in position in front of Galkowek under enfilade fire. Practically all of the Russian artillery was destroyed.
About 10:00 AM, not knowing of the success of the 50th Division or of the entry into Brzeziny by the 3d Guard Division,General Scheffer called upon the I Cavalry Corps to prepare plans for a supreme effort to charge through the enemy lines on the east of the railroad Rokiziny-Koluszki and open a gap for the corps.
Before the order was issued, the message came by a cyclist patrol which had managed to get through the Russian lines during the night, that the 3d Guard Division had arrived in Brzeziny and had captured the high ground to the south.
Based on this encouraging report, the 49th Division pressed the frontal attack, the Russians retreated toward the northwest and northeast. At 5:00 PM the corps commander rode into Brzeziny and the corps was united again in that city.
In this I Cavalry Corps, General von Richthofen, the Commander, issued orders at midnight, 23-24 November, to move early in the morning to prevent Nowikow's Russian Cavalry from outflanking from the east.
The 9th Cavalry Division was to occupy the line: Rokiziny-Bendzielin; the 6th Cavalry Division was to move to Laznowska Wola, leaving a security detachment at Karpin.
The cavalry was short of ammunition at this time. One squadron of the 28th Brigade was left to cover the Karpin-Borowo area.
The two divisions were shifted around the fixed pivot formed by the 13th Brigade and the 2d Battalion of the 54th Infantry at Rokiziny. The 28th Brigade marched to Rokiziny on right of the 13th Brigade; the 33d Brigade maneuvered to the edge of woods to the north; the 45th Brigade took position to protect from south and southwest; the 19th Brigade was moved to the east of Chrusty Nowe; the 14th Brigade lined up on the right flank of the 19th Brigade.
Both divisions were in the new locations by 8:00 AM, 24 November. An intense artillery fire was soon followed by a dismounted Cossack attack from the forest east of Pogorzale Lugi. The vigorous action of the 19th Brigade, including a mounted charge by the 8th Hussars Regiment, broke up that attack and prevented a penetration by Nowikow's Cavalry at that place.
Source: Review of Military Literature. March 1938.
Cheers. Raúl M
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. Cheers. Raúl M 