"Zweites Schwere"

[hvonblumenthal]

Hello, my grandfather Albrecht von Blumenthal and his brother Wolf-Werner both served on the Western Front in a cavalry unit always referred to in our family as "Zweites Schwere" - "2nd Heavy Cavalry". By 1915 Wolf-Werner had been invalided home with Typhus and Albrecht was a platoon commander in the Second Battle of Champagne stationed at Rethel opposite Souain, where he was captured by the French. However I cannot identify the unit. Can anyone help?

[Mad Zeppelin]

From another thread where I posted the following:

There were four regiments of Schwere Reiter (cuirassiers in other contingents), two Saxon and two Bavarian:
- Garde-Reiter-Regiment (1. Schweres Regiment), Saxon, peacetime garrison: Dresden
- Königlich Sächsisches Karabiner-Regiment (2. Schweres Regiment), Saxon, peacetime garrison: Borna
- Königlich Bayerisches Schwere-Reiter-Regiment Nr. 1, Bavarian, peacetime garrison: Munich
- Königlich Bayerisches Schwere-Reiter-Regiment Nr. 2, Bavarian, peacetime garrison: Landshut

[hvonblumenthal]

Thank you for an astonishingly swift reply. Königlich Bayerisches Schwere-Reiter-Regiment Nr. 2 seems the most likely candidate. These brothers von Blumenthal were from a very Prussian family but their mother was a Bavarian.

Can you tell me if any of the units you mention was stationed near Rethel during 1915?

[hvonblumenthal]

What about Kürassier-Regiment „Königin“ (Pommersches) Nr. 2? Could this have been known as "Zweites Schwere" ? I ask because I see it was based at Stettin, close to where Albrecht and Wolf-Werner von Blumenthal lived (Staffelde bei Tantow)

[Mad Zeppelin]

What about Kürassier-Regiment „Königin“ (Pommersches) Nr. 2? Could this have been known as "Zweites Schwere" ? I ask because I see it was based at Stettin, close to where Albrecht and Wolf-Werner von Blumenthal lived (Staffelde bei Tantow)

The regiment was employed at the Western Front only in 1914 (until October) and 1918; for the rest of the war, they were in the east.

[hvonblumenthal]

I attach a postcard sent from the von Blumenthal family home at Schloss Staffelde bei Tantow (near Stettin) to the Oberstabsarzt of what I think says "Schwerer Rei. Reiter Reg 2, Stab, 7 Armee, Feldz. apportion 79" - though I would welcome confirmation that that is indeed what it says, and if so, could you identify the unit from this information?

Kind regards

Henry von Blumenthal

[Mad Zeppelin]

That reads "Schweres Res. Reiter Rgt 2" - Schweres Reserve Reiter Regiment 2. - As far as I know, only the Bavarians raised reserve Schwere Reiter formations. But I'll check it.

[Mad Zeppelin]

(Bavarian) Schw. Res. Reiter Rgt 2 belonged to 16. Reserve Division, they served mainly on the Western Front, Champagne in 1915, Aisne in 1917.

[hvonblumenthal]

Many thanks, that settles it beyond doubt.