Württemberg Mountain Battalion

[Gustavo]

Hi all,

Reading Rommel's Infanterie Grefit an I have come across a few questions.

The English translation keeps talking about "mountain troopers" or "mountain soldiers"... Weren't they Gerbirsjäger at that time?

Also, just for comparison, I think the German rifle Company in August 1914 was 259 men + 5 officers (that's 4 platoons?), and the Batt had 3 Cos plus 1 MG Co(?) with 6 guns.

How many men had the French Army Co at the time (Think It was more close to 200). And how many cos and MG cos had the French Batt? How many MGs was that?

Again, for comparison, I guess by the time the Württemberg Mountain Battalion was formed the Co and Batt strenghts had decreased due yo manpower shortages, but, how many men per Co had the W. Mtn Bat?

Against that, how many men per Co had the Austrian, Italian and Rumanian Companies? How many Cos per Batt?.

The same goes for the MG Cos. How many weapons had the Italian and Rumanian Batts at their disposal against the weapons of the Mountain MG Cos with the W Mtn. Batt? I have read somewhere that the Mountain MG Cos had 204 men, but have been unable to see how many MGs was that. Also, he commanded an Austrian MG Co at Tolmein, and have been unable to find how many men and weapons had.

Did not Rommel consistently fought outfits that who had less men and less MGs than his own (always according to ideal paper strenghts)?.

Thanks in advance,

[Peter H]

Some info supplied by Glenn ,here:

http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~maampo/ ... index.html

Click,Regimental Information

Württembergisches-Gebirgs-Bataillon

The battalion was established as follows:

Staff: 3 officers, 6 NCOs and Schützen, 4 horses.

1.-6. Gebirgs-Kompagnie: Each 5 officers, 212 NCOs and Schützen, 21 horses and 7 vehicles.

1.-6. Gebirgs-Machinengewehr-Zug (MG platoons): Each 1 officer and 57 NCOs and Schützen, 18 horses and 7 vehicles.

For an all-up strength of 39 officers, 1620 NCOs and Schützen, 258 horses and 84 vehicles...

Almost immediately after deploying to the Vosges, the six MG platoons were used to form three MG companies which were commanded as follows:
7.(1.M.G.-Komp.) Leutnant d.R. Ortlieb
8.(2.M.G.-Komp.) Leutnant d.R. Schiellein
9.(3.M.G.-Komp.) Leutnant d.R. Havestadt

[Gustavo]

Thanks Peter, your link just cleared up most of the doubts I had. The point of the number of MGs remain, though... Does anybody know if the Gebirgs-Machinengewehr-Zuge had the same 4 guns as the regular Machinengewehr-Zuge?. There is a part of the book where, well according to the rather poor translation, Rommel was able to deploy a whole MG-Company(that's two Gebirgs-Machinengewehr-Zuge) and that made 10 weapons in line. To me sounds quite strange, it would be the first time I heard of a military fraction of uneven numbers... but then again the Gebirgs were special troops of a short... and allthough 10 MGs per Co would be an impressive array of firepower (almost twice a regular Infantry Batt in the Rumanian Army) it doesn't sound all that strange. Any help welcomed!

[Hans Kurtz]

Can anyone give some enlightenment regarding shape and colour of WWI Alpenkorp and Wurtenberg forces shoulder boards? and or any other related insignia? Thanks

[Sid Guttridge]

As a matter of interest, why did Wurtemberg maintain such a small, specialist unit at all?

Did it get expertise from Bavarian mountain units?

Cheers,

Sid.

[Ocean Blue]

A very interesting topic and one that's close to our family.
My grandfather Franz Josef Rundel was a member of the 49th Field Artillery Regiment stationed in Ulm, Germany who was subsequently drafted into the Wurttembergischer Gebirgsschutzen [Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion].
Apart from two original photos, his issue pocket knife and case, black wound badge and Iron Cross 2nd Class, an original WMB register list of members who formed an association post WW1, namely "Association of the Wurttemberg Mountain Guards as at 1st December 1924" and a 1928 publication of the pictorial history of this battalion, little else of his drafted time is known.
Similarly, Hauptmann Rommel is listed among the list of registered members.
Any additional information of this battalion greatly appreciated.
Kind regards