Austro-Hungarians on the Western Front

[cj]

Im trying to figure out all the forces in the west in 1918 and the role they played. And their ethnic composition.

so far I have:
1st infantry division
35th infantry division
37th infantry division (all Hungarian?)
106th infantry division

13th balloon kompanie
27th balloon kompanie

all these were part of the XVIII Korps?

is this a complete list?
what was the ethnic composition of these units?
when did these units arrive?
what was the deal with the artillery support, was it German or AH?

I've read that they were both at the battle of St. Mihiel and in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
How many German divisions were in the St. Mihiel sector accompanying the AH?
Were all four of the AH divisions at St. Mihiel?
Were the AH divisions in the Argonne from the start of the offensive?
How many German divisions were opposing the Meuse-Argonne Offensive?
What towns were they stationed near?

Thanks in advance, I realize this is a tall order
Im particullarly interested in the balloons

[Scarlett]

I have no information on the Ballon-Kompanien (BK) in France.
According to my information in October 1918 both Kompanien were
with the Kommando Isonzo-Armee
BK 13 with VII.Korps at Vascellari near Ghirano
BK 27 with IV.Korps at Sgadolerie near Oderzo

All Infanterie-Divisionen were part of the XVIII. Korps (FML Goiginger). The list is complete.
The divisions arrived July 1918, except the 37th Honved-Infanterie-Division, which arrived later.
As to the nationality I can give the garrisons of the Divisions-Kommandos, which gives an indication
about the nationality.
1. Infanterie-Division Sarajevo (FML. Joseph Metzger)
35. Infanterie-Division Klausenburg-Koloszvár-Cluj-Napoca (FML. Eugen von Podhoránszky)
37. Honved-Infanterie-Division Bratislava (FML. Johann Háber)
106. Landsturm-Infanterie-Division Krakow (FML Karl Kratky)

The 1. ID fought bravely in October north of Verdun, but lost within days half of its men.
Oberstleutnant Rudolph Popelka of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 5 was the only foreign non-general,
who was awarded the PLM.

The 35. ID fought in the St.Mihiel-area and lost a large part of its men September 12 already.

The 37. Honved-ID was directed towards the Vosges-mountains, but did not get to the front.

As to the 106. Landsturm-ID it is my impression, that it too did not get to the front, but I'm not certain.

[cj]

Thank you Scarlett,

So the stormtroopers and probably most the divisions were Bosnians, Slovaks and Poles, except the 37th. Im guessing you got your info on the Balloon Kompanies from Mr. Jewison's site, I had seen that too.

http://p205.ezboard.com/AustroHungarian ... rm0.showMe

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/other ... gonne.html

but according to these links, the 13 balloon kompanie was attached to the 1st division and the 27 BK to the 35th. It also seems to imply that only the 1st and 106th were at the meuse-argonne Offensive and that the 106th only had it's stormtroopers in combat.

The question largest on my mind is how many of these divisions were at St Mihiel and then how many were in the Meuse-Argonne?? Its starting to look like they were more spread out than I had thought.

Sincerly
CJ

[Scarlett]

AFAIK the 1. Infanterie-Division was at Meuse-Argonne,
the 35. Infanterie-Division at St.Mihiel.

The 35. Infanterie-Division in September 1918 already had so many losses,
that in my opinion it is most improbable, that they were transferred to the area north of Verdun afterwards.
As the headquarters of the 35. ID was Klausenburg in Siebenbuergen, an area with a very mixed population,
the nationality of the soldiers was probably Germans, Hungarians, Romanians.

Here are some pics of kuk troops in France 1918:

[cj]

excellent photos, Ive seen the last one before, where did you get them? how do you know they're from the west?

Thanks
CJ

[Chris Dale]

I agree with CJ, those are excellent photos, Scarlett, thank you for posting them. Here's an article on AH troops in France-
http://www.geocities.com/haugh58/WF1918 ... 3530029953
Cheers
Chris

[cj]

I think that article adresses the divisions unfairly, attributing their failure to being Austro-Hungarian. When really many German divisions wouldn't do much better. It was simply a matter of being outnumbered

[Austriacante]

Hi guys,

to say the true, the first photo was not taken in France; indeed it depicts some decorated Assault troop soldiers on the Isonzo front (September 1917).
The photo is number 141/16 of the nice collection of the War Museum in Rovereto.

[Scarlett]

Well, I got the pics from a guy, who had posted them on
http://www.militaria-fundforum.de/showt ... 694&page=2
He knew a lot about the subject, so he seemed a reliable source.

But now I have information about all kuk units serving on the western front in 1918.
It's German, but I hope, you will understand it.
The source is
Glaise von Horstenau,Edmund: Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914 - 1918
Vol. 7. Das Kriegsjahr 1918

k.u.k. XVIII Korpskmdo. FML Goiginger (ab 22. August 1918 Verdun)

106 ID (Abschnitt Ornes – Verdun August 1918)

STBaon 106
210. LstIBrig. LstIR 31, 32
211. LstIBrig: LstIR 6, 25
RSchwd.UR.1 (Kav.)
4.BT. FAR 206, 6.BT FAR 306
2.Komp. SB 16


1.ID (Unterabschnitt Brabant – Verdun ab 21.August 1918)
+ 3 Jägerbataillone bei der (deutschen) 15.Division

StBaon 1
1.Ibrigade: IR.5 (3), 61 (3)
2.Ibrigade: IR 112 (3), FJB 17, 25, 31
2.Schwd. HHr.10
1.FA Brigade: FAR. 1, 101, sFAR. 1, GbAA.1
SB 1


35.ID ( Combreshöhe – ab August 1918)

StBaon 35
69 Ibrig.: IR 62 (3), 64 (3)
70 Ibrig.: IR 51 (3), 63 (3)
6. Schwd.HR.4
35. FABrig.: FAR. 35, 135, sFAR.35, GbAA.35
SB. 35

37 HID (Elsaß)

Zusammen mit 1.ID und 35.ID gingen
35 Marschkompanien, die Ersatzformationen der Artillerie und der Sappeurbataillone,
sFAR 11,54,59, 72, 1. Und 2. Bt. SAR. 9 (30,5 cm-MS.), 1.Bt sAR 1 (38cm HB), 13.Bt. sAR 8 (42 cm-HB.),
zwei Ballonkompanien,
einige Anstalten
und 15000 kriegsgefangene Russen nach dem Westen.

This will answer a lot of your original questions, cj.
They had their own artillery-units, pioneer units, and a small cavallery-unit.
and were accompanied by 30,5cm mortar and 38cm- and 42cm-howitzer batteries.
Two Ballon-Kompanien are mentioned as well.

[Austriacante]

Hi Scarlett,

Well, I got the pics from a guy, who had posted them on
http://www.militaria-fundforum.de/showt ... 694&page=2
He knew a lot about the subject, so he seemed a reliable source.

I saw it at the Rovereto Museum, and in many books on the Italian Front as well, and it was always associated with the Isonzo Front; bof, it is not much important, after all!

But now I have information about all kuk units serving on the western front in 1918.
It's German, but I hope, you will understand it.

Great stuff! Thanks you very much!!!
I suggest a fine book on the subject: Jean-Claude Laparra, Le prix de l'alliance : Les Austro-Hongrois sur le front Ouest, Ysec, 2002

[grassi]

There were Austrian troops at the Western Fron already in 1914.

Etschmann, Wolfgang: Österreich-Ungarn zwischen Engagement und Zurückhaltung. K.u.K. Truppen an der Westfront, in:
Kriegsende 1918: Ereignis, Wirkung, Nachwirkung, hrsg. von Jörg Duppler und Gerhard P. Groß, München 1999 (Beiträge zur Militärgeschichte, Bd. 53), p. 97-105.

http://books.google.de/books?id=-GwaXC3 ... 22&f=false

Best regards

grassi

[VeldesX]

Austrian troops on the western front in 1914 must have been the heavy artillery batteries on loan to the German army for the reduction of the forts around Liege. After Liege fell, I never heard of them again.

G