Officer training - transport specialist?

Discussions on all aspects of Austria-Hungary. Hosted by Glenn Jewison.
Post Reply
keith A
Member
Posts: 857
Joined: 19 Jan 2012, 17:51

Officer training - transport specialist?

#1

Post by keith A » 22 Jan 2017, 18:57

Following on from my query about a Czech officer can I ask whether transport officers were transferred from the infantry, artillery or engineers i.e. was it normal for an individual to join the service as an infantry etc. officer and then choose a specialism i.e. transport officer?

My query relates to an officer allegedly completing basic training with IR 78 "Gerba" but serving with the logistics corps with Traindivision Nr2 in Vienna and then TD 16.

Although I think he became an infantry officer after serving as a transport officer. His infantry unit, IR78, served with ID 7/XIII Korps in Serbia in 1914 at the same time as Traindivision Nr16 was with XVI Korps. Both formations proceed to the Italian Front.

My thinking is that, as a law student in Vienna he would have served in the supply corps as a reserve officer 1912-16 and in 1916, posted to the Eastern Front retrained with IR78.

Pure speculation of course but I am a novice at this stuff and all my knowledge comes from the excellent Osprey WW1 reports.

regards

Keith

Zoltan
Member
Posts: 35
Joined: 10 Dec 2011, 23:21
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Re: Officer training - transport specialist?

#2

Post by Zoltan » 23 Jan 2017, 21:18

This topic also interests me.

My father was awarded a citation when serving as a reserve lieutenant with Traindivision Nr 6, within 4 Armee. But I also have some notes that he "enlisted in an infantry regiment" at the start of the war. So did he join the infantry and then get posted to the Traindivision (supply)? He was aged 22.5 years when WW1 started so he would have only just completed his compulsory military training and have been assigned to the reserve - but to an infantry regiment or the supply corps?

Thanks
Zoltán


keith A
Member
Posts: 857
Joined: 19 Jan 2012, 17:51

Re: Officer training - transport specialist?

#3

Post by keith A » 24 Jan 2017, 07:54

Cheers Zoltan. I have seen that the actor/film director Erich von Stroheim, as a one year volunteer, went straight into Traindivision Nr.2. The confusion is that Milos Zak (my object of interest) mentions him doing his basic training at the "schule" of IR78 but on completion he joins Traindivision Nr.2. After four years as a transport officer he is immediately appointed to a company command in IR78.

regards

Keith

Post Reply

Return to “Austria-Hungary 1867–1918”