German troops in Belgium 1914

[jan van liedekerke]

hello,
I'm doing research on the German troops in Belgium in august 1914.
I have found information about HKK 2, 2. Kavallerie-Division, 5. Kavallerie-Brigade, Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 2 (Schwedt)
In this Dragoner-Regiment were 4 Eskadrons (1-2-3-5). In the 5. Eskadron was an Einj.-Unteroffizier Freiherr von Richthofen.
I would like to know which von Richthofen this was, I cannot find more information, since the document does not mention a first name.

document: page from the book: "Das 1. Brandenburgische Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 2 im Weltkriege 1914 bis 1918" (Maximillian von Poseck)

thanks !

Jan.

[jluetjen]

If you are wondering if it was the "Red Baron" -- no it was not. He was in the 1st (West Prussian) Uhlans Regiment "Emperor Alexander III of Russia"

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a complement...........................................

Combat Group "Schimpf" at Louvain.

On 5 September 1914, German GHQ had withdrawn the XV Corps from its sector in the Vosges Mountains and initiated its march to the north. Starting on 9 September the troops of the XV Corps (including the 126th Infantry) departed in four transport trains through the Eifel Mountains and Belgium for northeastern France. The 1st and 2d Bns. 126th Inf. reached the point of debarkation, Busiany (NW of St. Quentin) without mishap on 12 and 16 September respectively, the MG Co. followed later.

It was otherwise with the 3d Bn. 126th Inf. which was accompanied by the Regimental Commander von Schimpf with his Staff. Their train coming from Herbestal-Liege was stopped at 2:00 PM on 11 September at Tirlemont and the troops detrained on order of the Seventh Army HQ at Brussels. What had happeneg?

On 9 September 1914 the attack on Antwerp had begun. On that day Belgian forces in the field in front of the fortress had undertaken a sortie in force against the east flank of the German line, of observation in front of Antwerp and against the main railroad center: Cologne-Liege-Brussels. It was learned that a total of 5 Bns., 1 Sq., and 4 Btries. of the army corps had been engaged in this vicinity.

Maj. Gen. von Jacobi, commanding the 11th Reinforced Reserve Brigade, was in charge. His mission was to protect the railroad station at Louvain and the railroad: Tirlemont-Louvain-Brussels. The 3d Bns. of 99th and 172d Infantry,' which had detrained 24 hours earlier, had already participated in an attack north of Louvain on 10 September. The Brigade Commander intended to attack the enemy on 12 September in the vicinity of Holsbeek-Thieldonck.

Source: Gefechtsgruppe Schimpf bei Löwen. By Oberleutnant Blecher. Military Review. March 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[jluetjen]

The von Richthofen family was a very large, and well established extended Junker family in Silesia region before the WWI. By this I mean that they got their name, money and power relatively early in the area's history (~1600's). So there were branches of the family all over the place in that region. Some were involved with the military, and some where not. Many of them were noted lawyers, historians, politicians, etc. But like many Junker families, over time they found themselves land-rich and cash-poor. In some cases they also developed hyphonated names like von Richthofen-XXX to reflect the fact that the branch was now associated with a different land title. The involvement of the family with the region is not really appreciated in the English language histories.

So if you scratch the surface, you'll find them all over the place.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a complement...........................................

Combat Group "Schimpf" at Louvain.

Under the command of Colonel von Schimpf, commanding the 8th Wurtemberg lnfantry (126th lnf.), a detachment was constituted of the 3d Bn. of his regiment, the 8th Rhine Jager Bn., and the 3d Bn. of the 99th lnf. This detachment was assembled at the Louvain railroad station where it stayed during the night of rain.

This combat group Schimpf, which was further reinforced by a battery of 6th Reserve Field Artillery, was located at 5:30 AM on 12 September between Louvain and Wilsele at the north end of the city, ready to march through Herent on Thieldonck: 3d Bn. 126th Inf. in advance on the right, 8th Jagers in advance on the left, 3d Bn. 99th lnf. behind the Jagers. The 7th Marines reinforced (Lt. Col. von Bernuth) was to advance to the right of the detachment, the 11th Reserve Infantry Brigade (20th & 24th Res. Inf.) on the left.

When the Schimpf group reached Herent it was turned on Rotselaer by command of the brigade. It therefore crossed' the canal south of Wymal on boats. The 3d Bn. 126th Inf. marched ahead along the railroad: Louvain-Aerschot; the 8th Jägers on the road: Louvain-Drie-Linden with the 3d Bn. 99th lnf. behind them. Lt. Col. von Bernuth encountered serious resistance south of Holsbeek.

The 3d Bn. 126th Inf. was put at his disposal on request and thereupon received orders to take the woods between Holsbeek and Attenhoven which were occupied by the enemy. At 3:30 PM the 9th and 10th Companies were developed for this purpose. They drove out ithe enemy (parts of 7th and 27th Belgian Bns.) and captured two machine guns. The 11th and 12th Cos. 126th Inf. went into bivouacs for the night at Kessel.

With the other troops Colonel von Schimpf had meanwhile, after a short fight at Drie-Linden, occupied Rotselaer. This place was held in spite, of heavy Belgian artillery fire. During the night (it was raining again) the 8th Jägers bivouacked at Rotselaer. The 3d Bn. 99th Inf. provided protection of the exits of the place. The adjacent troops on the right had driven out the enemy from Holsbeek and those on the left had reached the vicinity south of Wespelaer.

Source: Gefechtsgruppe Schimpf bei Löwen. By Oberleutnant Blecher. Military Review. March 1933.
http://digital.wlb-stuttgart.de/sammlun ... page%5D=12

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more...........................................

Combat Group "Schimpf" at Louvain.

In the continuation of the attack on, 13 September the brigade ordered the Schimpf group to take Werchter. The detachment leader advanced at 7 o'clock at Rotselaer, the 8th Jagers in advance. Just south of Werchter the Jäger point came under fire. The Battalion developed for attatck between the Deiner and the road: Rotselaer-Werchter, the 3d Bn. 99th Inf. adjacent on the left. Met by rifle and machine gun fire, the 3d Bn. 99th Inf., after a short fire-fight, routed the Belgians who demolished the two canal bridges and withdrew to the north.

The 12th Company 99th Inf. crossed the canal on a hastily improvised bridge; and organized the north end of the village for defense. The Jägers followed. The 9th and 11th Companies 99th Inf. rehabilitated the bridges. This was accomplished by 2:00 PM notwithstanding continuous artillery fire. The batteries supported the attack from a position south of the canal.

The 3d Bn. 126th Inf. had acted as advance guard to protect the march of the Bernuth unit on Aerschot which was found clear of enemy. It was then released to the Schimpf group, whose commander withdrew it as reserve through Rotselaer to the south edge of Werchter. Towards evening the 11th Reserve Brigade stood on the line: Werchter - Haecht.

The enemy now evacuated the north banks of the Derner and Dyle. At 6:00 PM the Schimpf combat group was relieved by the 24th Reserve Infantry. It marched back to Louvain, bivouacked at 10:00 PM near the railroad station, and was broken up on 14 September when its units were again entrained.

A hastily constituted organization, hose three chief elements were hardly acquainted with each other, had worked as a unit under difficult conditions, as was to be expected from the unified training of the German Army, and achieved success.

Source: Gefechtsgruppe Schimpf bei Löwen. By Oberleutnant Blecher. Military Review. March 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .