The Fighting by Wirballen
A written account of the fighting on 10 February 1915 comes to us from the Supreme Headquarters: Under the greatest difficulties caused by the roads covered with deep snow, on 9 February General v. Lauenstein’s troops closed in on the enemy and in light fighting drove him out of the Schorell Forest. According to captured Russian orders, the foe believed that he would be able to pull back into a previously well-prepared, heavily fortified position (Pillkallen--Stallupönen) prior to the German assault and make a stand there; however, the strong pressure on the flank exercised by the German offensive forced the enemy to give up this plan and led him to pull himself back to a likewise prepared third position south of Wirballen. One and a half Russian divisions arrived there on the afternoon of 10 February and went over to rest in Eydtkuhnen, Kibarty, and Wirballen. Even though it was known that the German forces were advancing, they considered it out of the question that on this day the Germans would still be able to reach them in the prevailing snowstorm. They were so certain of this that they did not even bother to establish any security outposts. As a result it came to pass that the attacker, who himself was not allowed to delay because of the forces of Nature, still on 10 February approached the Russian billets, albeit only with infantry and a few artillery guns, for everything else had remained stuck in the snow drifts. It was evening and midnight when Eydtkuhnen and Wirballen were respectively attacked and assaulted in a raid-like manner. On the chaussee stood two Russian batteries with twelve guns and a large number of ammunition carts, apparently at rest. The German infantry closed in on them to within 50 meters without firing a shot. All of the horses were felled and the guns and ammunition carts taken. The remnants of their crews fled. It then came to nighttime street fighting in both Eydtkuhnen and in Wirballen, which ended with the capture of 10000 Russians. The number of prisoners was so great that one hardly knew what to begin to do with them. After the capture of these two places the two local train stations also fell into German hands, with them a sheer immeasurable amount of booty. There were three hospital trains, and likewise as many with provision here. One of these trains was the Empress’s hospital train, which was accompanied by Prince Lieven and numerous other staff. General v. Lauenstein’s HQ unexpectedly found therein excellent night quarters. The remaining trains were laden with a large quantity of oats, excellent canned goods, very much chocolate, in addition to a considerable number of boots and fur vests. Each mounted German soldier was able to take a fur vest for himself, however, even more important for the German troops, who for the last two days had been reliant on iron rations, was the capture of 110 Russian field kitchens, almost all of which were filled with warm food. One can imagine the jubilation of our victorious troops when this booty fell into their hands. It was immediately the finest reward for the new formations, some of which on this day had engaged in combat for the first time and had fought splendidly.
source: https://digipress-beta.digitale-sammlun ... ?zoom=1.25
The same Prince Lieven mentioned above?
source: One Man in His Time: the Memoirs of Serge Oblensky
Fighting by Wirballen, East Prussia on 9/10 February 1915
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