Romanian Campaign (1916-1919)

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OPERATION OF A DETACHED FORCE IN REAR OF AN ARMY: THE OPENING OF THE "IRON GATE," RUMANIA, 1916

In the middle of November 1916, after the breakthrough of the Transylvanian Alps, the German Ninth Army of General von Falkenhayn was advancing victoriously through Wallachia. Its right wing, the 41st Division, was nearing Crajova while a whole Rumanian division continued to block the Danube and railway at the "iron gate" of Orsova. The opening of this defile was a matter of life and death for the supply of the army.

Therefore the Army Commander decided to intrust this mission to a small independent detachment. This meant for it and its leader great responsibility, daring, and judgement. It was one of the few opportunities ever granted to a reinforced battalion to operate independently.

At dawn 20 November the detachment was assembled north of Filiasul, Captain Picht commanding 1st Battalion 148th Infantry (two guns 1st Btry 79th Antiaircraft, half ammunition train 79th Antiaircraft; 1 officers patrol 10th Dragoons; parts of motor train 41st Division; 1 radio detachment) for march in the direction: Turnu Severin, towards the rear of the 1st Rumanian Division. This division on the Cerna at Orsova was blocking the "iron door" and the Danube crossing against the Austro-Hungarian troops of Colonel von Svico. The advance continued smoothly. The troops on trucks speeded ahead to the west on Strehaia.

At Prunisor the translator succeeded in cutting in on the postal telephone line and intercepting enemy information. He overheard a Rumanian cavalry dispatch: "Prusinor clear of the enemy." Just at this moment we had reached this place. A bit later the enemy must have learned better. The telephone announced: " one enemy cavalry division reinforced by infantry, artillery, and armored cars (our truck column!) in march." Did this mean us? Finally the Rumanian Commandant of Turnu Severin, Lagerstroh, calls for the barracks. That causes speculation.

On 22 November the information concerning the enemy is increased. The detachment nears the girdle of forts at Turnu Severin. At the Balota railroad station the translator learns from the postal wire of the advance of Rumanian infantry, three Landsturm companies with two guns, from Turnu Severin towards the mountain defile at Simianu. A race ensues for this place. Then the detachment runs into the west fortress 10 km east of Turnu Severin. It is occupied, but fronts on the Danube opposite the Bulgarian bank. It is captured in hot haste; 2 Rumanian officers and 130 men are made prisoners. The prisoners are quickly disarmed and incorporated in the march column. There is no time to bother with them. It is now pitch dark. The detachment falls out on the highway. A wagon appears before the 1st Company. It does not halt when ordered to. It is fired on. At once a gale of fire breaks loose from the village of Simianu.

Source: [Eine Operation unterlegener Krafte im Rücken der Armee." By Hauptmann Ponath. Militar-Wochenblatt, 25 February 1933] Translated by Major A. Vollmer. RML June 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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OPERATION OF A DETACHED FORCE IN REAR OF AN ARMY: THE OPENING OF THE "IRON GATE," RUMANIA, 1916

It is the Rumanian reinforcement from Turnu Severin. Simianu is charged with the bayonet and the two or three enemy companies are dispersed. Two machine guns and 65 prisoners are captured and the advance on Turnu Severin continues. At 8 :00 PM the detachment enters the town in close order. It seems entirely deserted. The chief authorities are summoned and held as hostages in the city hall. It sounds like a fairy tale: a German force of 400 men in rear of a Rumanian combat division on their sole route of communications, a hostile city of 24,000 population, and without information or mean of reconnaissance.

In the market place Captain Picht organizes the companies for defense of the city. Three companies, each with a machine gun platoon, are distributed to three sides of the city. The fourth side is protected by the broad Danube. The remaining company remains in the market place as reserve. At the jail Austrian prisoners are released, equipped with captured guns, and constituted as the last reserve. The populace, wakened from their sleep, believe we are Bulgarians of whom they are deathly afraid. They throw up their hands but are quieted when we tell them we
are Prussians.

At dawn a Rumanian column at 800 m. distance is seen crossing the wide plains in front of our city. It disperses under our machine gun fire. All that remains is a pair of guns pulled by oxen. It is the signal for combat. The 4th Company is engaged with Rumanian riflemen on the north front. The enemy advances to the outskirts of the water tower and cemetery.

About four Rumanian battalions attack the city from east, north, and west to clear their rear. In the east the 17th Rumanian Infantry issues from its own barracks to attack the weak 1st Company. From the water tower Rumanian machine guns are hammering the 4th Company. It loses six platoon leaders. To our great surprise the people of the town are sitting on fences and walls watching the drama. When the first one is hit they all run screaming to the-cellars. Rumanian artillery shoots into the houses. Our two guns take up the battle against these great odds. New Rumanian columns advance from the north. The 1st Rumanian Division from Orsova is approaching. At extreme range my machine guns hammer the closed columns of riders, artillery, infantry. Reinforcements are sought from across the Danube. A Bulgarian Lieutenant with two machine guns is ferried at great risk across the stream. That is all.

After the second night of uncertainty and with ammunition fast disappearing there follows the heaviest day of combat, that of 24 November. The entire 1st Rumanian division encircles the city. One assault follows another. The assault groups come from the water tower, the cemetery, and the barracks. After intensive artillery-fire which disables one of our two guns, new assault waves come on. The last reserve is used, the last round has been issued. Captain Picht ,calls for assistance. But where is this to come from?

Source: [Eine Operation unterlegener Krafte im Rücken der Armee." By Hauptmann Ponath. Militar-Wochenblatt, 25 February 1933] Translated by Major A. Vollmer. RML June 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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OPERATION OF A DETACHED FORCE IN REAR OF AN ARMY: THE OPENING OF THE "IRON GATE," RUMANIA, 1916

In the hour after noon on 24 November another terrific assault is launched on all our fronts. Our defense breaks down. The machine guns are boiling. There is no one to bring water. There is no way out. Firing and dying is all that goes on. Lance corporal riflemen take the places of fallen leaders. The last hour has come. The last rounds are husbanded. Wounded are not carried away. The dead are stripped of ammunition. The one remaining gun on the north front at the cemetery is now able to fire case shot 100 to 150 meters. Late in the afternoon suddenly, like salvation from heaven, a Bavarian cyclist brigade (Col. von Quadt) breaks through the enemy ring from the outside. It tears through the town with two truck loads of ammunition in a storm of enemy fire. It is the saving of the detachment Picht.

As the third night approaches in the embattled Turnu Severin the depleted companies lie between the houses, dug in at picket fences, and, loaded with ammunition, await the last and most intense effort of the Rumanians. The terrain ahead of us swarms with enemy. In the darkness signal rockets break forth. Then the nightly assault breaks loose. The defensive fire roars. Wounded scream ahead of us. Not an enemy gets into the town. When the noise dies down in the morning of the 25th we pull ourselves out of the rifle pits. Two paces ahead of my machine gun lies the nearest Rumanian and beyond him a long assault wave of dead. The wide terrain before the city is lifeless. The enemy has withdrawn. A day of rest to collect the tremendous booty, to bury about 600 dead, and care for the numerous wounded.

On the 26th the detachment is assigned to the Austro-Hungarian command of Colonel von Svico whose brigade is pursuing the withdrawing enemy. As part of and at the head of this unit the detachment Picht ruthlessly drives the gradually dispersing 1st Rumanian Division to the southeast along the north bank of the Danube. The detachment pushes on through Rogava, Cetatea, Bailesti, Piscu, Bureni, Aftumati, giving the enemy no rest. In daily battles his rear guards are overthrown, prisoners and booty captured. Finally he resists on 12 May on the Alt River. The bridges ahead of him have been demolished in time by the German Ninth Army. He cannot withdraw to the east. Here the detachment captures 30 officers, 1770 men, 4 guns, and much material.

On 12 June on the day of the conquest of Bucharest there occurs the last act of this heroic combat. In the midst of a hot assault, in a cracking fire fight, suddenly the noise ceases. Bearers of a flag of truce appear at the edge of the village of Tia Mare. To avoid further bloodshed the remainder of the 1st Rumanian Division, including 9 staff officers, 82 officers, 3600 men, 7 guns, 4 machine guns, 80 vehicles and all war material, lays down its arms.

Source: [Eine Operation unterlegener Krafte im Rücken der Armee." By Hauptmann Ponath. Militar-Wochenblatt, 25 February 1933] Translated by Major A. Vollmer. RML June 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Campaign against Romania, from September to December 1916.

Source: http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/8 ... n_1916.jpg.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The Breakthrough in Schyl Valley.

After the Rumanians were driven out of Siebenbürgen at the beginning of 1916, the question for the Central Powers was how to continue the campaign in order to defeat Rumania completely.

General von Falkenhayn, now in command of the German Ninth Army, had at first the idea of profiting by the victory at Kronstadt by an advance toward Bucharest. However, the attempts made soon showed this to be impracticable. The Rumanians had concentrated considerable forces for the protection of their capital city. These occupied frontier fortresses which had been prepared during the period of neutrality. These supported delaying actions in the mountains which here attain their greatest breadth.

To invade the plains of Wallachia a breakthrough was to be undertaken in the Schyl Valley through the Szurduk and over the Vulcan pass. This was favored by the weakness of the Rumanian forces and, the narrow mountain chain at this point. Though the assault group consisted only of one and a half infantry divisions, and a cavalry division, it was able to reach Tirgul Jiu. Here, however, it was met by a counterattack of Rumanian reinforcements which had been brought up quickly. It was forced to withdraw to the frontier ridge, having suffered considerably.

In spite of this failure von Falkenhayn had become convinced that only here in the Schyl Valley, at the point where the frontier mountain chain was narrowest, would a breakthrough be possible, and that only by using strong forces. There was no other point in question at this time because the railroads in west Siebenbürgen were the only ones intact, and because speed was necessary, due to the approaching winter. Two new infantry divisions and a cavalry division were quickly advanced to Petrosény, and, profiting by the former failure, the attempt at breakthrough was undertaken anew. Simultaneous attacks on the other passes of the South Siebenbürgen front were to engage all the Rumanian forces.

The breakthrough attack began on 11 November and succeeded completely. By an energetic push of three infantry divisions in front, and one in reserve, the group of Lt.Gen. Kühne forced a debouchment in four days. The greatly weakened 11th Rumanian Division withdrew to the heights south of Tirgul Jiu. There is was reinforced by two divisions. Lt.Gen. Kühne had meanwhile advanced the fourth division and the cavalry corps along the highway in the pass to envelop the west flank of the enemy. In the battle at Tirgul Jiu (16 and 17 November) the Rumanians were again decisively defeated. The way into Wallachia was open. The troops at the other passes of the south front joined in the offensive, as well as those of the Danube Army which crossed the Danube at Sistov. The offensive ended in a complete attainment of the strategic objective, after construction of the shortest front between the mouth of the Danube and Siebenbürgen.

It may be that a breakthrough on the line: Kronstadt—Bucharest, if it had been successful, would have ended the campaign more quickly. It bespeaks an elasticity of leader ship on the part of the Central Powers that this area was chosen as the most suitable alternative.

Source: THE STRATEGIC BREAKTHROUGH. Military Review. Sep 1933.

Cheers. Raúl M .