Fighting the Kaiser's War: The Saxons in Flanders 1914-1918 by Andrew Lucas & Jurgen Schmieschek

Author:Andrew Lucas & Jurgen Schmieschek [Lucas, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / World War I
ISBN: 9781473847781
Published: 2015-04-29T21:00:00+00:00

7.1 32. INFANTERIE-DIVISION

In the Georgette Offensive at Armentières and Bailleul, and the disaster at Nieppe Forest

32. INFANTERIE-DIVISION (4.1918)

63. Inf. Brig.: IR102 | IR103 | IR177

4. Esk. / HR 20

ArKo 32: FAR 64 | (p.) Fußa. Batl. 80

(plus attached units)

Pi. Batl. 140:

2. & 5. Komp., 3. Res. Komp. / Pi. Batl. 12

Mw. Komp. 32 | Scheinwerfer-Zug 12

Divkonach 32: Div. Ferna. 32 | Div. Funka. 20

San. Komp. 28

The division was withdrawn in early January to train for mobile warfare, and took over the front between Deulemont and Frelinghien on 15 February. It began regular raiding on 11 March with ‘Münchner Fest’ in the IR 102 sector on the left, taking two prisoners from British 38th Division. On 25 March IR177 and 103 were moved south, with IR103 now on the left at Wez-Macquart.

The eighty-eight batteries assigned to ArKo 32 were in place by 4 April, and pounded towns and gun lines around Armentières with over 15,000 mustard gas shells on the 7th. The infantry moved southwest of Lille that night, and into no man’s land north of Rouges Bancs on the night of 8–9 April. Each regiment had an escort battery of FAR 64 plus pioniere, 17cm minenwerfers and (at least with IR 177) flamethrowers. Several British Mk IV tanks assigned to support IR 103 broke down behind the lines, aggravating traffic jams that hindered the division’s deployment.

The bombardment opened at 4.15 am against British artillery and communications. From 6.45 am the infantry lines were pounded and the Portuguese (see p. 145) began to flee. In the confusion IR 103 overran outposts on the British flank and reached their line before the creeping barrage advanced. At 8.45 am IRr103 and 177 stormed the first position, hindered only by a few machine-gun nests and boggy ground. When the barrage ended at 9.55 am, IR 103 was into the second position and IR177 attacking Croix Maréchal. While IR 102 and 177 turned right IR 103 drove towards Erquinghem. However resistance was stiffening and fire support limited as FAR 64 relocated, and the advance stalled at Fleurbaix–Delettrée–Bois Grenier. Reinforced by I. / IR102 and III. / IR 177, attacks on Erquinghem resumed at 5.30 am on 10 April, and the northeastward push at 8 am. By 5 pm the British were retiring over the Lys at Erquinghem with the Saxons in hot pursuit, but progress to Armentières was slowed by German shelling on the railway line. An advance party from 2./IR103 was unable to prevent demolition of the railway bridge at 6.45 pm, and the British held off the fresh IR94 (38. ID) long enough to blow the bridge at Pont de Nieppe at 10.40 pm (see p. 177). That night patrols crossed the Lys from Erquinghem to Houplines by raft, while pioniere built new bridges. Over 2,300 prisoners and thirty-eight guns had been taken (including a 12’’ railway gun by I./IR102 at Dormoire) and morale was high. The main attack by IR 94 on 11 April bogged down before Nieppe, and it was relieved by IR 103.

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