Württembergisches-Gebirgs-Bataillon

Introduction

In a departure from the articles already dealing with Imperial German army infantry regiments that were in existence at the outbreak of the Great War, this article will detail the organisation and operational history of one of the many "Kriegsformationen" (literally war formations) created during the course of the war. The Württembergisches-Gebirgs-Bataillon formed around a nucleus of an earlier mountain and ski company from the same Southern state of Württemberg developed into one of the truly elite formations of the Imperial Army. Under the inspired leadership of it's commander Major Theodor Sproesser and men like the brilliant Oberleutnant Erwin Rommel, the battalion won victory after victory in extremely adverse mountain conditions, from the high Vosges Mountains of Eastern France, the Transylvanian Alps of Southern Hungary/Northern Rumania, the Carpathian Mountains and the Julian and Venetian Alps of Northern Italy. Often outnumbered and outgunned but consistently successful in its engagements, the actions of the battalion resulted in the award of the Prussian order "Pour le Mérite" for both of the above mentioned officers. Indeed when the later Colonel Rommel published his wartime memoirs of his service in the WGB - "Infanterie greift an", it brought him to the attention of then Leader of Germany, Adolf Hitler and ultimately a field marshals' baton and great fame.

Formation and Early History

The fighting in the high Vosges Mountains on the Franco/German border in 1914 highlighted the need for trained mountain troops. The first units to be raised were a Bavarian "Schneeschuh" battalion and the Württemberg Schneeschuh-Kompanie. The order promulgating the raising of the Württ.Schnneschuh-Komp. was issued by the Württemberg war ministry on the 25th November 1914. Oberleutnant der Landwehr Schaller of Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 119 was selected as its first commander. The company was formed in Baienfurt in December 1914 and effective 1 January 1915 was declared combat effective with a strength as follows:

Company headquarters and three platoons with a personnel strength of 6 officers and 210 NCOs and privates (Schützen) plus 22 mules and 7 two wheeled carts.

A mountain machine-gun platoon of two officers and 45 NCOs and Schützen with 18 mules and 7 vehicles.

On the 27th January 1915 the company deployed to Rimbach in the Vosges where it was placed under the command of the 51st mixed Landwehr-Brigade (Generalmajor Karl von Frech), 7.Landwehr-Division (Generalleutnant Adolf von Wencher). The company was initially engaged in the line in the area of Judenhutplan to the West of Rimbach until the beginning of March when it was moved slightly North to the Hilsen Ridge area just South of Sondernach. The company remained in the Hilsen Ridge area for the remainder of the Summer being renamed on the 31st March 1915 to the Württembergische Gebirgs-Kompanie.

On the 13th of September 1915 the war ministry ordered the formation of a Württemberg mountain battalion to be built at the training area in Münsingen. The cadre for the new battalion was the already extant WGK which for the most part formed the 1.Kompagnie of the new battalion and the Ersatz-Gebirgs-Kompanie (Replacement mountain company) formed early 1915 in Münsingen plus volunteers from all arms (including personnel from outside the state of Württemberg) to make up the numbers required for a formation of six mountain companies and six mountain machine gun platoons. The WGK arrived in Münsingen on the 1st of October followed the next day by the Ersatz-Kompanie. In the first days of October the volunteers from the infantry, cavalry, pioneers, train, Jäger and artillery joined the new formation. The battalion was established as follows:

Staff:   3 officers, 6 NCOs and Schützen, 4 horses.

1.-6. Gebirgs-Kompagnie:   Each 5 officers, 212 NCOs and Schützen, 21 horses and 7 vehicles.

1.-6. Gebirgs-Machinengewehr-Zug (MG platoons):    Each 1 officer and 57 NCOs and Schützen, 18 horses and 7 vehicles.

For an all-up strength of 39 officers, 1620 NCOs and Schützen, 258 horses and 84 vehicles.

Following mountain training in the Arlberg area of Austria, the battalion deployed to the Hilsen Ridge area of Upper Alsace on New Years Eve 1915 and was placed firstly under command of the 12.Landwehr-Division  and a few days later that of the 8.bayr. Reserve-Division. Almost immediately after deploying to the Vosges, the six MG platoons were used to form three MG companies which were commanded as follows:
 

7.(1.M.G.-Komp.)	Leutnant d.R. Ortlieb
8.(2.M.G.-Komp.)	Leutnant d.R. Schiellein
9.(3.M.G.-Komp.)	Leutnant d.R. Havestadt

The battalion fought throughout the Spring and Summer of 1916 in basically positional warfare against the French. A continuous line was not practical or possible in the High Vosges and a system of strongpoints organised for all round defence were constructed. Raids were mounted against the French lines and in this fashion the battalion attempted to dominate the opposing forces and gain intelligence. In July with the departure of 8.bayr.-Reserve-Division to the Somme, the WGB was placed under command of 187.Infanterie-Division. 

Rumania

Following the success of the Brusilov offensive in the Summer of 1916 on the Russian Front, Rumania decided the time was opportune to join the Entente powers, declared war on the 27th of August. and invaded Southern Hungary through the Transylvanian Alps. By the end of October the German Ninth army commanded by General der Infanterie von Falkenhayn had thrown the Rumanians back across the frontier but was then initially stalled in the mountain passes. The battalion was ordered East, arriving at Puj by train from Colmar on the 27th October followed by a road march to Petrosceny. Placed under the command of 41.Infanterie-Division, the battalion fought its way South through the Transylvanian Alps via the Szurduk and Vulcan passes and captured the Lesului mountain on 11 November. During November 12/13 the battalion successfully defended the village of Valari against greatly superior forces. During the Rumanian campaign Major Sproesser adopted the tactical formation of splitting his large command into detachments as the situation necessitated. It was not therefore unusual for the senior company commanders (Gössler, Rommel, Lieb) to find themselves commanding up to five or six companies at a time for specific operations. Following the successful action at Valari, the road to Wallachia was open and the town of Targu-Jiu was taken. Throughout the rest of November the battalion fought in Western Rumania, the River Arge line being broken by 3rd December followed by  the occupation of Bucharest  and the pursuit of the Rumanian army Eastwards into Moldavia. Attached to the Alpenkorps in mid December the battalion fought in the plains of Eastern Rumania, Rimincul eventually reaching the Southern Carpathian Mountains between the Slanicul and Putna valleys. In tandem with the Bavarian Infanterie-Leib-Regiment, Oberleutnant Rommel's reinforced company captured the important hill position of  Magura Odobesti (Hill 1001) on 6th January 1917 followed the next day by the capture of the town of Gagesti on the River Putna. Following the successful conclusion of the Rumanian campaign the battalion endured a ten day rail journey back to the Vosges where it was once again deployed in the now familiar Hilsen Ridge area. However by August of that year the battalion was back in the Carpathian Mountains to take part in the attempt to eradicate the Southern wing of the Eastern Front by Ninth Army and Group Gerok. On the 9th of August The WGB under command of the K.u.K. VIII Korps attacked Eastward along the ridge between the Slanic and Ojtoz valleys taking the Ungureana and the so called Ridge Road Salient. Mount Cosna was captured for the first time on 11th August. Fierce Russian and Rumanian counter-attacks and a threatening flanking movement from the North caused the loss of Mount Cosna which in the see-saw fighting was retaken. Heavy fighting continued in the area until 25th August when the battalion was moved into reserve. During the early part of the Cosna fighting, Rommel had been wounded in the arm and had elected to stay with his detachment. He eventually had to relinquish command on the 20th August due to this wound and to be evacuated. Major Sproesser recommended Oberleutnant Rommel for the award of the Hohenzollern House Order but the decoration was not forthcoming. The battalion commander further complained in a report to the Württemberg war ministry that a commensurate number of awards of the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class had not been awarded to his battalion. The fighting in the Carpathians during August 1917 exacted an extremely heavy toll amongst the Württemberg mountain riflemen. The fighting at Cosna alone resulted in the death of 68, the severe wounding of 147 and the further wounding of 255 more with four men missing: A total of 474 casualties including the then adjutant - Leutnant d.R. Kallscheuer killed in action.

Italy

Following the 11th battle of the Isonzo on the Italian/Austro-Hungarian border (Slovenia) in August 1917 the Austrian forces had managed to hold on albeit with the loss of the important Bainsizza Plateau. The Austrians appealed for German assistance and this was forthcoming in the shape of the newly formed 14th army of General der Infanterie Otto von Below. In order to alleviate the pressure on the Austro-Hungarian line, a joint German/Austrian offensive in the upper isonzo region was planned with the object of clearing the border and if possible push the Italians back to the Tagliamento River.

The WGB was transferred via Macedonia to Carinthia and thence to an assembly area at Kneza. Once again subordinated to the Alpenkorps (Group Stein), the battalion was in its jump-off positions to the South of Tolmein (Tolmino) in the misty early morning hours of 24th October 1917. Following a sustained artillery bombardment the battalion moved forward through the village of Woltschach and blazed a trail Westwards. Taking in succession Hevnik, Hill 1114, Hill 1192, Monte Kuk, Mrzli Peak and Monte Matajur (1681), the WGB captured thousands of dispirited Italian soldiers including an entire regiment - the 2nd Regiment of the Salerno Brigade from the Colonel commanding downwards. Following this rash of successes the battalion continued West to the Tagliamento under command of the Deutsch Jäger-Division and was then switched North to cross the river under command of the Austrian K.K.43.Schützen-Brigade (Generalmajor von Merten), K.K.22.Schützen-Division (Generalmor Rudolf Müller) at Cornino.

Between the 5th and 9th November the battalion advanced Westward taking the Klautana Pass, the town of Cimolais and after breaking Italian resistance to the West of Cimolais along the Vojont Ravine towards Longarone. The Rommel detachment sped along the ravine road ripping out demolition charges on bridges and passing places eventually arriving at the mouth of the ravine overlooking the Piave Valley and Longarone. The Gössler detachment lost its commander in an accident when Hauptmann d.L. Wilhelm Gössler fell to his death on the 9th November. The Rommel detachment crossed the Piave and eventually succeeded in capturing Longarone from the South with another huge bag of prisoners - 10,000 men and 200 machine guns, 18 mountain cannon, 2 semi-automatic cannons and 600 pack animals. The road leading through Longarone had been a major line of retreat for the Italian forces withdrawing from the previously static mountain fighting in the North on the Austrian/Italian border.

By the end of the second week in November the highly successful 12th battle of the Isonzo had run its course and the combined Austro-German forces were held on the line of the Piave. The WGB was once again moved South under command of the Deutsch Jäger-Division on the 17th November and was involved in the fighting in the Venetian Alps in the Monte Tomba area. In an order of the day to his battalion on the 13th December 1917, Major Sproesser published the news that he and Oberleutnant Rommel had been awarded the Pour le Mérite. He concluded by saying " It is an honour to belong to the Württemberg Mountain Battalion, it is the highest honour to be your commander!" As recorded in Rommel's book, Infantry attacks, on the night of 18th December both he and Major Sproesser received their Pour le Mérites in the mail!

1918 and the Formation of the Regiment

The battalion remained in the Venetian Alps under the command of the Deutsch Jäger-Division during the early part of 1918. When Major Sproesser left to attend a course at the OHL in Sedan he was temporarily replaced by Oberleutnant Füchtner. Oberleutnant Rommel had left the battalion for good on posting to the General Kommando z.b.v. 64 for staff training. The battalion finally pulled out of Italy commencing on the 18th of February, eventually arriving in Rusach on the 26th February for another deployment in the Vosges Mountains. By the end of February the companies had moved to Gebweiler under command of the 1.Kavallerie-Brigade (Oberst von Preinitzer), 26.Landwehr-Division (Generalleutnant von Teichmann) and were committed to action in the Hartmannsweilerkopf position. Major Sproesser returned to assume command on the 5th of March and at this date the organisation of the battalion was as follows:

By order of the Württemberg war ministry dated the 3rd of May 1918 the WGB was converted into an renamed the Württembergisches Gebirgs-Regiment. The ministry authorised a regimental strength as follows:

The regiment was organised in 2 battalions:

I.Bataillon with staff, 1., 2., 3.Gebirgs-Komp., 1. and 2. M.G.-Komp.

II.Bataillon with staff, 4., 5., 6.Gebirgs-Komp. and 3. M.G.Komp.

The trench mortar company and signal company were immediately under command of the regiment. 

Strength: 1200 rifles, 600 pistols, 36 machine guns, 6 light and 4 medium trench mortars.

The regiments first assignment was in the Michael offensive, part of the series of offensives mounted by the Germans in Northern France throughout the early Summer of 1918. The regiment fought on the Chemin des Dames, Fort Condé, the pursuit between the Aisne and Vesle rivers and at Chazelle and the Paris position on the 31st May 1918. On the 1st of June, the future General of Mountain Troops Hubert Lanz, then a Leutnant was appointed regimental adjutant. The regiment was pulled out of the line on 2nd June and on the 3rd the long time commander of both the battalion and the regiment, Major Sproesser handed over to his successor - Major Emil von Schnizer, the former commander of II./I.R.125 at the regimental headquarters in Royant. Hauptmann d.R. Stochdorph assumed command of the 1st battalion and Hauptmann Junge the 2nd. After a period in reserve at Billy the regiment was deployed under command of the 14.Reserve-Division at Viller-Cotterets wood then Transloy-Ferme until again being placed in reserve in Bosmont-Tavaux from the 25th June until 7th July. Under command of the 10.Reserve-Division the regiment was involved in the the last battle of the Marne and in the Champagne region in fighting to the East of Epernay. 1st battalion was now commanded by Oberleutnant Füchtner and the front line strength of the regiment was 22 officers and 644 NCOs and Schützen.

The regiment saw further heavy fighting throughout the first three weeks of July suffering severe casualties including the death of Hauptmann Junge commanding the 2nd battalion on 13th July. The regiment was relieved in the line during the night 16/17 July and placed in corps reserve in Bezilly on 20th and 21st July and army reserve until the 2nd of August. Hauptmann Oppermann now commanded the 1st battalion and Hauptmann Willich the 2nd.

The regiment was ordered to Macedonia and on the 19th and 20th of August the regiment entrained for the Balkans. Having being somewhat rebuilt in its period of reserve it now stood at a strength of 40 officers and  1388 NCOs and Schützen. Shortly after the arrival of the regiment in Hudova, Macedonia, the regimental commander , Major Emil von Schnizer was awarded the third Pour le Mérite of the Württemberg mountain troops on 27th August 1918. The regiment did not, however remain in Macedonia and was reordered back to the West to be deployed once again in the Vosges Mountains. Leaving Macedonia on the 3rd of September, the regiment was deployed by 13th September with Armee-Abteilung A (Generalleutnant von Kneusl) under command of the 39.bayerische-Reserve-Division (Generalmajor von Reck). It remained in the Vosges until the 14th of October when it was moved North to the Verdun area and was fighting on the River Meuse until the armistice. The regiment withdrew from the front commencing the 14th November and from the 22nd of that month until the 21st December was deployed as border protection on the Swiss border. On the 24th December the regiment was assembled in Isny-Leutkirch and celebrated Christmas.. Following Christmas the process of demobilisation commenced and the regiment was dissolved.

Since the formation of the Schneeschuh-Kompanie until the final dissolution, the Württemberg mountain establishment had lost a total of 543 killed, 2067 wounded and 167 missing including 203 killed in the severe fighting in France during the Summer of 1918. Certainly the Württemberg mountain riflemen had done their duty.

Some Notes on Personalities

Major Theodor Sproesser was selected to remain in the new German army - the Reichswehr. He served on the staff of the 13.(Württembergisches) Infanterie-Regiment as a colonel before assuming the appointment of commandant at Glatz. He retired from the Reichswehr in 1925 as a Generalmajor and died in 1932.

Leutnant Hubert Lanz served throughout the interwar years with the Reichswehr , became a qualified general staff officer and by 1938 was commanding Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 100 at Bad Reichenhall. During the second world war he rose to command 1.Gebirgs-Division and the ad-hoc Armeegruppe Lanz on the Southern sector of the Eastern front. Sacked after SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser withdrew his SS Panzerkorps from Charkov in February 1943, he was re-employed as a mountain corps commander for the rest of the war. The general died in Munich in 1982.

Oberleutnant Erwin Rommel, probably the most famous German soldier ever, remained on the staff until the armistice. Serving in the Reichswehr, by the outbreak of the second world war he was commanding the Führer's headquarters. He was given the 7th panzer Division in 1940 and ultimately command in Africa and promotion to field marshal. Severely wounded in France in 1944 as commander of Army Group B, the field marshal was compelled in October to take his own life after being implicated in the July plot against Adolf Hitler.

Uniforms and Insignia

Initially the Schneeschuh-Kompanie/Gebirgs-Kompanie were equipped with special clothing introduced in November1914. This consisted of a mountain cap of light grey cloth based on the Austrian pattern and piped on its upper edge in dark green. The state cockade was worn on the left and the "Reichskokarde" on the right. A special field grey mountain tunic called a Litewka" was worn instead of the normal tunic. The buttons down the front were concealed and two pleated patch pockets were worn on the breast. The collar was piped in green as were the grey collar patches. On each patch was sewn a green "S". The tunics of NCOs and Schützen (with the exception of the Offizierstellvertreter) initially did not have shoulder straps. Green shoulder straps with shoulder wings, again based on the Austrian pattern were soon introduced to secure the rucksack on the shoulder. Officers wore shoulder boards of the Württemberg pattern (flecked with red and black) with a green underlay. NCOs tresse was in gold and was worn along the front and lower edge of the collar patch only. A windjacket was worn instead of the greatcoat and climbing boots with puttees instead of the traditional German marching boots. A rucksack replaced the backpack.

 With the formation of the battalion in late 1915, the "S" collar patches were replaced by  plain green patches with a yellow button bearing the company number. Again, the NCOs tresse was worn in a similar fashion as before (see illustration of Vizefeldwebel Friedel above). In January 1916 a shako was introduced bearing the star of the Württemberg Crown Order. The shako had leather chin straps for NCOs and Schützen and white metal chin scales for commissioned ranks. Later in the war shakos bearing the Württemberg state coat of arms were also worn. In the field a field grey cover was worn. From this time on the normal field caps (Mützen) of Jäger pattern were also taken into use (green band and green piping).

Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel is highly recommended  as an highly readable memoir as well as a detailed exposition on the art of mountain fighting and is available from Greenhill Books in the UK and Stackpole books in the USA. ISBN 1-85367-199-1.

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