n previous articles, we have seen some Reservisten Beer Stein and even a pipe. This time, a Reservistenflasche or Recruit’s Bottle. This was another of the most typical articles to be purchased by the recruits finishing the military mandatory service. Some of the bottles were an addition to a pipe or a beer stein, and their name may have just there. These Bottles weren’t mere ornaments, they were also well used. Even you can see it pictured in one of my Reservistenkrug, which I described already in this article. Anyway, I attach a better picture:
There is no name of the soldier in the bottle, something quite normal. This is the reason, I will be talking today only about the Regiment and the main battles during the First World War.
This bottle belonged to a recruit, who spent his years of mandatory military service with the 2. Hannoversche Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 14, which was part of the 34th Division located in Metz and was one of the divisions of the 5th Army under the command of the Crown Prince, the one in charge of the attack in Verdun in 1916.
Once the war started, this regiment participated in the battle of Longwy-Longuyon, were advances were made and the 3rd French Army was pushed back. In this moment and after the crossing of the river Meuse, the Regiment was involved in the different fights in Varennes and forest of that area, just north west of Verdun, interrupting the communications with the Champagne, between Sedan and Verdun. For the German it was mandatory too to keep control of the area and communications with the 4th Army in the north.
For the rest of 1914 and the whole 1915, the Regiment was going to be located in an area called Argonne (Argonnewald) and there will be some fierce battles there during that time. The French Artillery and troops were good placed in high positions, like the Höhe 285, which the Germans tried many times to storm, failing each time to catch it. The Germans dug in and created a system of tunnels, which made them bring troops to front and take the highs. In addition, there were plenty of activities in the mine warfare.
The 34th Division stayed in the line until August 1916, when they were sent to fight to Verdun. Well, not the whole division, because there would be other plans for the Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 14.
The Calvary was going to be proved obsolete during the First World War (if not before that), but still it was going to play some important roles in the East Front, were the lines were more dynamic. With this in mind, the Regiment split in the 4 Squadrons, each one of them sent to a different Division, 3 of them in the Eastern Front. I will explain briefly the last months of the war for these Divisions:
1st Squadron was sent to the 199th Infantry Division. They fought in Polen, but at the end of 1916, they participated in the last moments of the Battle of Verdun and sent to the Somme area, more quiet in that time. The remained there and then retreated to the Siegfriedline and then in March 1918, sent to France to fight during the Kaiserschlacht in the Somme. Reims and Champagne will see the last days of this Division. It was a second class Division.
2nd Squadron was sent to the 195th Infantry Division. Fighting in Ukraine (Ostgalizien) until the middle of 1917, when it was sent to fight in Flanders (Ypres) until the end of 1917. In 1918 there will be placed in the Cambrai area during the Kaiserschlacht, staying in Champagne until the end of the war. It was classified as “good qualitative division”.
3rd Squadron was sent to the 197th Infantry Division. This one stayed longer in Ukraine, until the end of 1917, until Russia capitulated. Sent to France in 1918, fought in Soissons, Reims and Verdun. They ended up defending the positions in the Hermannstellung. This Division was rated as “Third Class”.
4th Squadron was sent to the 220th Infantry Division (in 1917). This is the only division that remained in France and Belgium in 1917 and 1918. This division was used more in defensive and holding positions than for attacks. A Second class Division.
At the end, we have 1 Bottle, 1 Regiment and 5 Divisions…
Sources:
Histories of the Two Hundred and Fifty One Divisions of the German Army.
Map of Verdun – Own Collection.
Maps from Wikipedia.