This week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday :
RIR 241: The battle for Broodseinde crossroad part one
21 oktober 1914
A kilometre to the south of the crossroad, a battle broke out on 21 October 1914, it rather destroyed nearly the entire regiment. It is staggering to read the following reports about the regiment’s combat strength:
On October 11, 1914, 72 officers and 2717 non-commissioned officers and men.
on 21 October 1914, 63 officers and 2321 non-commissioned officers and men.
on 01 November 1914 25 officers and 1029 non-commissioned officers and men.
13 November 1914 9 officers and 383 non-commissioned officers and men
19 November 1914 4 officers and 120 NCOs and men
Only one month of fighting, from 19 October to 19 November 1914 and hardly any men left! But the fight for the crossroad did not end on 19 November since it was only captured on the 22nd of April 1915.
The troops did not sleep during the night of 20 to 21 October in the open field, it was too cold and rainy.
1.30 am the following division’s order arrived:
The enemy, repulsed by the corps, has once again put up a stubborn resistance to the west of Beselare. The army corps renewed the attack.
53 RD go forward in line to Keibergmolen Oosthoek Zuidhoek
The abt. von. Criegern between Keibergmolen, Oosthoek and Zuidhoek are ready to attack at 6 o’clock in the morning. Von Criegern between Keibergmolen Oosthoek with staffing behind the right wing.
At the disposal of the division at 6 o’clock in the morning, covered at Keibergmolen, are a battalion of infantry and a detachment of cannons.
All heavy artillery and light howitzers are to be brought into position as early as possible. They are to be positioned behind the infantry in such a way that from 6.45 a.m. they can effectively prepare and support the advance of the infantry along the entire front of the division.
241 joined on the right wing, 243 on the left wing, the reserve 25 Jäeger were in reserve of the division. The combat area was the same as the day before.
I/241 proceeded north, II/241 south of the road Keibergmolen schrapnellhaus, III/241 staggered behind the right wing. 12/241 was at the disposal of the regimental commander. The orders were clear, the teams ready for battle, and the advance was immediate, in the firing line. That was good, because the Englishmen were on the post. Very soon their artillery began to move in and covered the entire battlefield with countless shrapnel shells. The enemy infantry had taken advantage of the protective night and had entered the Calvaire Wald again. Foolhardy, but with heavy losses, I/241 and II/ 241 moved into the Calvair Wald. The enemy artillery fire raced, even our own artillery performed miracles, but they were not informed of the troops’ rapid advance and inhibited their assault..
11.30 a.m. Colonel Graul reported that the artillery should bring forward their fire. all hell is loose, death is racing across the battlefield. The companies are staggered in the line of fire. Then the signal sounds bright and clear across the battlefield: potato soup, potato soup, the whole week potato soup …!
The side arms are planted and they advance. On, march, march! But, oh, the enemy is shooting too well, on the left and on the right the comrades are falling like autumn leaves from the trees, and they will never get up again … Then it bursts forth with thunder. Horses snort, shouts of command, a battery of our artillery flees towards us, as if hunted by the devil, and comes up in a furious fire on the open field. In barely a minute the guns are lined up and are firing. The battery commander collapses, his leg shot through and bleeding badly, he gives clear orders. while men of the infantry bandage him up. The battle rages on, the wide road is within reach.
At 12.40 p.m. the brigade receives the order not to proceed until the artillery has hit the houses of Broodseinde on the right wing. Here on the right wing, fate was lurking! Already in the morning the 1/241 had to support the 240 regiment, and soon the whole III/241 was inserted on the right wing. It held out bravely and was in line with the other battalions. The devil, however, or the death of Flanders, might know why artillery was suddenly pouring into the reaches of the III/241. It was the enemy artillery firing from the open right flank. the battle was on a knife edge; again, the left wing could already see the village of Zonnebeke lying across the Beselare Passendale road, and everything was threatening to collapse in front of the crossroad …
Erz. V. Criegern was on the right wing,
his order :
4.45 p.m.
The von Criegern detachment has been in a precarious position on its right wing since 2 p.m. because the 52 RD cannot make the expected progress. RIR 241 is able to hold the position it has taken up. I consider it impossible for the right columns to push on, even with the help of R J Battalion 25, which I am holding in reserve behind the right wing, since an enemy battery is firing on the right flank and has not yet been silenced.
One of the men wrote :
…..as if beaten in fetters, the regiment wanted to move forward and yet could not. The English were still shooting like mad, more and more comrades collapsed wounded or dead. The night brought some relief. A terrible confusion reigned in the ranks. So many leaders were wounded or dead, and among the wounded was the commander of I/241, Major Freiherr von Uslar Gleichen. But who was supposed to organise the units and keep them together? Who told the young, inexperienced soldiers to get the hard stuff? As darkness fell, the front ranks of the troops began to waver. But there were still courageous men, leaders and guards, who knew that the decision could lie in that moment. they gathered their men, dug in and held the position. Captain Poeschel, in command of 3rd Company, was in the lead. That’s right, the Englishmen came in the night, but we beat back the enemy three times, until finally the morning of 22 October arrived.
Source : RIR 241 die geschichte des Königlich Sächsishen reserve infanterie regiments nr. 241
Images: map of the area, Keibergmolen, Oberst Graul and how the cross road looks today