On September 1st 1914 the regimental staff brought troopers to a place where several of their comrades on patrol had been ambushed by French soldiers. The surrounding terrain with woods, bushes, hedges and folds provided the enemy with excellent cover. Their soldiers had neither been seen or heard by the troopers as they trotted into the trap. Then out of nowhere rapid fire struck the patrol. Lieutenant von Ostertag took lead in the inferno and managed to lead several of the men to safety.
“We came across our fallen comrades and their horses in a fold in the terrain. We had by now had plenty of opportunities to get used to death. But this image was unique. Both the troopers and horses had been struck by many bullets. For those that had died instantly the rigor mortis had captured everything, as in a snapshot, of the very moment the French had opened fire. The sight was not horrific, but moving beyond words. One trooper had gone overhead, his horse overturned; another collapsed in the rear, its right foreleg thrust out high in the wild movement of the gallop.
There was no trace of fear in their faces. Nothing but determination to the last moment. The Uhlan does not tremble…How often we had been singing this… The graves were dug, and we carefully laid them to rest. We took off our helmets for prayers, then mounted and continued on our way to pursue more missions.
When we found them all
In the ditch, in the field, in the clover,
their wounds were already silent
And hurt no more.
A mound, no cross, no names,
No ornaments, for it was very urgent,
Two lance flags placed
On the grave as the only honour.
And a long time still
The black and red flags saluted us:
Here lie the yellow Uhlans,
from the Queen’s regiment.”
Sources:
-Regimental diary of Ulanen-Regiment König Wilhelm I. (2. Württembergisches) Nr. 20.
-Illustration: Postcard of a German Uhlan on horseback, by Franz Schmidt.