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Crown Prince Rupprecht had one last hope for his 6th/7th Army Group’s role in the definitive destruction of the French Army – the capture of Nancy and the mountainous region to the north, the Grand Couronne. The resulting 11 day fight for Nancy was a German disaster that cost Rupprecht some 100,000 casualties. By the end of the first week of September, it became clear to the Germans that future efforts to defeat the French 1st and 2nd Armies on the southwest side of the Meurthe were futile. Even more significant was the German defeat in the Battle of the Marne. By 9 September, the German Supreme Command concluded further efforts along the Marne were futile.

On September 11-12, the XIV Corps retired back to the area of the 24 August Battle at Vacqueville, and taking up a line along the trace of the Verdurette River. Both sides started digging in, setting the framework of the continuous labyrinthine trench system that ran from the Swiss border to the English Channel.

On September 10, IR 169 was completely pulled out of the front lines and sent 30 miles back to Dieuze, a town between Sarrebourg and Metz that served as 6th Army Headquarters. Here, IR 169 prepared for its role in the coming campaign that created the infamous St. Mihiel Salient. Replacement troops, which included two officers and 556 enlisted men, reported to help fill the badly depleted ranks.

Crown Prince Rupprecht’s next move was an attempt against the fortified city of Verdun. To avoid a direct attack against the massive underground defenses in front of the city, the Germans launched a late September offensive intended to outflank Verdun from the south. A central component of this plan was to secure and then exploit a river crossing over the Meuse at the village St. Mihiel. While the effort to surround Verdun failed, this small campaign did result in a 25 mile wide and 20 mile long bulge into the French lines, known as the St. Mihiel Salient.

IR 169’s refit in the village of Dieuze lasted less than one week. XIV Corps was transferred from 7th to 6th Army control, and by mid-September, was temporarily assigned to a large 6th Army task force known as Army Detachment Strantz. Detachment Strantz consisted of the III Bavarian Corps, V Corps and XIV Corps.

Detachment Strantz’s ambitious objective was to establish a bridgehead across the Meurthe at the village of St. Mihiel, followed by an attempt to cut off Verdun from the south. The detachment began to assemble its forces around the garrison city of Metz on 15 September. IR 169 completed its 48 mile movement from Dieuze to the village of Pagny on 18 September. Pagny, on the west bank of the Moselle River, several miles south of Metz, became XIV Corps’ staging ground. Army Detachment Strantz occupied a 20 mile long front, with XIV Corps on the southern flank, III Corps in the center and V Corps on the right.

On the night of September 19, XIV Corps, supported by the 76th Field Artillery Regiment, moved six miles southwest to their jump-off position on the high ground above Regnieville. 29th Division’s objective for 20 September was to break the French line located between the villages of Flirey and Limey, four miles south.

The Germans were fortunate that morning to have a thick fog mask its movement out of the Regnieville Woods. IR 169’s 1st Battalion led the way. As the mist began burning off at 10:30 am, 1st Battalion began drawing artillery fire from French artillery located one mile behind its infantry positions. The rolling terrain helped allow the Germans to minimize casualties, as the French skirmishers at Remenauville, midway to Limey, withdrew before the German advance. The 3rd Battalion, along with the IR 169’s machine gun company, moved adjacent to 1st Battalion, and took up an over-watch position on the higher ground above Remenauville. Further to the left, IR 111, of the 28th Division also came on line as the Germans came within one mile of the French line at Limey.

IR 169’s 1st Battalion continued to advance forward through the open field, with the Forest of Mort Mare to its right. The first determined French resistance came from infantry units posted at the eastern edge of the wood-line. While the 1st Battalion charged forward, the French were reinforced with additional forces from nearby Flirey. Eventually, the Germans were pushed back to the heights beyond Limey. Additional French troops arrived on the battlefield, and by 4:00 pm, French infantry, supported by an artillery fire, attacked the exposed 1st Battalion from two directions. Lacking effective cover, the Germans were forced back. The 1st Battalion was able to retreat in good order, thanks to the covering fire from 3rd Battalion and the MG Company, still posted at the Remenauville Heights. That night, Regiment 169 continued to hold its position as its men were ordered to dig in. Exhausted by the day’s exertions and frustrated with the hardness of the soil, many of the Germans gave only a halfhearted effort to entrench themselves.

The early morning hours of 21 September again brought in heavy fog over the battlefield. As the fog lifted in mid-morning, the artillery batteries of the 2nd Battalion, 76th Artillery went into action. French artillery returned fire, and an all-out artillery contest was under way. Much of the French fire struck the 1st Battalion, which was now in reserve in the village of Remenauville. IR 169’s commander, Colonel Spennemann was severely wounded and taken off the battlefield. The Major Teschner, the 2nd Battalion commander who had just returned to the field after recovering from wounds, replaced Spennemann.

The artillery battle continued until 2:30 pm., when IR 169 was again ordered to attack Limey and the heights to the west. After being heavily shelled in place for the better part of several hours, the German infantrymen were eager to move forward. The assault force was a combined group of IR 169 and IR 170 battalions. IR 169’s 9th Company, along with the machine gun company, moved to a hill to the east where they could provide covering fire for the attack.

By 3:45 pm., the Germans closed into Limey where a street battle arose. The increasing pressure forced the French to slowly pull back. The assault force stormed forward, and by 5:00 pm, the village, along with a large number of French prisoners, was in German hands.

Once again, the failure of the 58th Brigade to keep up on the German right created another gap and exposed the right flank. The French quickly regrouped and launched a series of aggressive counterattacks against the assault force. Although the Germans were able to hold their ground and inflicted heavy losses against the attackers, they made no further progress for the remainder of the day. That evening, French forces retreated east, into the Forest de la Voisogne behind Flirey.

– In June 2019 I had the opportunity to visit the many battlefields in the St. Mihiel Salient region. The visit to Limey was particularly interesting. By studying the rolling hills north of Limey it became clear how IR 169’s final assault was able to use the terrain to close in on the French defenders. Referring to the first battle map, the first picture is taken from the vicinity of the midpoint of the third arrow from the left. IR 169 attacked across this field towards Limey. The second picture shows these rolling hills, with Limey in the background. The main French line was on second ridge-line, just before the village. The third picture is taken from the French perspective, at the point of the map’s second arrow from the right.

– I also visited the ruins of the destroyed village of Remenauville. This village was perfectly intact when used as the staging area for IR 169’s attack. In the aftermath of the late September fighting, German front lines moved directly back to Remenauville, where they remained for the next four years. In the course of the war, the village was blasted off the face of the earth, never to be rebuilt. The French government, in recognizing the war’s centennial, has done a nice job in making this haunting site accessible, with markers depicting the streets and residences. The ruins of the Remenauville church and other village points are also attached below.

 

Next Installment: The Conclusion of Maneuver Warfare (Part II)