This Week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday is going back to Zillebeke, we were there in December last year ( 26/122/2020 blog), and for some reason I didn’t use the following blog ( never mind females guides have a mind of their own)
IR126 Februar 1915 groenenburg
On the 11th, the construction of two mine shafts was begun and at the same time an open section was driven between the two in order to deceive the enemy about the mining noise. The brave NCO Laurer of the 1st Company, who wanted to determine the exact distance from the enemy trench with a measuring line, unfortunately fell during this enterprise. Five volunteers rushed to his aid, but after three of them were wounded, they had to turn back without having achieved anything.
In the meantime, storm ladders were placed in the old main trench and depots of hand grenades, sandbags and steel shields were set up. The participation of the artillery was ensured and the assault troops were pre-practised behind the front. On the afternoon of the 16th, the position on the right of the aisle received artillery fire for the first time. Straw dummies with helmets held high received infantry fire from the enemy trench; proof that the enemy had not cleared it.
On the 19th in the evening, after some obstructions due to ground water, the mine shafts were finally led to under the enemy trench. On the 20th they were loaded and dammed with 4½ hundredweight of Westphalite each and two concentrated charges with electric detonation were brought onto the enemy breastworks at night about 100 m south of the blast sites. The assault was set for the 21st.
The individual orders for the assault were made by the section commander, Major Blezinger, in an exemplary manner, while the technical management was in the hands of the always proven Lieutenant Busch, who was later awarded a Württemberg medal for his proven prudence and energy. Three assault squads were formed from 60 volunteers, most of them from the 7th Company. The right squad was led by Sergeant Steiner, the middle squad by Deputy Officer Carle, the left squad by Deputy Officer Holz, all three also from the 7th Company (Küffner), each assault squad was accompanied by five sappers.
When on the 21st , a Sunday the day began to dawn, the three squads stood ready in the main trench of the right wing, just there the battalion staff and in a small dugout a telephone squad and Lieutenant (ret.) Busch by his firing lines, which were doubled in case of failure. Both stand-by companies (9th and 12th) were housed in the trenches behind, the regimental reserve (10th and 11th) under the regimental commander stood by in the farmsteads north of Basseville-Cabt. At 6.50 a.m., as ordered, the explosion was detonated, and the very next moment there was a tremendous roar and roar, the ground swayed, a mighty dark cloud rose up, with a crash and a clap the upturned masses of earth with tree trunks, branches and corpses fell to the ground again; rolling infantry and artillery fire began and into this world of rubble the undaunted fighters threw themselves.
The blast had created two funnels in the middle of the enemy formation, one 25, the other 18 m in diameter at 5-6 m deep.
All three shock troops, followed by detachments with sandbags, steel shields and hand grenades in sacks, got into the enemy trench. A short man-to-man fight, then it’s on to the main trench. Steiner’s group, however, is met by heavy fire in the front and on the right flank; further action is impossible; they must confine themselves to occupying and holding the right funnel. Carle and Holz meanwhile reach the main trench, clear up with the garrison as far as it has not fled and suffers heavy losses in the retreat. Holz then turns to the left to get hold of as large a piece of the enemy trench as possible. M.-G. fire sets a target for the advance. Unfortunately, the brave leader, Officer Deputy Holz, fell after brilliantly accomplishing his task.
The captured trench (about 150 m long) is now dammed off to the right and left and set up for defence by the work columns. And already, as if summoned, the supports rush in – two platoons of the 7th Company and one of the 9th Company – just in time to repel the first enemy counterattack (7.25 a.m.) with great losses for the enemy. Everything goes like clockwork, but here, too, a heavy loss occurs: Captain Miller of the 2nd Engineer Inspection, the leader of the 9th Company, fell by a shot in the head. He had become one of ours and will live on with us.
At 9.20 a.m. the second, and at 11.15 a.m. the third enemy counterattack took place. Although they were prepared by effective mine-thrower fire, they collapsed in the fire of the trench crew. The captured position was firmly in our hands. By noon the communication trenches had been dug to such an extent that wounded and dead could be brought back. Our losses amounted to 20 dead and 50 wounded. The enemy’s losses were estimated at 200 to 250 dead and seriously wounded; many had been buried in their dugouts. Prisoners taken were few: 1 officer, 5 men of the 16th Queen Lancers Regiment, and 8 men of the 8th Company 77th French. Line Regiment. Our attack had just hit the seam between the French (right) and English (left). The English prisoners made an excellent military impression, which could not be said of the French, mostly older people.
source :
Das 8. Württembergische Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 126 Großherzog Friedrich von Baden im Weltkrieg 1914 – 1918 Autor Glück Eugen Wald Alfred
Images of the area and for Gus my table cat Aramis who has also a mind of his own