This week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday is going back to the area of Diksmuide just before the battle started were to my surprise I found that RIR 201 is reporting on where the Belgian army is and what their movements are. So next step French archives to compare.
RIR201 reporting on the Belgian movements around Diksmuide page 42
the admiral Ronarch ( Pierre Alexis) set up his command post in the Kaaskerke railway station. not far away, the 71 Belgian brigades assigned to the brigade Meiser ( Colonel Jean Batiste )took up positions. The artillery observer found an excellent observation post on the high roof of the ‘minoterie’ ( muhle) next to the yser bridge. from here he was able to overlook the approach of the German troops and to direct the fire from his batteries. in the meantime the defensive trenches in front of the eastern edge of the city and to the west of the Yser had been developed as well as possible. The machine guns were set up in three groups at the junctions of the Beerst, Essen and Woumen roads. On 16 and 17 October, the above-mentioned battles with groups of German III RK took place, giving the city a foretaste of the heavy fighting that was soon to begin. on sunday (18 October), peace returned , king Albert, who paid a short visit to the city and the defense lines. In the morning of the next day, the 5th Belgian division, reinforced by the naval fusiliers and covered by a brigade of African horsemen (goumiers marocains), made an advance to the east.
In Beerst, there was heavy fighting with German troops (44 Reserve Division), which ended with the capture of the town by the’ fusilliers marins’
At ten o’clock in the morning, the 3rd hunters by foot arrived , proceeding via Vladslo to the vicinity of Bovekerke, in front of them were the cyclists and the two armored cars of the 5th division. At noon, riders streamed back from the direction of the ‘praet bosch’ and spotted the arrival of significant enemy forces. Bovekerke, attacked by one or two battalions, was lost. The enemy artillery seemed to be considerably strengthened. new batteries opened fire without warning.
on the evening of 19 October, all the Belgian and French troops who had advanced towards Essen and Beerst were ordered to retreat to Diksmuide by the Belgian supreme command, which now had accurate information about the advance of a new German army. the navy fusiliers were reluctant to obey this order, as they fought for the capture of Beerst with great sacrifice.
What do the French say on this subject will be the next part of this story
Missions militaires françaises près les armées alliées
telegram from colonel Brecard ( Veurne) to general Foch on 17 oktober 1914 ( Doulens)
This morning in the region of Nieuwpoort, and this evening on the whole front from Nieuwpoort to Vladslo, serious demonstration of the artillery with heavy artillery without result. The Belgian army maintains its front well organized. Three divisions hold the yzer line in Nieuwpoort, Schoore, Keiem.
The ‘Fusiliers Marins’ at Beerst and Vladslo, three divisions are tomorrow in the second line; link on the right with the 89th division, in which General Bidon has the intention of incorporating the Fusiliers Marins tomorrow. Divisions of the cavalry 4,5,6,7 are tonight on the front of Zarren – Kortemark – Roeselare – Houthulst wood. the moral of the Belgian army is improving day by day.
telegram from 19 oktober to 18 oktober
Colonel Brecard to General Foch
No attack during the night on Belgian army front, this morning German attack on Nieuwpoort about two infantry regiments and heavy artillery. second attack on Keiem about two infantry regiments. no attack on dixmuide held by fussilier Marins. Belgian ‘etat major’ pushes one division in reserve through dixmuide on Beerst and Keiem.
Les fusilier marins
Les Demoiselles au Pompon Rouge: one of the nicknames given by the Germans to the ‘Fusiliers Marins’ for their young and playboy appearance and the red pompon on their hats. It was a nickname that the Fusiliers Marins were only too happy to bear.
When the war broke out, the Navy had several thousand men that it could not use on board its ships. On the 7th August, the 1st and 2nd Marine Fusiliers Regiments were created, with the aim of fighting on land. Gathered into a brigade of 6,000 men, under the command Admiral Ronarch, their initial mission was the defense of the Capital and its suburbs.
“La Brigade des Fusiliers Marins sur l’Yser, par l’Amiral Ronarc’h”,:
The brigade consists of the Brigade Headquarters and two regiments. It has a machine gun company of 15 sections. Each regiment is composed of a staff, 3 battalions, and an ambulance. A regiment is commanded by a Capitaine de Vaisseau. Each battalion is commanded by a Capitaine de Frégate and is divided into four companies.
The strength of a company is about 200 men.
The structure of the regiments of the Marine Brigade is therefore similar to that of the infantry regiments of 1914, with the exception of the machine gun sections which seem to be more numerous and grouped into a company at Brigade level.
sources :
memoiredeshommes.sga.defence.gouf.fr; RIR 201 regimental history; forum eerste wereldoorlog
philippe.millour.free.fr
Images : German map, French map , Fusilier marins