Unit Marked 1913 DWM

[alanint]

A gentleman recently contacted the Forum to inquire about a Unit Marked Luger he owns. As he does not speak English I have translated his inquiry as follows;

The pistol in question is a 1913 DWM, serial number 3196, (no suffix, if any was provided). Unit markings on the grip are reproduced exactly as furnished in the inquiry below:

L1 R.A.F 5 11.

The owner inquires if there is a Royal Airforce Connection, which I doubt.

Can any of the experts give a full accounting of this grip strap Unit mark, so that we can answer the gentleman back?

Thanks!

[George Anderson]

I imagine it's Landwehr Artillerie zu Fuss Regiment 1, Batterie 5, Waffe 11. I would like to see a photo of the mark as the "L" may not be an "L".

[alanint]

Thanks, George. I will request and see if we can get an image.

[alanint]

This is the best the owner could provide. The gun has obviously been refinished, but any other insight as to the Unit Markings would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[alanint]

More

[klaus 3338]

Looks like B.1.R.A F.5.14 for Bavarian 1. reserve foot artillery regiment. 5. Batterie weapon (Luger) 14 which make more sence than L.1....

[roadkill1]

Alanint (Doug):

I have provided unit histories corresponding to unit marked Lugers in the past. Unfortunately, however, the research documents I have relate to regiments and their respective divisions. "Fuss-Artillery" or "Foot Artillery" equated to heavy artillery were considered Corps level units in the German Imperial Order of Battle until 1917. As a result, the traditional research process and reference books I use in developing unit histories will not work for their Fuss Artillery regiments.

I did do a quick review of all the German Imperial Corps Units order of battle and in particular, those from Bavaria, but did not note a Bavarian 1. Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment. I could well have overlooked it. Perhaps one of our forum members more familiar with Corps level organizations can identify which corps this battery, which would be II. battalion was assigned to. Once you have a Corps identification for the battery (II. Battalion), one could then research that corps to determine more of a traditional unit history for this Luger.

As an aside, the Germans called their heavy artillery, Fuss-Artillery because their gun crews assigned to these units walked on foot and did not ride on limbers, gun carriages or ammunition wagons during marches as did their gun crews assigned to their field artillery regiments that were typically assigned to divisions (and not corps).

Ron

[klaus 3338]

The I. Bataillon of the Bavarian 1. Reserve Fussartillerie Reg. was part of the Alpenkorps and the II. Bataillon of the 6. Bavarian Infanterie Division.

[roadkill1]

As stated earlier, the “5” in the Luger unit marking denotes the 5th Battery which most typically means the “II Bataillon” (2nd Battallion) for this type of regiment. It is important to accurately identify which battalion a battery is assigned to with Fussarrtillerie Regiment because the battalions were often split/separated from their normal regimental association and employed or attached to a different regimental HQ for command, control and logistical purposes as is the case in this example.

With Klaus kindly researching and identifying that this 2nd Battalion was assigned to the 6. Bavarian Infanterie Division, the following unit history is provided:

At the outbreak of WWI, the 6th Bavarian Infantry Division (6th BID) was assigned to the 3rd Bavarian Corps which was part of the 6th Bavarian Army commanded by Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria.

On 20 August, the 6th BID fought at Prevecourt and Delme in the Lorraine area, crossing the French frontier on the 22nd. On 25 August, this division was engaged at Maixe on the Sanon and north of Luneville through the early days of September.

During early to mid-September, the 6th BID assembled in Metz and departed on 18 September for an area west of the Moselle. It reached and climbed the Cotes de Meuse on the 21st and attacked the fort of Camp des Romains and St. Mihiel. Following these attacks which continued during October and ended in the capture of the fort and St. Mihiel, the 6th BID established itself from Chauvoncourt to Spada and remained in this sector of the St. Mihiel salient for the remainder of 1914, all of 1915 and until June of 1916.

On 20 June 1916, the 11th Bavarian Brigade of the 6th BID was sent to the Verdun area and fought there with the Alpine Corps. The remaining elements of the 6th BID were then sent to Verdun, continued fighting and experienced heavy losses. On 5 August, the division left the Verdun front, had a short stay in the Argonne and was then sent to the Somme. During the period 15-27 September, the 6th BID fought between Flers and Gueudecourt and again suffered heavy losses.

Between late September 1916 and 1 August 1917, there is no information regarding the 6th BID. Presumably however, there was a period when they were pulled form the line, rested, received some replacements and trained because on 1 August 1917, the 6th BID took over the sector of Neuve Chapelle-Festubert in the Artois area and remained there until May of 1917.

The division was relieved on 10 May and sent into the line northeast of Arras (Oppy, Fresnoy, Acheville) in the middle of May and suffered some losses due to gas attacks. On 10 September, the 6th BID left the Artois and went to Flanders occupying the sector northeast of Langemarck on 29 September where it lost Poelcappelle (4 October) to the British during intense fighting. Again, the 6th BID incurred heavy losses. On 8 October, the division was relieved and appeared on line again on 18 October south of the La Bassee Canal in the Artois area where it again suffered from gas attacks. It remained in this area until January 1918.

On 18 January 1918 the 6th BID was withdrawn from the line and sent to the area south of Tournai. About the middle of February, the division relieved the 187th Division south of the Bois Grenier (west of Lille) where it was engaged. For the Somme Offensive, the 6th BID fought on the Cambrai front entering the line near Bullescourt but made little progress and loss heavily during many attacks. It was withdrawn on 26 March.

On 4 April, the 6th BID went on line south of Dixmude. Because of the successes the Germans had at Mount Kemel, they believed that the Allies line was shaken to the north and the whole Ypres salient could be captured. An elaborate plan was developed with the 6th BID (and some adjoining units) leading a breakout attack. On 17 April the plan was implemented and the division attack. However, the plan failed, as did the attack with the Belgians not only throwing the enemy back but also taking a great many prisoners. The division was withdrawn on 19 April and sent to rest near Ruddervoorde (south of Bruges).

The remaining part of 1918 found the 6th BID in intense fighting in the Verdun Muese and Roye areas. On 16 August the division was identified in the Bois des Loges, of the Roye area and remained on line retiring in the face of Allied advance fighting stubbornly, especially near Campagne, Montigny and Essigny le Grand. It remained on line in this general area until the armistice was signed.

Allied Intelligence evaluated the efficiency as: “The 6th Bavarian is rated as one of best 45 enemy divisions. It suffered extremely heavy losses, but since it always fought well though not brilliantly, during 1918-the German High Command sent it as many replacements as it could. The morale has always been good, but quite anti-Prussian.”

This unit history was extracted from a book entitled, Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army Which Participated in the War (1914-1918), first published in 1920 by the United States War Office, pages 135 thru 137.

Ron

[alanint]

Thank you, Gentlemen. Such dedication to answering questions is awe inspiring.

[DonVoigt]

Amazing, dedicated detective work.

Thanks for taking the time to provide the info.

[Piet]

I am still impressed by the knowledge! Very interesting.
Thanks.

[RJS]

Your history was awesome. Thanks for sharing