Soissons, 1918

[bierast]

Has anyone read this book on Soissons?

I am researching my GGF's experience on the German side as a gunner in 241.Div. (Saxon) facing the attack of Mangin's 10th Army on 18th July.

Edit: just discovered this thread.

[paul guthrie]

It's an excellent book focusing primarily on US participation.

[James A Pratt III]

I second that

[Robert Dunlop]

Andi, would you like someone to check on any mentions of your great-grandfather's unit? The book will give you a very good overview of the battle.

Robert

[bierast]

Andi, would you like someone to check on any mentions of your great-grandfather's unit? The book will give you a very good overview of the battle.

Hi Robert - that would be great! I've put this one on my wants list, but I'd love to know if there's anything specific about them in there.

The specific unit is 4. Kgl. Sächs. Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 48. I do not know which battery he served in at this stage. His name was Arno Emil Bierast and he was a gefreiter when photographed in spring 1915.

241. Infanterie-Division (Sächs), 1918:

246. Infanterie-Brigade mit:

Infanterie-Regiment 472

Infanterie-Regiment 473

Infanterie-Regiment 474

Sturmabteilung

MG-Lehrabteilung

2.Esk. Husaren-Regiment 18

Artillerie-Kommandeur 241:

Feldartillerie-Regiment 48 (stab, batts 1-9, abt I-III)

Fussartillerie-Bataillon 102 (stab, batts 1-3)

Munitions-Kol. 1055, 1061, 1062

Pionier-Bataillon 241:

Pionier-Kompanie 373

Pionier-Kompanie 374

Minenwerfer-Kompanie 441

Scheinwerfer-Zug 5

Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 241:

Divisions-Fernspr. Abteilung 241

Divisions-Funker Abteilung 27

Meldehundtrupp

253 'Ambulance company'

Feldlazarett 206, 207

274 'Vet Hospital'

Div. Kraftw. Kol. 651

I am also especially interested in an incident on the 18th July where a German friend of mine's GF, Leutnant d. res. Lenke - commanding 4. Res. Komp., 1. K.S. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 12 - successfully transported 600 men of 241. Div's disintegrating infantry regiments across the Aisne to safety. He later received the St. Heinrichs-Orden (Ritter) for his actions.

[Robert Dunlop]

Sorry, Andi. There is no specific reference to his division.

Robert

[bierast]

Sorry, Andi. There is no specific reference to his division.

Thanks for looking, Robert.

I'll probably still pick this book up for the detailed information on the allied side anyway. I have detailed maps showing the positions of all the elements of FAR48 during the battle and can hopefully glean those for the three IRs when I consult their regimental histories at the IWM on thursday. Thus I should be able to determine when the American book is referring to the men (and especially the guns) of 241 Div. even though it doesn't name them.

Incidentally, there are some vivid eyewitness accounts of the 18th July 1918 from 241 Div. (sadly translated into French) at this French site on the Marne battles - one from a leutnant in FAR 48's Nr. 2 battery (designated 'Tankabwehr' in the regimental history) and one from the leutnant commanding Nr. 2 section of Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 441. The FAR 48 leutnant specifically describes seeing his first Americans during the fighting. 241 Div. were frontally attacked by the French 153rd Division on the 18th, but also from the flank by the US 1st Division (which had overrun the 11th Bavarian Division to the left of the Saxons).

The regimental history for 18th July describes FAR 48 (and attached elements of FAR 502) having to fend off infantry assaults directly using their own battery MGs and flat trajectory field gun fire, and taking heavy casualties in the process that made this the 'black day' of the regiment.