Campaign to Rovno

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Map of the Russian governorate of Volhynia with road and rail connections, 1911

The campaign to Rovno in autumn 1915 was part of the First World War and took place on the southern part of the Eastern Front . After the great retreat of the Russian fronts, the advance of the Austro-Hungarian troops took place on August 26th across the border of Eastern Galicia to cross over to Russian territory. After initial successes in Volhynia , strong counter-attacks by the Russian 8th Army followed from the Rovno area in the first half of September . Only with the help of German Korpsgruppe Gerok end of September was already lost city of Lutsk (Luck) be put back and the trench warfare has passed over the front stabilized. The campaign brought the Central Powers territorial gains up to the Styr section, the troop losses paid for it were particularly difficult for the Austro-Hungarian army .

prehistory

As a result of the Great Withdrawal, the Russian Southwest Front had also returned to the border of Eastern Galicia in the summer of 1915 without a fight. On August 21, the Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff, Colonel General Conrad von Hötzendorf, laid down the general guidelines for the continuation of the Austro-Hungarian offensive, in which the right wing of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces should advance across the old border into Russian territory. The Austro-Hungarian 1st and 2nd Armies as well as the German Southern Army were instructed to immediately take up the pursuit after the Russian withdrawal began. The number of troops on the left wing of the 1st Army was increased by tracking the Smekal group (45th Rifle Division) and the 7th Cavalry Division coming from the Woyrsch army division via Kovel . The persecution of the Russian XXXI. Army Corps should aim for the bow army of General von Linsingen through the right wing ; this task was soon taken over by the approaching Austro-Hungarian 4th Army under Archduke Joseph Ferdinand .

Feldzeugmeister von Puhallo , the commander in chief of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army, followed on the afternoon of August 26th with the I and II Corps and the Szurmay group to the Luga sector, the X and IX. Corps caught up on the Zimno - Makowicze line . The XIV Corps and the 4th Cavalry Division stood ready at Holoby on both sides of the Kovel railway to break through in the direction of Rovno . The 2nd Division (FML Sellner) was designated to occupy Kovel, the pursuit of the Russian XXXI. Corps (75th and 83rd Reserve Divisions) and the safeguarding of the northern flank was assigned to the Heydebreck Cavalry Corps with the German 5th Cavalry Division , the Hungarian 11th Honved Cavalry Division and the Austro-Hungarian 7th Cavalry Division, which gathered at Luboml transfer.

The XIV Corps occupied Kovel on August 25th and pursued the Russians across the Turija . The advance of the Austro-Hungarian Army Group in Eastern Galicia reached the Luck area on August 25th. The X. Corps (24th and 62nd Divisions) and the IX. Corps (10th and 26th Divisions) marched east between Luga and Turija. The XIV Corps (3rd and 21st Divisions) occupied Kovel and swung south-east in order to push the Russian 8th Army into the flank. According to Conrad's order, the X. Corps against Lokaczy , the IX. Corps to advance against Torczyn and support the main thrust of X Corps at Zaturcy . The 4th Cavalry Division covered the flank along the Kovel-Luck road. The XIV Corps followed in the second meeting.

Deployment of the kuk armed forces

Archduke Joseph Ferdinand
Paul Puhallo from Brlog
Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli

On the south wing of the Bug Army , Szurmay's corps advanced along the Luha to the mouth of the Rata . The approaching 1st and 2nd corps of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army had to support the advance on the north wing of Linsingen. The 13th Rifle Division marched up behind the X Corps as a reserve.

The Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army marched on the upper Zlota Lipa with the V Corps with 44,000 men and 182 guns. The Goglia group took part in the general advance over a width of 20 kilometers. The left wing of the 2nd Army was reinforced with the Czibulka Corps . In the center of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, the XIX. Corps (29th Division) and the IV. (51st Honved and 27th and 32nd Divisions) to support the attack of the Goglia group. The operational goal of the 2nd Army was the crossing over the Ikwa near Werba . The southern army of General von Bothmer had to support by an advance of the Corps Marshal over the Dunajow on Zborów . To the south of this, Hofmann's corps had to advance at Zawalow across the Zlota Lipa.

The Austro-Hungarian armed forces stood at 38 ½ infantry - and 8 ½ Cavalry - divisions (about 480,000 men) of the Russian Southwest Front (with 29 infantry and 14 cavalry divisions) against:

4th Army under Archduke Joseph Ferdinand :

  • Cavalry Corps FML Graf Bissingen (2nd Cavalry Division and 11th Honved Cavalry Division)
  • Berndt Cavalry Corps (4th, 7th and 10th Cavalry Divisions)
  • XIV Corps ( Josef Roth ; 2nd, 3rd and 21st Divisions)
  • X Corps ( Hugo Martiny von Malastów ; 24th, 37th and 62nd Divisions)
  • IX. Corps ( Rudolf Králíček ; 10th and 26th Divisions)
  • Group Smekal (4th and 45th Divisions)

1st Army under Paul Puhallo von Brlog :

2nd Army under Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli :

South Army under Felix von Bothmer :

7th Army under Karl von Pflanzer-Baltin :

Situation with the Russians

Artillery General Ivan Ivanov (Southwest Front)
Alexei Brussilow (AOK 8)
General Vladimir Sakharov

South of the Pripyat area, the Russian retreat took place at Włodawa over the Bug in the direction of Kovel. General Sawitsch , the chief of staff of the Russian Southwest Front, tried to build the new front line on the upper Bug over the Olzanica to the Zlota Lipa. General of the artillery Nikolaj Ivanov pulled the XII. Army Corps to Torczyn and Swiniuchy and built with the XXXIX. Army Corps has a strong flank protection on the bow. To the north, the Russian cavalry corps under General Gyllenschmidt extended the south-western front to the Pripyat .

3rd Army under General Leonid Lesch :

  • Grenadier Corps (2nd and 4th Grenadier Division)
  • XXXI. Army Corps (75th and 83rd Reserve Divisions)
  • Cavalry Corps Gyllenschmidt (2nd and 3rd Cossack Division, 3rd Caucasian Cossack Division)
  • 77th Reserve Division

After they had surrendered ten infantry divisions to the Northwest Front in July and August 1915, the Southwest Front still had 29 infantry and eleven cavalry divisions.

The 8th Army under General Alexei Brusilov was still on the bow with eight infantry and four cavalry divisions:

  • Velyassev Cavalry Corps (11th and 16th Cavalry Divisions )
  • XXIV Army Corps (49th Division and 81st Reserve Division)
  • XII. Army Corps (12th and 19th Divisions)
  • XXXIX. Army Corps (102nd and 105th Reserve Divisions)
  • XVII. Army Corps (3rd and 35th Divisions)
  • VIII Army Corps (14th and 15th Divisions)
  • Cavalry Corps Rerberg (7th Cavalry Division, 2nd and 3rd Don Cossack Brigade)

On the border of eastern Galicia and in Podolia , the 11th Army under General Vladimir Sakharov secured with 6 ½ infantry divisions:

  • VII Army Corps (13th and 34th Divisions)
  • VI. Army Corps (4th and 16th Divisions)
  • XVIII. Army Corps (23rd and 37th Divisions)
  • XXII. Army Corps (Finnish 1st and 3rd Rifle Divisions)

In the south on the Sereth , the 9th Army under General Platon Letschizki secured with eight infantry and 5½ cavalry divisions:

  • 2nd Cavalry Corps (Kuban Cossack Division, 9th Cavalry Division)
  • XI. Army Corps (11th and 32nd Divisions)
  • XXX. Army Corps (71st and 74th Reserve Divisions)
  • XXXIII. Army Corps (79th and 82nd Reserve Divisions)
  • XXXII. Army Corps (78th and 103rd Reserve Divisions)
  • 3rd Cavalry Corps (6th, 10th and 12th Cavalry Divisions)

First phase of attack August 26th to 31st

Advance of the 1st Army to the Styr and the Stochod

The Austro-Hungarian 1st Army led on August 26, the first attack on 50 kilometers wide, with nine infantry and two cavalry divisions between the Luga and Roziszcze . The X. Corps reached Chorostow , the IX. Corps was advancing on Makowiczy and reached the crossing at Stochod near Kisielin . The XIV Corps advanced on Lubitow . The 4th Cavalry Division had no enemy in front of them and reached Holoby , while the 7th Cavalry Division secured the army's wing against Luboml, swinging to the southeast . The Smekal group (4th and 45th divisions) reached Cholm . The Russian withdrawal took place from the Styr section at Luck, the Russian 12th Division (XII Army Corps) went back to Torczyn. The north wing of the 1st Army (X and IX Corps) was able to cross the Biskupiczy-Wojmica-Kisielin line on August 27th. Also on 27 August, the corps Szurmay was with the 24th Division Biskopiczy and the 9th Division (I Corps), the line-Steniatyn Szewow win the XIV. Corps (3rd and 21st Division) had the room southeast Perespa reached .

The 4th Cavalry Division, which had crossed the Styr on August 28, advanced southeast towards Troscianiec. Colonel General von Conrad ordered FZM Puhallo on August 28th to cross the Styr with a strong left wing down from Rozyszcze in order to occupy the Lutsk junction .

On August 29, the 4th Cavalry Division covered the north wing of the 1st Army, and in the evening the Szurmay Corps crossed the Luga between Zytanie and Markostaw and reached the new Poryck-Szelwow line. A counterattack by the Russian 12th Division hit the middle of the IX. Corps. Meanwhile the 9th Division reached Steniatyn, the Russians had set up new positions between Poryck and Szelwow. The 10th Division swung against Zaturcy and the 26th Rifle Division reached Chorochorin.

2nd Army offensive at Gologory and Zloczow

After one hour of artillery strike, the V Corps (14th, 33rd, 34th and 43rd Divisions) of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army advanced on Ciemierzyne on August 27 in the direction of Gologory . The 14th Division under FML Csicserics crossed the Zlota Lipa near Dunajow and penetrated the front of the Russian VI. Corps a. The 34th Division under Major General Birkenhain stormed the heights southeast of Gologory and was stopped by a Russian counterattack. The 26th Infantry Regiment captured Gologory, the 2nd Army had suffered losses of 4,500 men. In the evening of the day General Ivanov decided to return the south-western front between Bug and Styr to the Torczyn-Swiniuchy-Stojanow-Radziechow-Toporow line; the northern wing of the Russian 11th Army returned to the area east of Zloczow. The right wing of the Russian 9th Army - leaning on the Strypa - held out successfully on August 28th.

On August 29, the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army stood behind the Zloczowka and on the heights on both sides of Bialy Kamien. The V Corps (Goglia) stood with the 14th and 34th Divisions and the 43rd Rifle Division in the battle for Zloczow . The XIX. Corps occupied Ozydow and reached Bialy Kamien by August 30th. On the left wing, the 29th Division (FMl Kroupa) at Ozydow maintained contact with the IV Corps, which was advancing on the Sokolowka-Taperow line.

To the north of Brody the 27th Division (FML Ferdinand Kosak) reached the old frontier, the 51st Honved Division (General Kornhaber) tried to advance across the Sokolowka.

The IV Corps (32nd and 33rd Divisions) pursued on August 31 at Olesko and broke through the already dismantling southern wing of the Russian 8th Army at Sokolowka. Before the declining Russian XVIII. Army Corps reached the 27th Division (left wing of IV Corps) the Styr at Stanislawczyk. Opposite the 51st Honved Division and the XIX. Corps, the north wing (VII Army Corps) of the Russian 11th Army continued to offer strong resistance between the Sokolowka and Ozydow.

Coming from Sokal , the 4th Cavalry Division built a bridge over the Styr at Rozyszcze . The Russian 8th Army then gave up the right bank of the bow. The kuk II Corps followed at Sokal, the I Corps pursued through Steniatyn and Poryck. The Szurmay corps meanwhile reached the line from Swiniuchy to Torczyn, the X. and IX. Corps stood between Sierna and Ulaniki. The Roth group (XIV. Corps) crossed the Styr with the 3rd and 21st Divisions and advanced against the 2nd Division, which was advancing via Holoby. This division tried at Roziszcze to get to the eastern Styrufer, behind which the 21st Rifle Division was drawn. The 2nd Division built a war bridge at Czeben on August 28, while the 4th Cavalry Division covered the river bank. The second division's further advance was directed at Luck. The south wing of the 1st Army, the 25th Division under Major General Poleschensky, attacked the Russian positions.

Kuk offensive on Rovno

General map of Volhynia

About 13 divisions of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army tried to advance on both sides of Luck against the Kolky – Krystynopol – Werba line and to force a breakthrough on Rowno. On August 29, the southern wing of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army attacked with the 25th Division against the Stojanow -Druzkopol line, to the north of it the 1st Corps advanced against Gorokhov. The Corps Szurmay advanced north of it with the 7th Division in the area southeast of Swiniuchy, the 40th Honved Division was unsuccessful on the right wing. The Russians are trying to hold Luck and the Ikwa-Styr river line.

The Roth group (XIV. Corps) advanced directly on Luck, while the Honved Corps supported Szurmay from the south. The 21st Rifle Division reached Teremno, the 3rd Division operated on the northern front of Luck. The 4th Cavalry Division occupied Polacza, the 2nd Division stormed the Kiwercy train station and penetrated the town.

The 4th Cavalry Division crossed the Styr and tried to interrupt the railway line there. The XIV Corps reached the north of Lutsk with all three divisions at Roziszcze across the Styr, behind which the X Corps followed on the following day. The 7th Cavalry Division was still at Kovel. The mass of the IX. Corps gathered at the mouth of the Sierna and tried to cross the Styr at Sierniki. The Horsetzky group (3rd and 21st Divisions) fought their way along the railway line between Styr and Rowno.

On August 30, the kuk IX tried. Corps at the mouth of the Sierna to force the Styr to be bridged. Meanwhile, on the road to Rovno, the Horsetzky group (3rd and 21st Divisions) had advanced and reached the heights of Zydyczyn north of Lutsk, where the 2nd Division was also drawn. The Xth Corps (the 13th Division joined Szurmay Group) was pulled from the front that night; it was to cross the Styr at and north of Rozyszcze on August 31, and to advance southeast on September 1. General Brusilov tried to hold Luck and led the XXXIX. Corps (General Stelnitzki) approached by train via Klewan.

On August 31, the Russian positions in front of the right wing and the center of the 1st Army were evacuated. On August 31, Lutsk was captured by the 1st Army, in the afternoon FZM Puhallo ordered the Berndt Cavalry Corps (4th and 7th Cavalry Divisions) to advance via Klewan to the Stubel section and to Rovno . The 32nd Division, deployed via Cholojow, threw the Russians back at Radziechow. The northern wing of the Czibulka Corps, the 31st Division under FML von Lütgendorf , advanced south of Stojanow. The projecting south wing of the Russian 8th Army was pushed back at Radziechow and then went back without a fight. Opposite the I and II Corps and the Szurmay group, the Russians held out on the Sierna. The north wing of Szurmay was thrown back with the 13th Rifle Division on Luck, the Austro-Hungarian XIV Corps put up desperate resistance. The X. Corps had to support the IX. Corps to be drawn into the Roziszcze area. The 24th Division and the 62nd Division advanced in the middle, the 10th and 13th Rifle Divisions to the south. The Berndt Cavalry Corps (4th and 7th Cavalry Divisions) advanced along Klewan to Rowno.

The attacks stalled in early September

On the night of September 1, the Austro-Hungarian armed forces were reorganized on the left wing of the army. The IX., X. and X, the Smekal group, which had arrived in Holoby, as well as the 4th and the 7th Cavalry Division, which had also arrived in the meantime, entered as a new 4th Army under the command of Archduke Joseph Ferdinand . Army remained tied during the ongoing operation. Colonel-General Conrad had already pointed out the previous afternoon that the offensive was aimed not only at the cleansing of East Galicia, but also aimed at a possible victory in the battle.

On September 1, the 2nd Army succeeded in occupying Brody without a fight . The north wing of the 1st Army (1st Corps) tried to proceed after the 4th Army on both sides of the lower Ikwa. The south wing of the II Corps, the 25th Division, remained with nine battalions in advance over the entire width of the mountainous country west of Dubno. The Plaszewka sector was to be overcome in coordination with the northern wing of the 2nd Army advancing towards Dubno.

On September 3, a surprising counterattack by the Russian VIII. Corps broke through the front of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army at the seam between I and II Corps east of Pelcza. A flank thrust by the XIV. Corps with the 3rd Division at Olyka from the north stabilized the situation again.

On September 4, the Martiny Corps (X Corps) began to attack Derazno north of the Putilowka with the group of Major General Eduard Tunk (62nd and parts of the 24th Division). On September 5th, the attack of the X. Corps, which had been planned to the east of Cuman against Derazno, crashed into the resistance of the Russian XII. Army Corps. The IV Corps of the 2nd Army took Radziwillow on September 7th. In the V Corps, the 32nd Division under Major General von Willerding was able to conquer the heights of Michailowka on September 7th and again push through the Russian front at Podkamien, the Russian XVIII. Army corps was forced to withdraw. The Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army held its own against counter-attacks by the Russian 1st Army in the Battle of the Strypa and Novo-Alexksiniec.

On the northern section the Austro-Hungarian 7th Cavalry Division reached Kolki, the 4th Cavalry Division stood between Styr and the Goryn and at Zurawies in battle with the Russian cavalry corps under General Veljassew.

On September 6th, the 2nd Corps of the 1st Army was able to occupy Dubno and secured the crossings over the Ikwa to the south. The 4th Army broke through with the IX. Corps the front of the Russian XXXIX. Corps on the Derewione, on September 8th Klewan fell into the hands of the Austro-Hungarian troops. In the meantime, the situation on the north wing of the Austro-Hungarian Army Front had changed fundamentally. The cavalry corps of Count von Bissingen (2nd Cavalry Division and 11th Honved Cavalry Division) had crossed the Turija on September 11th and, in conjunction with the Polish Legion , pushed the Russians back into the corner of the mouth of the Stochod. Major General de Ruiz's 1st Cavalry Division gained space between Stochod and Styr and pushed its right wing towards Czartorijsk. The Berndt Cavalry Corps reached the eastern edge of the Berestiany swamp with its right wing. The left wing of the 4th Army (X Corps) had initially continued the attack in accordance with the orders of the Army Command from the evening of September 12th and on the 13th was able to advance north of the Goryn as far as Postojno; but then he was forced into the defense and attacked by superior Russian forces in the front and left flank. As a result, the X. Corps had to be turned back into the Klewan-Karpilovka line at night.

General von Falkenhayn had stepped on September 14 to General von Conrad with the proposal to take back the Austro-Hungarian front in Galicia to increase its resistance force behind the Zlota Lipa and by at Lublin standing ready to be transported to southern Hungary German XVII. Reinforce Army Corps .

Russian counter-offensive in the Luck area September 13-24

Campaign to Rovno 1915 (northern section)
Campaign to Rovno 1915 (southern section)

On September 12, the Russian XXX. Army Corps (71st, 74th and 80th Reserve Divisions) unloaded at Rovno. It had been pulled out on the Sereth Front by the 9th Army and was now flanked from the north against the enemy troops that had penetrated deepest. On September 16, the front of the Martiny group of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army north of Klewan near Derazno was breached. This resulted in the withdrawal of the entire 4th Army in the Zarzyck-Metelno line and behind the Putilowka. The Berndt Cavalry Corps (now under Major General Count Herberstein) took up position northwards to Kolki am Styr. In the space between Styr and Stochod the 1st Cavalry Division fell back on the Raznicze-Kaszowka line. Even in their new position, the X. Corps and Herberstein Cavalry Corps were unable to withstand the continuing violent attacks by the enemy on September 17th. Once again breached at the front, the Austrians had to retreat again. As it seemed advisable when the troops were exhausted, Archduke Joseph Ferdinand ordered the retreat of the 1st and 4th Armies behind Ikwa and Styr for the coming night. This could be carried out in perfect order, since the enemy was nowhere pressing in.

Even before the necessary withdrawal of the north wing of the Austro-Hungarian Army Front behind the Ikwa and the Styr, Colonel-General Conrad turned to the German Supreme Army Command with the request that all forces released in the Pinsk area be directed via Lubiaz-Kolki into the flank of the enemy attacking the 4th Army conduct. On the evening of September 18, the center and left wing of the 1st Army stood ready to defend behind the Ikwa down Dubno, the 4th Army behind the Styr to the north of Rozyszcze - with the XIV Corps in a bridgehead position east of Luck, then the Herberstein Cavalry Corps to Sokol; the newly formed corps of General von Hauer's cavalry secured the isthmus at Rawoz and on the Stochod to Lubieszow.

On September 19, the German 5th Cavalry Division crossed the Stochod near Lubieszowo and met Russian troops near Zeleznica.

On September 20, the Hauer Cavalry Corps (2nd and 11th Cavalry Division, 1st and 3rd Polish Brigade) followed. Opposite the section of the Hauer Cavalry Corps, the Russian Gyllenschmidt Corps was reinforced with the 83rd Reserve Division.

When, after eight days of fighting, it became apparent that the Austro-Hungarian troops were completely stranded, the Russians were in the possession of Derazno, the Austrians were pushed back to the swamps of the Korminbach, and their left flank in front of the Styr bridgehead Polonne on the Sarny-Kovel railway line threatened. On the Rovno-Luck road, at least on the Stubiel section, Puhallo had maintained the Klewan bridgehead in eventful battles. Exhausted and in danger of being outflanked by the Russians, the Austro-Hungarian Army Command decided on September 20 to retreat from Stubiel to Styr.

The fighting in the Styrbogen and in Polesia

The Russian counterattack in Polesia aimed in three thrusts at encircling and breaking through the Austro-Hungarian armies. Ivanov's north wing had crossed the Kormin section in pursuit and reached the Styr on September 21 between Kolki and Polanno. In the great loop that the Styr formed at Czartorysk , the Austro-Hungarian cavalry divisions fought against the Russians between Kolki and Rafalowka , and a strong corps followed, which advanced on Kovel. While the enclosure was becoming apparent in the Styrian arch, newly built batteries on the Stubiel and on the Goryn disintegrated the swampy Austrian trenches in the Putilowkagrund and the Ikwa ponds from Olyka to Kremiemec. At Olyka, the 1st Army managed to hold out for a while and conceal their plight, then they retreated to Luck, leaving behind jammed wagons and blown guns. On the south wing near Kremiemec and Nowo-Aleksiniec, the losses were even greater.

Conrad's offensive wavered completely, he had no reserves left to fill the gaps. The Austrian army command informed the Germans of the seriousness of the situation. At Ivanov's headquarters in Mogilew , where Tsar Nicholas II was also present, they waited for the upcoming victory to be completed.

On the morning of September 23, the Russians had seized all the Styr crossings between Rafalowka and Kolki and threw back Puhallo's left wing. The city of Luck fell into Russian hands again, and the Austro-Hungarian XIV Corps could not hold the city. The 21st Rifle Division went back over the Styr at Wyszkowo, the 13th Rifle Division stayed behind at Ulaniki. The victorious Russian XXX. Army corps was able to bring in 12,000 prisoners that day.

On September 25, the Russian attack culminated on the Stochod in front of Kovel. The connection to the German XXXXI. Reserve corps in the area southwest of Pinsk and Puhallo's left wing had been demolished.

Second phase of attack on Rovno September 25-28

Crossing of the Gerok group

Friedrich von Gerok

From September 20th, the German XXIV Reserve Corps ( 1st and 22nd Divisions ) were sent by the Bug Army across the Pripjat near Lubiaz to the south in order to push the Russian 8th Army into the right flank and relieve the Austro-Hungarian troops .

Group Gerok:

  • Hauer Cavalry Corps (1st, 9th and 11th Honved Cavalry Division, Polish Legion)
  • XXIV Reserve Corps (German 1st and 22nd Divisions)
  • Cavalry Corps Berndt / Herberstein (2nd, 4th and 7th Cavalry Division)

4th Army:

  • XIV Corps (3rd and 45th Divisions)
  • XVII. Corps (11th and 13th Divisions, 41st Honved Division)
  • X Corps (4th and 21st Divisions)
  • IX. Corps (2nd, 10th and 62nd Divisions)

1st Army:

  • Szurmay Group (7th Division and 40th Honved Division)
  • II Corps (25th and 46th Divisions)
  • I. Corps (9th Division)

2nd Army:

  • XVIII. Corps (31st Division, 38th and 51st Honved Division, 1st Landsturm Brigade)
  • XIX. Corps (14th and 34th Divisions)
  • V Corps (33rd and 43rd Divisions, 32nd Division in reserve)
  • IV Corps (29th and 27th Divisions)

The approach of the German troops reached Kolki on September 25th, the Russian XXX. Army Corps (71st and 74th Reserve Divisions) went back to the Klewan-Olyka line and was reinforced by the 4th Rifle Division and the 7th Cavalry Division.

On September 26th, the kuk IX. Corps (2nd and 10th Divisions) at Borzemiec and Jalowiczy over the Styr. The 45th Rifle Division moved back through Luck into the former bridgehead position on the Styr, south of the city the 62nd and 4th Divisions crossed the river. The Russian withdrawal was to the Putilovka. Together with the German group Gerok, the kuk XVII. Corps (11th, 13th and 41st Divisions) under FML Křitek instead of the Herberstein Cavalry Corps again to occupy the Styr section between Czeben-Borwicy.

On September 27th, General Linsingen asked General Boehm-Ermolli to move the right wing of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army in the direction of the swampy Ikwaniederung. The Szurmay Corps (7th and 40th Divisions) tried to cross the Ikwa at Mlynow . Then came the resumption of the advance of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army. The Russians had to give up the crossings on the Styr between Kolki and Luck and went back to the Korminbach and the Putilowka. The kuk 10th division of the IX. Corps reached Ujezdcy, the XIV. Corps (3rd and 45th Divisions) reached the area south of Romanow, to the left of it the X. Corps (4th and 21st Divisions) reached the same level.

The Russian XXX. Army Corps had withdrawn without a fight in front of the Gerok group, the German 22nd Division advanced into the area west of Czerysc. The planned cutting off of Russian units west of the Horyn section had not succeeded because of the rapid enemy withdrawal. The kuk XVII. Corps crossed the Styr unhindered with the 13th Rifle Division at Sokal and with the 11th Division at Borowcy and reached the Sikirczy-Trostieniec line.

Via Silno the cavalry corps pursued Hauer over the Styr, where the Russian corps Veljasszew still offered resistance on both sides of the Karpilovka. On September 28, the German 1st Division invaded Berestiany and the 22nd Division took Czernysz. To the left of it, the Herberstein cavalry corps moved across the river at Kolki.

consequences

The losses of the Austro-Hungarian troops in the offensive to Rovno amounted to over 150,500 men. The 4th Army lost 50,377 men, the 1st Army 31,330 and the 2nd Army 68,884 men. In detail there were 10,305 dead, 40,180 wounded and 74,441 prisoners, the rest were sick. At the same time, the Central Powers on the Strypa and Sereth Front (Southern Army and Austro-Hungarian 7th Army) lost over 80,000 men in the same period. The total losses of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces in the autumn offensive of 1915 on the eastern Galician border amounted to over 230,800 men.

literature

  • War archive: Austria-Hungary's last war 1914–1918 , The year of war 1915, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, Vienna 1932, pp. 51–163.
  • Hermann Stegemann's history of the war . Third volume, Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt Stuttgart and Berlin 1921, pp. 385–396.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, p. 51.
  2. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, p. 54.
  3. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War Volume III, p. 68 f
  4. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War Volume III, p. 75 f.
  5. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, p. 74.
  6. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, p. 79.
  7. ^ Anton Wagner: The First World War, Carl Ueberreuter, Vienna 1981, p. 125.
  8. ↑ Hermann Stegemann's History of the War . Third volume, Berlin 1921, p. 393.
  9. ↑ Hermann Stegemann's History of the War . Third volume, Berlin 1921, p. 395.
  10. ↑ Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, Vienna 1932, p. 163.

Web links

Austria-Hungary's Last War, Volume III, Campaign to Rowno