kuk sappers
The sappers were an independent branch of the kuk land forces .
history
This troop did not exist until October 1, 1912; the tasks that would be assigned to it in the future had been carried out by the pioneers . The pioneers had previously been entrusted with all the work to be carried out in the field and fortress warfare, both on the water and on the land. For the special fortress warfare, the respective 5th companies of the engineer battalions had been equipped and trained according to these needs; however, these companies also had to participate in general pioneering service, albeit to a limited extent.
Based on the experience of the last non-European wars, as well as the rapid progress in military technology, especially artillery , the kuk war ministry decided to reform the pioneer troops. Therefore we converted the previous 15 engineer battalions to 14 Sappeur- and eight engineer battalions, with the bridge and the river mine warfare , an additional squad Association was established. Due to this division, the sapper troop had to take over the land service in the future. This concerned the technical work of the fortress war, the field fortifications, blasting, construction of all kinds of emergency bridges, railway repairs, roads and telegraph construction. In the course of the war, the rock drilling teams were added, which had a considerable influence on the war by mining in the Little Lagazuoi , the Col di Lana and the Monte Pasubio .
The merits of this unit or its predecessor formations are shown in the fact that in the years up to the beginning of the First World War , officers of this weapon alone were awarded eleven commander's crosses and 43 knight's crosses of the Military Order of Maria Theresa .
In the first year of its existence, the sappers were called in during flood disasters. In 1913, detachments from battalions No. 1, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 rendered valuable services to the population in Hungary , Croatia , Galicia and Bosnia .
tasks
A comparison with its predecessor, the engineering group of earlier years , shows that the sapper troops, even if initially only referred to as auxiliary troops, were actually a modern first line combat troop . This engineering group was only a disposable association, which was requested and deployed according to the requirements of the various army groups. The sapper battalions, on the other hand, were already assigned to a corps as part of the main troops and had to take part in the fighting in the front line. The task here was to pave the way for the troops by building emergency bridges and footbridges as well as clearing away obstacles and, if necessary, to create field fortifications. Even if the so-called water service ( swimming bridges) was not the task of the sappers' troops, they had to be able to work here at least to some extent. The operation of the war bridge material and the floating translation equipment was reserved for the pioneer troops, but the construction of emergency bridges and the so-called temporary railway bridges (construction of temporary railway bridges by repairing blown railway bridges) fell into the area of responsibility of the sappers, as the railway workers ( imperial railway regiment ) fell due to a lack of human resources the latter would often not have been able to.
The officers had not only in all areas of engineering (to reach the staff officer group had an engineering degree boast) and its practical applications be well versed in the technique of war, and a talent for improvisation and quick learner were essential for a Sappeuroffizier.
Sappers Inspection Commands
- Budapest: sapper inspector: Colonel Vinzenz Ströher (sapper battalions 5/7/12/13)
- Graz: sapper inspector: Lieutenant Colonel Andreas Hackenberger (sapper battalions 2/3/4/5)
- Innsbruck: sapper inspector: Colonel Balthasar Stephan (sapper battalions 8/9/14)
- Przemyśl: sapper inspector: Lieutenant Colonel Josef Nechleba (sapper battalions 1/10/11)
The sapper battalions
| I. | II. |
|---|---|
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Motto
The motto of the sappers refers to the two engineer captains Johann Hermann von Hermannsdorf and Friedrich Hensel who died in the defense of Malborghet and Predilsattel in 1809 against Napoleonic troops .
It reads:
"" Strive for you! You can achieve it, not surpass it! ""
uniform
The uniform and equipment are based on the pioneers. The only difference was the equalization . In contrast to the steel green of the pioneers, the sappers wore cherry red Parolis .
annotation
War bridges were called bridges that were built from stored and brought or prefabricated materials. (Floating bridges were also referred to as war bridges.) Emergency bridges were made from wood that was found on site (requisitioned or felled in-house).
- ↑ All information given relates to August 1914
literature
- Lieutenant Colonel Artur Ritter Müller von Elblein: The sappers troop . Article in Moderne Illustrierte Zeitung , double issue 10/11, Vienna June 1, 1914, Siegmund Bergmann (Ed.)
- kuk war ministry “Dislocation and division of the kuk army, kuk navy, kk landwehr and ku landwehr” in: Seidel's small army scheme - published by Seidel & Sohn Vienna 1914
- Johann C. Allmayer-Beck, Erich Lessing: The Kuk Army. 1848-1914 . Bertelsmann publishing house, Munich 1974, ISBN 3-570-07287-8 .
Web links
Ministerial leadership of the
Supreme Commanders of the Armed Forces of Austria-Hungary |
kuk War Ministry |
kk Ministry of National Defense |
ku Honvéd Ministry .
Armed
Forces Armed Forces of Austria-Hungary |
Land forces of Austria-Hungary 1867–1914 |
Austria-Hungary's army in the First World War .
Forces :
Joint Army |
kk Landwehr |
ku Landwehr .
Staff services:
kuk generals |
kuk staff |
kuk military justice system |
kuk adjutants |
kuk army stand .
Infantry:
kuk infantry |
Military police |
Bosnian-Herzegovinian Infantry |
kk Landesschützen |
kuk Kaiserjäger |
kk mountain troops (incl. high mountain companies
k.k. mountain guide companies ) |
kk Standschützen .
Cavalry:
Austro-Hungarian hussars |
kuk Uhlans |
kuk dragoons |
Riding Tyrolean riflemen .
Artillery:
Austro-Hungarian artillery .
Guard:
Kk satellite body guard |
kuk Leibgard Infantry Company |
Kuk bodyguard squadron |
Arcièren Life Guard |
Royal Hungarian Life Guard .
Technical troops:
Austro-Hungarian sappers |
kuk pioneers |
kuk Technical Military Committee |
Training of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces |
kuk military automobile industry |
kuk telegraph troop |
kuk Transport Troop Brigade .
Gendarmerie:
kuk Police Guard Corps |
kk gendarmerie |
ku Gendarmerie |
Criminal university
Authorities: Economic Administration of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces | Kuk Military Geography Institute | kuk war press headquarters | kuk Army Museum .
Education: Theresian Military Academy | War School | Franz Joseph Military Academy | Ludovika Academy | Military Technical Academy | Naval Academy | Army shooting school | Fencing and gymnastics teacher institute | Artillery Shooting School •
Other: March battalions | Medical services of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces | kuk military chaplaincy | Military Disability Benefits Level | State horse breeding institutions | Records office | kuk customer service .
Associations and bases: List of kuk combat troops in July 1914 | List of Austro-Hungarian combat support troops | List of large units of the Austro-Hungarian Army | List of corps of the Austro-Hungarian Army | Garrisons of the land forces of Austria-Hungary .
Fortifications: Austrian fortifications on the border with Italy
Naval Forces: Austro-Hungarian Marine Section | Austrian Navy | Fleet of the Austro-Hungarian Navy | List of ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy | SM submarines | List of Austro-Hungarian submarines (1909–1919)
Air Force: Aviation Forces .
Uniforms: Badges of rank of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces | Paroli | Adjustment | Equalization
Military personnel: List of field marshals Austria-Hungary | List of General Colonels and Grand Admirals of Austria-Hungary | List of Austro-Hungarian fighter pilots in the First World War | List of field marshal lieutenants .