Peter of Gayl

Peter of Gayl

Peter Emil Konstantin Freiherr von Gayl (born September 23, 1830 in Oldenburg , † December 30, 1915 ibid) was a Prussian major general .

Life

origin

Peter came from the East Prussian noble family von Gayl . He was the son of Ludwig Dietrich Eugen von Gayl (1785-1853), a retired Lieutenant General from Oldenburg . D., last commander of the Oldenburg-Hanseatic Brigade in the German Armed Forces and his second wife Anna, née Hollmann (born June 4, 1796 in Oldenburg; † December 1, 1857 ibid). Ernst von Gayl was his younger brother.

Military career

After attending grammar school and high school , Gayl joined the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Oldenburg Army as a cadet on September 14, 1844 . He became a musketeer on September 17, 1847, portepee - ensign on April 4, 1848, took part in the campaign against Denmark in 1848/49 and was promoted to lieutenant on April 1, 1849 . As such, Gayl was commanded from May 1, 1853 for one year to the Prussian 2nd Guards Regiment on foot and from May 1, 1855 for one year to the department in Eutin .

Appointed first lieutenant on April 17, 1858, Gayl was awarded the title of chamberlain on March 26, 1859 . On May 1, 1861, he was assigned to the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, Nikolaus Friedrich Peter , for two years as his orderly officer . Gayl was appointed company commander on April 29, 1865. He received the rank of captain on May 1st with the patent from April 29th. He received the title of Chamberlain on July 8, 1865. During the German War , the Oldenburgs fought alongside Prussia in the Main Campaign . Gayl took part in the battles near Hochhausen , Werbach and Gerchsheim , as well as in the bombardment of Würzburg .

From October 1, 1866 to May 1, 1867 Gayl was the commander of an independent troop division in Birkenfeld . The Union of the Oldenburg Army merged with the Prussian Army on September 25, 1867, and Gayl was appointed chief of the 12th Company of the Oldenburg Infantry Regiment 91 .

In the Franco-Prussian War he took part in the battles at Vionville , Gravelotte , Beaune-la-Rolande and Le Mans , as well as the battles of Laon , Chateau Serquen, Vendôme , Villeporcher , Montoire and Chahaigne . He was wounded during the siege of Metz . During the war he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class on September 17, 1870 . He was appointed company commander in the replacement battalion on July 23, 1871.

With his promotion to major on August 15, 1872 , Gayl was a regular staff officer and eight days later, which was to last until July 31, 1873, appointed leader of the replacement battalion. He was appointed commander of his regiment's battalion of fusiliers on May 7, 1875. He was appointed lieutenant colonel on June 11, 1879. As such, he attended an information course at the military shooting school from October 2 to 25, 1879 . On May 15, 1883 Gayl was entrusted with the leadership of the 2nd Hanseatic Infantry Regiment No. 76 à la suite of the 76ers in Hamburg and Lübeck . While being promoted to colonel , he was appointed commander on October 18, 1883. In January 18, 1885 he was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle III. Excellent with a bow. Gayl said goodbye to the military on May 23, 1885, after he had been appointed major general.

Gayl moved to Oldenburg and became Chamberlain of Oldenburg. From 1890 to 1900 he worked on the regional board of the Red Cross in Oldenburg . In October 1899 he was awarded the Red Cross Medal II. Class and in June 1905 he received the Grand Commander's Cross with Swords on the Ring of the Oldenburg House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig .

family

Gayl married Karoline Freiin von Rössing (born March 7, 1841 in Oldenburg; † July 27, 1912 ibid) on October 6, 1863 in Oldenburg . The marriage had three children:

• Klara Adelheid Christine Frederike (born September 7, 1864 in Oldenburg), grand-ducal oldenburg lady of honor
• Ernst Friedrich Franz (1870–1945), Major a. D.
• Edmund Carl Rudolf (1872–1936), Oldenburg Chamberlain and senior magistrate a. D. in Rüstringen

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Volume 10, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1942], DNB 986919810 , p. 504, no. 3357.
• Bogislav von Kleist: The Royal Prussian. Generals from 1840–1894. No. 1851.
• Eduard von Finckh: History of the Oldenburg Infantry Regiment No. 91, formerly Grossh. Oldenburg Infantry Regiment from its establishment to the present (1813-1880). ES Mittler & Sohn . Berlin 1881.
• Harry von Rège : Officer list of the infantry regiment No. 76. 1902, p. 5.
• Gotha baronial houses: 1939
• Genealogical manual of the nobility . Baronial houses B I. (1954)