Rhenish foot artillery regiment No. 8

Rhenish foot artillery regiment No. 8
active	1864-1919
Country	Prussia
Armed forces	Prussian Army
Branch of service	Fortress / foot artillery
Type	regiment
Location	Metz, Diedenhofen (1914)
Nickname	"Wet Eights"
motto	"Loyal to Metz all ways!"
Anniversaries	06/16/1864

The Rhenish Foot Artillery Regiment No. 8 was founded on June 16, 1864. King Wilhelm I of Prussia approved the reorganization of the Prussian artillery through the Highest Cabinet Order (AKO) . As a result of this reorganization, a field and a fortress artillery regiment were formed from the existing artillery brigades. According to this order, the fortress artillery regiment of the Rhenish Artillery Brigade No. 8 was formed from the previous 1st and 2nd fortress artillery departments in Koblenz . The regiment formed in this way was given the name "Rhenish Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 8" by AKO on August 12, 1864.

history

Wars of Liberation 1812–1815

The 1st battery arose from the 3-pound reserve battery No. 1 formed at the beginning of 1813. After Napoleon's defeat in Russia , the Prussians (still forcibly allied with France) tried to get all material not tied to places or fortresses before the following ones Rescue Russians. That is why the commanding officer of Graudenz , Major von Krausenek, was given the order: "... everything that does not belong to the defense of the Graudenz fortress and can be used in the field ... to be transported backwards in the direction of Landsberg an der Warthe ... “This is the first time that the above-mentioned 1st battery with“ 8 cannons and 1 ammunition wagon ”is counted.

The 1st battery was the only one that took part in the Wars of Liberation as a 3-pound unit. Usually only guns of larger caliber were combined into batteries. It was first used under York when it was placed under Colonel Valentini to secure a bridge over the Elbe . After Russian units had taken over this security task, the battery advanced towards Dessau . At the beginning of April Alsleben was occupied and again the battery secured a ship bridge and the bridgehead connected with it . This is where the first two guns were fired and fired 2 bullets and 10 grapeshots in the defensive battle on April 13th . Half the battery accompanied York's further advance through Zörbig and Schkeuditz . Under v. Kleist was then put on the march towards Leipzig . The other half of the battery took under Lt. Junghans took part in the Battle of Großgörschen on May 2nd . In this battle, fireworks Senkler distinguished himself through caution and cold bloodedness and thus saved the half-battery from possible destruction.

The battery took part in several other battles during the Wars of Liberation. All officers involved were proposed for awards, especially for their achievements at the Battle of Bautzen . After Napoleon's surrender and abdication, the battery passed Namur on its march back home on May 20th . Here she presented herself to the General of York Infantry. In addition it says literally: “... His Excellency, the commanding general of the infantry of York honored himself to let the same march past him. The horses were in good condition ..., the teams propre if possible, the harnesses black. The train went non-stop through the narrow streets of this city, and Se. Exc. gave her the fullest satisfaction, both with the intention of the people's interpretation of the good condition of the horses and with the intention of the order that prevailed in the regular procession. "

After Napoleon's flight from Elba in 1815, mobilization began rather slowly in Prussia. The 7-pound howitzer battery No. 2 was to be made mobile in Wesel . The instruction of April 11 states that the battery needs 3 officers , 10 NCOs , 12 bombardiers , 2 minstrels and 140 men. From May 31st to June 1st the battery received the missing horses, on June 2nd the missing men, including 16 infantrymen. After various exercises (driving exercises and combat drills), the battery moved to the theater of war on June 12th. The march went to Aachen via Jülich . On the orders of Prince August, however, the battery was to be returned to Jülich. On the way she was commanded by the Gen. stopped by Dobschütz and diverted to Maastricht . From there it went via Tongern, Varenne, Gembloux, and Charleroi to Maubeuge , where the battery arrived on June 26th. Under the orders of Prince August of Prussia , she took part in the siege of the two northern fortresses. Here the battery also took over British gun material (3-5½ inch Mortiers), which was made available to the II Army Corps on the orders of Wellington. The battery took part in the following battles, among others: Marienburg was taken away on July 27th. and the capture of Philippeville on 8.8. (Here the battery fired 510 grenades and was rewarded with a parade in front of Prince August on August 10th). Subsequently, some parts of the battery helped with the bombardment and occupation of the Rocroy fortress from August 15th to 18th. This is where the military activity in the war of liberation ends. The battery initially remained in Philippeville and was then moved via Dinant to Blaimont and the surrounding villages. The march back home began on November 16.

The 2nd battery was re-established by AKO on February 29, 1816 after the war of 1815 by donating the 6-pound foot battery No. 36, the 12-pound foot battery No. 12, the parking columns 19, 22 and 23 and a craft company. It was formed in Koblenz in 1816 and was given the name: “10. Foot Company of the 1st Rhenish Artillery Brigade ”.

1816-1824

Prussian foot artillery 1814–1914

After the demobilization in 1816, the entire Prussian army was reorganized by AKO. Analogous to the guards and army corps , an artillery brigade was created for each. The new name of the brigade "1. Rhenish Artillery Brigade" was changed by AKO on April 21, 1816 in "8. Artillery Brigade (Rhine.) ”Changed. At that time the brigade consisted of 3 departments. The 3rd division later formed the trunk for the first battalion. Each company had 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 2 second lieutenants, 1 chief fireman, 1 sergeant, 1 portepeefähnrich, 1 Kapitain d'armes, 6 NCOs, 16 bombardiers, 10 private, 50 gunners and 2 trumpeters. At that time, the entire Prussian artillery was under the general command of Prince August of Prussia . On May 26, 1816, the brigade was given its own flag by AKO.

In 1824, the rifles and carbines previously used were taken from the artillery .

1830-1832

The July Revolution in Paris and the resulting fighting in the Netherlands ensured that the Prussian artillery was again reorganized, strengthened and partly relocated to the western borders. The artillery units in the fortresses of Mainz , Saarlouis and Luxembourg were reinforced. On May 28, 1832, AKO determined that the increased peace strength should be maintained permanently from now on.

1842-1846

The year 1842 brought some changes to the uniforms of the artillerymen. By AKO on October 23, the shako , the mount and the collet were abolished and instead helmets, tunics and drill jackets were introduced. The helmet still had the tip until 1844 and was then replaced by the ball, which was in use until 1916 (~ 1918). In 1846, AKO also introduced the “large eagle button” for sergeants.

The revolution of 1848/49

The 2nd battery was called the 4th Foot Company of the 8th Artillery Regiment in 1848 and was supposed to contribute to the calming or, if necessary, to the armed suppression of the revolutionary movement in Prussia on the Moselle . To do this, she withdrew on March 28 under Captain Jakobi. He was replaced on August 1, 1848 by Hauptmann am Ende. The battery carried six 6-pound cannons and two 7-pound howitzers. Their march took them through Eyweiler, Saarbrücken , Heusweiler, Merzig and Trier . There were no armed conflicts. After more than a year of absence, the battery returned to Koblenz on May 10, 1849.

On June 6, 1849, the battery moved out again to take part in the suppression of the uprising in the Bavarian Palatinate and in Baden. On June 12th she entered Baumholder under the command of General von Niesewandt (3rd Division of the 1st Army Corps). At that time, all troops in southern Germany were subordinate to Prince Wilhelm of Prussia . The march led the I. Army Corps via Kaiserslautern to the fortress Germersheim , where the Rhine was crossed on June 20th. On June 21, the battery fired from six guns at the Heidelberg – Karlsruhe train, which was supposed to be transporting enemy artillery material. The train was later stopped near Bruchsal and some hits in wagons and wheelsets could be assigned to the battery. Two days later, on June 23, 1849, the battery took part in the battle near Ubstadt. After the battle, in which a total of 52 shots of various calibres were fired, the battery went into quarters in Stettfeld around midnight. This was the only active participation of the battery in the battles of the Baden campaign. On June 25th the third division was in reserve at Durlach ; On June 28, in the battle near Michelbach, the battery took position in order to secure the retreating vanguard of the division, but was unable to shoot because the enemy did not advance.

In the further course of the campaign, the battery moved to Wehr on the Swiss border. On July 29th the battery, meanwhile changed from the 3rd to the 1st Division , was in parade in Freiburg in front of the Commander-in-Chief, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. On September 20, she received orders to march back and demobilize. Also on September 20, the battery commander received the swords for the Red Eagle Order 4th Class and Lieutenant Döring the Red Eagle Order with Swords. On September 22nd, the battery marched into their garrison in Koblenz with a bang.

The 1st battery only took part in the siege of Rastatt fortress during the campaign in 1849 . To do this, she took a steamboat to Mannheim on July 13 and took the train from Mannheim to Rastatt. Field fortifications and a gun park were created here (July 21-23). However, there was no fire activity because Rastatt capitulated on July 23. Towards evening the battery moved into the fortress and moved into citizens' quarters . Shortly afterwards the battery moved back to the garrison.

1858-1860

By AKO of February 18, 1858, the king approved the introduction of the rifled artillery.

The AKO of April 20, 1859 ordered the 8th Army Corps to be ready for war, and the order of April 29 ordered the reinforcement of the Rhine fortresses and the increase of the fortress companies to war strength. Since there was no military act, AKO ordered the demobilization on July 28th.

The army was reorganized by the Prince Regent of Prussia. In June 1860, AKO ordered that a 2nd fortress division of 4 companies with 1000 men each should be formed for all artillery regiments. Because of the increase in divisions, the regiments should again use the name Artillery Brigades.

War against Denmark 1864

The order for rapid mobilization was received by 3rd Company on April 3rd around noon. (The company changed its name during this war and was called 3rd Company of the Rhenish Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 8 as a result of an AKO of June 16, 1864. The naming convention valid at the beginning of the war is retained for this article) At the same time the order came that siege guns and train had to leave for the theater of war on April 6th. Because of this short time limit, the company could not be made up of reservists. And so they resorted to regular units from the active service of the 1st, 2nd and 4th companies. The reservists drafted into the 3rd Company then added the missing units of the 1st, 2nd and 4th Companies. (This meant that the 3rd Company was particularly experienced and able to go to the front as strong as war.) The company commander was Captain Riistow. On the same day, Lieutenant Ulffers went ahead to Hamburg to make quarters . On April 6th, the company moved by train from Koblenz to Hamburg as ordered. Thanks to the excellent organization by Lt. Ulffers and the exemplary communication between him and Hauptm. Riistow was able to leave the company from Altona train station at 1 p.m. on April 7th. The transport arrived in Flensburg around 8 p.m. and was unloaded by a waiting infantry squad. (50 artillery teams and 650 two-horse country wagons were provided for the removal.)

Bombardment of the Düppeler Schanzen

On the night of April 11, the second parallel to the preparation for the attack was dug. The commander of all the batteries on the left wing, which included 3rd Company, was Lieutenant Colonel Scherbening. The company received the battle order to erect two beach batteries on the left wing (No. 25 and No. 26 for 4 pulled 12-pounders each). The aim was to fight the opposite Danish batteries. Construction progressed well, thanks in part to the help of 150 infantrymen. On the afternoon of April 12th, the Danes discovered the position and shot at it violently. (With the Kjärtwig battery, each equipped with four smooth 12-pounders and 3 smooth 8-pound grenade cannons ). The expansion now took place under effective fire from the Danish artillery.

The company then permanently occupied these positions and also gave the team for Battery 23. At 5 o'clock in the morning the batteries opened fire on the Danish positions. The rifled Prussian guns were superior to the (outdated) smooth Danish ones. After about three hours of fighting the Danish cannons fell silent and again two hours later all the Danish notches were buried. The fire was now diverted against workers' groups and barracks behind Kjär. ( General Field Marshal Wrangel was present in the battery at this time and presented the gunner Zeutzheim with a gold piece because of his particularly good judging.)

On April 14, the battery had a tough battle with a four-pound field battery. This battery had succeeded in splitting off at dawn with two half-batteries each and, well covered, opened an accurate flank fire. It was relatively quick to swing a cannon and return fire. Even before the crew cover could be laboriously laid down in order to swing a second gun towards the Danish battery, one gun was destroyed by a direct hit. The gunner Zeutzheim, who had received a gift the day before, was killed here. Battery 25 had not previously fired in support of the beleaguered battery. It later emerged that the battery commander Ulffers had already been wounded at the beginning of the battle and had passed out as a result.

While a single gun continued to fire, attempts were made to dig another breach for a second gun. In the meantime, the firing gun had a load jam, after the jam was removed, the ammunition slowly ran out, so that Sergeant Stuckert had to haul in ammunition for the gun several times at considerable risk. Gunner Klaß was fatally wounded on the gun and Private Lippmann was seriously injured.

After Hauptmann Riistow himself arrived at Battery 25 and swiveled two guns and had the Danes firing at them, the situation relaxed noticeably.

Now that another artillery piece began combat in Battery 26, the situation was no longer threatening. However, the battery had lost half of the guns and had to cope with dead and wounded among the crews. The commander-in-chief of the artillery in front of Düppel, Lieutenant General von Hindersin, arrived at the battery at this time and ordered field batteries to provide support.

Two further Danish attempts to pressurize the battery with field guns were rejected without damaging the battery.

Storming the Düppeler Schanzen - April 18, 1864

Storm on the Düppeler Schanzen

On April 17th, 4 NCOs and 20 men were ordered as volunteers by the company to storm the entrenchments. The participants were assigned to Storm Column 2 by Lieutenant Polmann from the Westphalian Artillery Brigade 7. On the day of the storm, each battery had an exact order to fire. For the 25th and 26th it read literally: “... The targets to be shot at are the following: ... 5. Batteries No. 25 and 26: The batteries on Als, which are armed with guns, preferably on large flank battery north of Sønderborg. 6. Batteries No. 26 and 27: The works that you can see and possibly ships that want to enter the Alsen Sound. The batteries mentioned in points 5 and 6 must preferably ensure that they provide adequate protection to any troops that may be crossing the river. In this they are supported by the Brigade v. Goeben allocated field batteries ... “The task of the volunteer artillerymen should have been to turn around and operate possibly functioning Danish artillery. However, all cannons found had been made unusable by the Danish Lieutenant Anker. After all, an artilleryman was able to prevent a Dane from blowing up the powder chamber he had previously captured using a stone and a sponge. After the successful assault on the ski jumps, the company was called in to build beach batteries. She also took part in a battle with the armored ship " Rolf Krake " under Captain Riistow . But the projectiles of the 12- and 24-pounders were not able to penetrate the decks of this ironclad. The company was mobile from April 4th to November 5th and had taken part in the most important events of the war, the storming of the Düppeler Schanzen and the crossing to Alsen. She received 3 Red Eagle medals, 4th class with swords, 1 military medal, 1st class, 8 military medals, 2nd class, 1 general medal and 1 Austrian medal for bravery, 2nd class. In addition, the flag was adorned on April 18, 1865, the day of commemoration of the Düppelsturm, in Koblenz with the banner of the war memorial or the Düppeler Sturm-Kreuz (with silver tassels).

German War - 1866

The 8th Rhenish Foot Artillery Regiment, with the exception of the 1st Company, did not take part in the German War. Like almost all Prussian troops, it was mobilized, but only occupied the Prussian fortresses as instructed. The 4th and 7th Companies, along with part of the 7th Regiment, were to be relocated to Jüterbog on the instructions of the Great Headquarters and, if necessary, used to attack a fortified position or fortress in Bohemia. However, the artillerymen and their train remained in Dresden from July 31 to September 24 and were demobilized on that day by a war ministerial order of September 3. On September 26th, they returned to their Koblenz garrison and were reduced to peacetime strength.

1866-1867

The regiment was restructured once again. In future, the regiment was to be formed from 10 companies in peace. The 9th and 10th Companies were not disbanded, the former joined the 1st, the latter joined the 2nd Division; both stayed in Koblenz. On November 5th, the 2nd Division was transferred to Luxembourg without the 8th Company. On September 2, she came to Saarlouis as the Luxembourg fortress was evacuated. As a result of the AKO of September 25, 1867, on March 1, 1868, the 9th and 10th companies were handed over to the establishment of the Hanover fortress artillery department No. 10. At the same time, the 8th Company moved from Saarlouis to Koblenz.

War against France 1870/71

During the advance on Paris, the order was issued from the Great Headquarters under Moltke on September 8th that a strong siege train was to be put together for the capture of Paris. Since the actual siege train was already being used for the siege of Strasbourg , it was decided in a hurry to assemble a new train from fortress material. At the beginning of the siege, Paris had around 2000 guns of all calibres (and of all ages. Some cannons from the time of the French Revolution were used again in the defense of Paris.) Since the French. Navy hardly played a role in the 70/71 war, French marines and their gun material were used for defense. The increase in artillery, including around 200 cannons brought in from fortresses, was now approx. 2,600. In addition, there were around 14,000, in some cases very well-trained, marines and artillerymen. On the German side, the gun park was brought up very slowly. The cause of this was, among other things, the blasting of the tunnel at Manteuil (which resulted in a 90 km long land march of the train). However, the GHQ did not expect much success from the effect of the siege guns. As a result, Paris was able to prepare well for the defense and in some cases began to attack the German lines from the fortified positions. Only an order from the king forced the relocation of the siege artillery and so the fire of the heavy siege artillery could be opened at the end of December on the eastern front and in early January on the southern front of Paris.

From the 8th Rhenish Foot Artillery Regiment, mobilized companies 2, 4 and 5 under Major Metting (Division Staff II) took part in the siege of Paris on September 25th by a war ministerial order. The assigned location was the southern front of Paris. Colonel von Rieff was initially charged with leading the artillery attack . The aim of the batteries was Fort Montrouge, it was built as a bastion and had the shape of an almost regular square. The fort dates from the 1940s and did not yet take into account the new rifled guns and especially the explosive shells. For this reason, the French defenders armored the fortress with covered entrances, sandbag stems and additional naval guns (five 15 cm cannons, nine 12 cm cannons, eight 16 cm naval cannons, six heavy mortars and 28 smooth cannons.) Almost one hundred percent of the fort was manned by marines, all of whom had been trained on guns; 1323 men in total. The bombardment of the 11th, 12th and 15th batteries began on January 4th. The success was only moderate because of the bad weather and the resulting inadequate observation of the impacts. However, now the defenders shot themselves at the siege batteries. This created some air for the siege troops, who had so far suffered greatly from the French defensive fire. In terms of numbers, the French were about 2: 1 superior with their gun material.

From January 6th, the fire of the 15th battery was quite well on target, also thanks to an auxiliary observation post off Bagneux. So it was possible, at least temporarily, to silence individual guns of the French. But also the defenders shot themselves and so there was on 6.1. also many dead and wounded among the members of the FAR 8. On January 7th, the battery 11 succeeded in causing a powder explosion in Fort Montrouge. The western barracks of the fort were set on fire by the fire of the 15th battery.

On the night of 26./27. January the batteries stopped firing because of the armistice. On February 2, the artillerymen were able to see the effect of their fire in the fortress of Montrouge, but also how well the French. Marines had made makeshift repairs to the damage. On March 3, parts of the battery, especially decorated officers, were to take part in the parade in front of Kaiser Wilhelm I and then move into Paris. However, since the peace was finally concluded on March 2nd, the parked units paraded in front of the emperor on the Longchamps in the Bois de Boulogne and then returned to their quarters. After the peace treaty, the battery immediately began to dismantle the heavy artillery set up against the city and to transport them and the captured French artillery home. The first of the companies arrived in Koblenz on March 27 and was solemnly received by the commander of the immobile artillery, Colonel von Seel. Then they moved back to their old quarters in the mint barracks. The day of arrival, March 27th, was determined as the day of demobilization. Second, the 5th Company moved back into their old garrison. On March 20, the siege regiment in front of Paris was disbanded and the 4th and 13th companies boarded the train to go home.

The 7th Company successfully fought in the Battle of Sedan; Before Verdun, a division of the 7th company of the regiment fought under Captain Spohr together with the fortress artillery regiment 11. The same then took part in the siege of Diedenhofen. They were then assigned to support the capture of Montmédy and belonged to the right-wing group of the bombardment department, still under the command of Hautmann Spohr. Immediately after the conquest of Montmédy, the unit was withdrawn and relocated to the siege of Mézières. With the conquest of this fortress and the victorious entry of the artillerymen in the completely destroyed Mézières, the military activity in the 70/71 war ended for this company.

1874

Flag of the 8th Fußa Regiment. Flag tip with iron cross after 1871.

The provisional separation of the field and foot artillery officer corps was finally approved by AKO on May 7th. The 8th regiment joined the 4th Infantry Brigade, which was based in Metz. These included the Royal Saxon Regiment No. 12, the Foot Artillery Regiment No. 15 and the Baden Battalion No. 14. The foot artillery received the white armpit flaps.

1876

The foot artillery is equipped with the hunter rifle 71 and the artillery side gun 71 .

1877

On May 7th, parts of the 2nd Battalion took part in the parade in front of the Kaiser in Metz. On May 26th AKO moved the regimental staff and the 1st battalion from Koblenz to Metz . From this time, the increased budget of 143 people also applied to the 1st Battalion.

1881

The 8th battery was handed over to the newly formed Regiment No. 11 by AKO on March 23rd. The battery was repositioned by April 11th.

1891

The AKO of March 28th ordered the formation of clothing departments for the foot artillery. The Jägerbüchse 71 is replaced by the AKO from March 25th with the carbine 1888 , which is named "Gewehr 91".

1893

The regiment provides a company for the Baden foot artillery regiment No. 14 , which was newly established on October 1, 1893 . Together with two companies of the Lower Rhine foot artillery regiment No. 10 (one each from Hanover and Strasbourg), these three companies together with the Baden foot artillery battalion No. 14 form the main unit of the new regiment based in Strasbourg.

1900

Handover of the flag on April 22, 1900 in the courtyard of Fort Steinmetz near Metz

La Ronde barracks in Metz. Parts of the regiment were housed here

On January 27th (the birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm II) the regiment was given its own flag. (Up to this point in time, field and foot artillery “shared” the regimental or battalion flag). It should be emphasized that the new flag was also left with the flag ribbons of the previous flag. A delegation from the regiment took part in the Boxer Rebellion . The artillerymen were not involved in any combat operations and suffered no losses.

1903

In 1903 the regiment took part in a parade in front of Kaiser Wilhelm II in Freskathy. For the very first time ever, a heavy field howitzer battery marched past the Kaiser at a trot.

1914

In June 1914, the regiment celebrated its 50th anniversary in its Metz Peace Garrison.

First World War

The combat calendar of the foot artillery regiment No. 8 records for the First World War a. a. following battles.

• 1./Fussa. 8 / Mun. Column I

September 1914: Skirmishes at Pont-à-Mousson

March 1916 to September 1916: Battle of Verdun (Avocourt, Rabenwald, Bethincourt, Toter Mann, Höhe 304 and Cumieres)

September 1916 to November 1916: Summer battle (until March 1917: trench warfare on the Somme)

April to May 1917: Battle of Arras

July 1917: Trench warfare at Artois

October 1917: Battle of Flanders

December 1917: Trench warfare near Artois, attack battle near Cambrai

March 1918: Battle of Bapaume

March 1918 to April 1918: Great battle in France

July 1918 to November 1918: fighting for Noyon, Montdidier, Avre; Defensive battle in Flanders

• 2./Fussa. 8th

November 1914: Trench warfare in Section IV Metz (southern position)

March 1916 to September 1916: Battle of Verdun

September 1916 to November 1916: Summer battle (until March 1917: trench warfare on the Somme)

March 1918: Battle of Bapaume

May 1918 to July 1918: Quiet behind 17th Army

from July 1918: Position and retreat battles in Flanders

• 3./Fußa. 8th

March 1916 to September 1916: Battle of Verdun

September 1916 to November 1916: Battle of the Somme

November 1916 to March 1917: Trench warfare on the Somme

April 1917 to May 1917: Spring battle near Arras

May 1917 to July 1917: Trench warfare in the Artois

July 1917 to October 1917: Battle of Flanders

November 1917 to January 1918: Trench warfare in the Artois

March 1918 to April 1918: Great battle in France

April 1918 to May 1918: fighting between Arras and Albert

May 1918 to June 1918: Attack battle between Noyon and Montdidier

July 1918 to September 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

September 1918 to November 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 4./Fußa. 8th

October 1914: Fighting near Harville-Mazeray

November 1914 to January 1916: Trench warfare in the southern section (IV) fortress Metz

• 5./Fußa 8 (= 3./Fußa. Btl. 74)

October 1916 to March 1917: Trench warfare in front of Verdun

March 1917 to April 1917: Trench warfare in Champagne

April 1917 to May 1917: Aisne-Champagne double battle

May 1917 to September 1917: Trench warfare near Reims

October 1917: Trench warfare at the Chemin des Dames

October 1917 to November 1917: rearguard battles on and south of the Ailette

November 1917: Trench warfare north of the Ailette

April 1918: Trench warfare in front of Verdun

April 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

April 1918: Battle of the Kemmel

April 1918 to September 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

September 1918 to November 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 6./Fußa. 8th

September 1914: Fight for Nancy

September 1914: Fighting between the Meuse and the Moselle

September 1914: Second storming of the Meuse heights

September 1914: Battle at les Esparges

November 1914: Battle at Chauvoncourt

June 1915: Fighting near Combres and the Grande Tranchée de Calonne

February 1916: Battle of Verdun, Battle of Fresnes and Champlon

March 1916: Battle of Verdun and storming of Fresnes

February 1917 to October 1917: Fights on the Meuse Heights and near Combres, as well as on the Grande Tranchée de Calonne

November 1917: Tank battle near Cambrai

November 1917 to December 1917: Assault battle near Cambrai

December 1917 to January 1918: fighting in the Siegfriedstellung

March 1918: Fighting in the Siegfried Line, preparation for the Great Battle in France

March 1918: Great battle in France

March 1918: Breakthrough at Gouzeaucourt and Vermand

March 1918: Persecution battles in the summer area

March 1918: Trench warfare in the Artois

April 1918: Persecution battles in French Flanders

April 1918: Battle of Armentières

September 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

September 1918 to November 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 7./Fußa. 8th

September 1914: Battle of Lorraine

September 1914: Battle of Nancy-Epinal

September 1914 to October 1914: Siege of Antwerp

October 1914: Battle of the Yser

November 1914: Fighting in the southern position around Metz

December 1914: Trench warfare in Champagne and west of the Argonne

December 1914 to September 1916: Trench warfare on the Yser

September 1916 to August 1917: trench warfare in front of Verdun

August 1917 to October 1917 defensive battle in front of Verdun

November 1917 to December 1917: Battle of Flanders and Armentières

April 1918 to August 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

August 1918 to September 1918: fighting on the Ypres - La Bassée front

September 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 8./Fußa. 8th

August 1914: fighting in the southern position of Metz

September 1914: Fight for Nancy

October 1914: Fight for Flirey

October 1914 to January 1915: fighting in the Bois Brulé

January 1915 to December 1915: fighting for the heights of Apremont

April 1915: Fight for Flirey

June 1916 to July 1916: fighting in the priest forest

December 1915 to April 1916: Fighting for Apremont and Villy

April 1916 to September 1916: fighting between Meuse and Moselle

September 1916: Fighting in the Pristerwald

September 1916 to May 1917: Fighting between Meuse and Moselle, on the Meuse heights, St. Mihiel and Spada

June 1917: Fight for Flirey

June 1917 to October 1917: Fighting between Meuse and Moselle, on the Meuse heights, St. Mihiel and Spada

November 1917: Battle of Flanders

December 1917 to April 1918: trench warfare in Flanders

April 1918: Battle of the Kemmel

April 1918 to August 1918: Trench warfare in Flanders

August 1918 to September 1918: fighting on the Ypres - La Bassée front

September 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 9./Fußa. 8th

March 1916 to July 1916: Battle of Verdun

July 1916 to November 1916: Battle of the Somme

November 1916 to February 1917: Trench warfare on the Somme

February 1917 to April 1917: fighting on the Aisne

April 1917 to May 1917: Aisne-Champagne double battle

May 1917 to June 1917: Trench warfare near Reims

June 1917 to October 1917: Trench warfare on the Chemin des Dames

August 1917: Skirmish west of Hurtebise Fe.

October 1917 to November 1917: rearguard fighting at the southern Ailette

November 1917: Trench warfare at the Ailette

December 1917 to May 1918: Trench warfare north of the Ailette

May 1918 to June 1918: Battle of Soissons and Reims

May 1918: Storming the heights of the Chemin des Dames

May 1918 to June 1918: pursuit battles between Oise and Aisne over d. Vesle to the Marne

June 1918 to July 1918: trench warfare between Oise and Marne

July 1918: Attack battle on the Marne and Champagne

July 1918: Defensive battle between Soissons and Reims

July 1918 to August 1918: flexible Defensive battle between Marne and Vesle

August 1918: Trench warfare near Reims

October 1918 to November 1918: Defensive battle in Flanders

• 10./Fußa. 8th

March 1916 to July 1916: Battle of Verdun

July 1916 to November 1916: Battle of the Somme

November 1916 to February 1917: Trench warfare on the Somme

February 1917 to April 1917: fighting on the Aisne

April 1917 to May 1917: Aisne-Champagne double battle

May 1917 to June 1917: Trench warfare near Reims

June 1917 to October 1917: Trench warfare on the Chemin des Dames

August 1917: Skirmish west of Hurtebise Fe.

October 1917: Trench warfare at the Chemin des Dames

October 1917: Battle at Chavignon

October 1917 to November 1917: rearguard fighting at the southern Ailette

November 1917: Trench warfare at the Ailette

December 1917 to May 1918: Trench warfare north of the Ailette

March 1918 to April 1918: breakthrough battle at La Fère - St. Quentin - Cambrai

May 1918: Trench warfare at the Chemin des Dames

Parts of the 2nd Battalion of the 8th Foot Artillery Regiment were used with two 15 cm cannons in the siege of Antwerp . (Divisional Artillery, 6th Reserve Division)

Units of the Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment No. 8 (1st to 8th battery) also fought in the First World War. The Res.Fußa. 8 was mainly used on the Eastern Front. The participation of 1./Res.Fußa is remarkable. 8 at the fighting around Gallipoli in December 1915. Parts of the 1st Battalion of the Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment No. 8 were deployed with two 10 cm M04 cannons during the siege of Antwerp . (Divisional artillery, 6th reserve division) Units of the I. and II. Fußa were also actively in service. 8 Landwehr battalions (later Landwehr 70).

Units of the 8th foot artillery regiment also fought and served under the command of:

• Arko (Artillery Command) 117
• Fußa. Regts. Staff 116
• Fußa. Regts. Staff 219
• Fußa. Regts. Staff 225
• 1./Fussa. Regt. No. 26
• 9./Fußa. Regt. No. 26
• Fußa. Btl. 28 (later I./28)
• Fußa. Btl. 32
• Fußa. Bag 45
• Fußa. Btl. 74
• Fußa. Btl. 137
• Fußa. Battery 205 (later 1/74)
• Fußa. Battery 206 (later 2./74)
• Fußa. Battery 207 (later 1/73)
• Fußa. Battery 208 (later 2./73)
• Fußa. Battery 280
• Fußa. Battery 281
• Fußa. Battery 286
• Fußa. Battery 295
• Fußa. Battery 378
• Fußa. Battery 379
• Fußa. Battery 402
• Fußa. Battery 403
• Fußa. Battery 404
• Fußa. Battery 405
• Fußa. Battery 402
• Fußa. Battery 414
• Fußa. Battery 417
• Fußa. Battery 419
• Fußa. Battery 421
• Fußa. Battery 472
• Fußa. Battery 484 (artillerymen from this battery were present at the storming of Fort Douaumont near Verdun on February 25/26, 1916)
• Fußa. Battery 555
• Fußa. Battery 574
• Fußa. Battery 595
• Fußa. Battery 682
• Fußa. Battery 745
• Fußa. Battery 759
• Landwehr Fußa. Btl. 24, 42, 49
• Artillery survey team 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
• Schall survey team 9, 92, 101, 126

Formation of the individual parts of the regiment and change of names

• 1813–1816 1st Rhenish Artillery Brigade
• 1816–1823 8th Artillery Brigade (Rheinische)
• 1823–1850 8th Artillery Brigade
• 1850–1860 8th Artillery Regiment
• 1860–1864 Rhenish Artillery Brigade No. 8
• 1864–1864 Rhenish Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 8
• 1864–1919 Rhenish foot artillery regiment No. 8

Overview of the garrisons

1. Battery	2. Battery	3. Battery
1816–1819 Saarlouis 1819-1820 Trier 1820-1821 Luxembourg 1821-1822 Koblenz 1822–1823 Luxembourg 1823-1824 Koblenz 1824-1825 Luxembourg 1825-1826 Koblenz 1826–1828 Luxembourg 1828–1829 Mainz 1829-1833 Luxembourg 1833–1877 Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Metz since 1877	1816-1820 Trier 1820–1826 Mainz 1826-1828 Koblenz 1828-1830 Luxembourg 1830–1833 cantonment near Koblenz 1834–1877 Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Metz since 1877	1816–1834 Mainz 1834–1857 Cologne 1857–1860 Jülich 1860–1864 Ehrenbreitstein 1864 May – Oct. Schleswig-Holstein 1864–1877 Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Metz since 1877

4. Battery	5. Battery	6. Battery
1816–1820 Mainz 1820-1821 Trier 1821–1828 Saarlouis 1828–1877 Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Metz since 1877	1835-1860 Saarlouis 1860–1865 Luxembourg 1865–1866 Cologne 1866–1867 Luxembourg 1867–1873 Saarlouis Metz since 1873	1860–1865 Luxembourg 1865–1866 Cologne 1866–1867 Luxembourg 1867–1873 Saarlouis 1873-1899 Metz 1899–1902 Diedenhofen Metz since 1902

7. Battery	8. Battery	9. Battery (old)
1860–1865 Luxembourg 1865–1866 Koblenz 1866–1867 Luxembourg 1867–1871 Saarlouis 1871–1873 Diedenhofen and Mézières Metz since 1873	1860–1865 Luxembourg 1865–1868 Saarlouis 1868–1870 Ehrenbreitstein 1871–1899 Diedenhofen Metz since 1899	1866–1868 Koblenz 9. Battery (new) 1902–1903 Diedenhofen 1903-1908 Metz Since October 1908 Diedenhofen

10. Battery (old)	11. Battery	12. Battery
1902–1903 Diedenhofen 10. Battery (new) 1903-1908 Metz Since October 1908 Diedenhofen	1771–1809 Kolberg 1809-1810 Berlin 1811–1812 Swinoujscie 1813–1816 Altdamm 1816–1865 Kolberg 1865–1873 Szczecin 1873–1903 Swinoujscie Diedenhofen since 1903	1865 Swinoujscie 1865–1870 Stralsund 1871–1873 Toul 1873–1884 Sonderburg 1884–1903 Danzig Diedenhofen since 1903

Commanders (from 1864 to 1916)

• 1864 to September 1, 1865 --- Colonel von Kampß
• 1865 to January 20, 1870 --- Colonel Hendewerk
• 1870 to August 15, 1872 --- Colonel von Seel
• 1872 to February 11, 1875 --- Colonel Zoellner
• 1875 to January 12, 1878 --- Colonel von Lilienhoff-Zwowitzky
• 1878 to December 12, 1881 --- Colonel Mittelstaedt
• 1881 to November 11, 1884 --- Colonel Jacobi
• 1884 to November 15, 1887 --- Colonel von Mechow
• 1887 to December 17, 1891 --- Colonel Homeyer
• 1891 to August 18, 1895 --- Colonel Wolff
• 1895 to August 18, 1897 --- Lieutenant Colonel Tholen
• 1897 to January 14, 1902 --- Colonel Lücker
• 1902 to May 18, 1907 --- Colonel Splinter
• 1907 to February 21, 1909 --- Lieutenant Colonel Güssefeld
• 1909 to April 17, 1913 --- Lieutenant Colonel Breusing
• 1913 to July 5, 1916 --- Major General Ehrke

• 

  Colonel Hohmeyer

• 

  Colonel Lücker

• 

  Major General Splinter

• 

  Major General Ehrke

• 

  Colonel Bruchmüller

Members of the regiment

• Georg Bruchmüller

Tradition after 1919

The tradition was taken over in the Reichswehr by the 2nd Division of the 5th Artillery Regiment and in the later Wehrmacht by the 2nd Battery of the 70th Artillery Regiment . After 1919 there was no separation between foot (fortress) and field artillery.

The armed forces named the barracks of the drawn artillery in Lahnstein after Colonel Bruchmüller . Today it forms the "Deines-Bruchmüller" double barracks with the neighboring Deinses barracks.

Monuments

The Barbara monument in Koblenz

• In 1907, the Barbara monument was inaugurated in Koblenz in honor of the soldiers of the Rhenish Field Artillery Regiment No. 8 who died in the wars of unification in the 19th century . After being damaged in World War II, it was dismantled in 1956. At the instigation of an association, the monument was rebuilt in Koblenz in autumn 2014.
• The memorial for the fallen soldiers of the regiment was unveiled in Bad Honnef am Rhein in June 1929 . It represents a lying lion.

Trivia

• The regimental slogan of the 8th foot artillery regiment was, in addition to the "At the same time!" Which applies to all artillerymen, since 1877 "Treu Metz all ways!"
• Regimental song from 1877 (Garrison Metz) was the popular " O Germany in honor " at the time.
• The nickname for the members of the regiment was "Nasse Eights". An allusion to the artillerymen's ability to drink in the Rhineland. (In addition, beer in the realm of Alsace-Lorraine was cheaper than anywhere else in the German Reich. Possibly one of the reasons why many Bavarians wanted to do their service there.)

literature

• Robert Busse: History of the Rhenish Foot Artillery Regiment No. 8. Verlag Gerhard Stalling, Oldenburg 1910.
• Wilhelm Voss: The campaign in the Palatinate and Baden in 1849. Verlag R. Eisenschmidt, Berlin 1903.
• Carl von Winterfeld: History of the Schleswig-Holstein War. Potsdam 1868.
• Dr. Adolph Leo Nettmann (Hrsg.): Deutsches Tor - Festschrift for the 2nd reunion of the Rhine. Foot type. Regiment No. 8. Bad Honnef, June 1929.
• Hein: The little book of the German Army. Reprint of the edition from 1901 Verlag Lipsius u. Fischer, Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 1998, ISBN 3-8289-0271-5 .
• Battles of world war. Volume 1 Douaumont. Verlag Gerhard Stalling, Oldenburg 1926, (on behalf of the Reichsarchiv).
• A. Schwencke, M. Reymann: Battles of the world war. Volume 13, 14 and 15 The tragedy of Verdun 1916. Verlag Gerhard Stalling, Oldenburg iO 1928 / Berlin 1928, (on behalf of the Reichsarchiv).
• Willi Reith: The first battalion Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment (Rheinisches) No. 8. Karl-Rohm-Verlag, Lorch 1936.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Robert Busse: History of the Rhenish Foot Artillery Regiment No. 8. Verlag Gerhard Stalling, Oldenburg 1910.
2. ^ The order for this was issued to General von Bülow on December 20, 1812
3. ^ Report of Colonel Lt. v. Röhl to Prince August, Liège, May 24, 1814. According to a report
4. ^ Wilhelm Voss: The campaign in the Palatinate and Baden in 1849. Verlag R. Eisenschmidt, Berlin 1903.
5. ^ Carl von Winterfeld: History of the Schleswig-Holstein War. P. 342, Potsdam 1868.
6. ↑ Dr. Adolph Leo Nettmann: German Gate - Festschrift for the 2nd reunion of the Rhine. Foot type. Regiment No. 8. Bad Honnef, June 1929
7. ^ Anniversary postcard 1914 - painter and publisher Carl Henckel, Dresden 1914