French MacLean

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So far French MacLean has created 272 blog entries.

U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, H-J

Last Name

First Name

DOB

Place of Birth

Date of Death

Location of Execution

Executioner

Type Execution

Heard

Haze

Wednesday, June 7, 1922

Toccoa, Georgia

Monday, May 21, 1945

Mesnil-Clinchamps, Calvados, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Hendricks

James E.

Sunday, April 29, 1923

Drewry, North Carolina

Friday, November 24, 1944

Chateau La Vallee, Plumaudan, Cotes-du-Nord, France

Mortimer H. Christian Hanged

Holden

Mervin

Friday, October 1, 1920

Robeline, Louisiana

Tuesday, January 30, 1945

Fort d’Orange, Citadel, Namur, Belgium

John C. Woods Hanged

Hopper

Benjamin F.

Friday, August 20, 1920

Hickory, North Carolina

Wednesday, April 11, 1945

Loire Disciplinary Training Center, Le Mans, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Jefferies

Charles H.

Sunday, July 15, 1923

Coatesville, Pennsylvania

Thursday, July 5, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

 Unknown Hanged

Johnson

Willie

Sunday, December 25, 1921

Idaville, Oklahoma

Tuesday, June 26, 1945

La Heye Peshnel, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Jones

John T.

Sunday, August 11, 1912

Silvercreek, Mississippi

Thursday, July 5, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Unknown Hanged

Jones

James L.

Thursday, December 12, 1912

Reform, Alabama

Thursday, April 19, 1945

La Pernelle, Hameau Scipion, Normandy, France

John C. Woods Hanged
U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, H-J2015-09-08T19:39:50-05:00

U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, E-H

Last Name

First Name

DOB

Place of Birth

Date of Death

Location of Execution

Executioner

Type Execution

Ervin

Charlie Jr.

Tuesday, February 18, 1919

Lexington, Tennessee

Friday, October 19, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Firing Squad Shot

Farrell

Arthur J.

Tuesday, November 20, 1906

Jersey City, New Jersey

Friday, January 19, 1945

St. Sulpice de, Ille-et-Vilaine, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Gordon

Tom E.

Sunday, March 7, 1915

Greenville, South Carolina

Tuesday, July 10, 1945

Loire Disciplinary Training Center, Le Mans, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Grant

General L.

Wednesday, May 25, 1921

Union Point, Georgia

Tuesday, March 27, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Unknown Hanged

Green

George Jr.

Saturday, May 10, 1924

Steven, Arkansas

Tuesday, May 15, 1945

Loire Disciplinary Training Center, Le Mans, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Guerra

Augustine M.

Sunday, May 4, 1924

Cibolo, Texas

Monday, January 8, 1945

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Albert Pierrepoint Hanged

Harris

Wiley Jr.

Wednesday, June 12, 1918

Greenville, Georgia

Friday, May 26, 1944

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Alexander Riley Hanged

Harrison

William Jr.

Thursday, July 27, 1922

Ironton, Ohio

Saturday, April 7, 1945

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Herbert Morris Hanged
U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, E-H2015-09-08T19:34:40-05:00

U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, C-D

Last Name

First Name

DOB

Place of Birth

Date of Death

Location of Execution

Executioner

Type Execution

Cobb

David

Monday, November 14, 1921

Dothan, Alabama

Friday, March 12, 1943

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Albert Pierrepoint Hanged

Cooper

John David

Sunday, June 11, 1922

Dover, Georgia

Tuesday, January 9, 1945

Lerouville, Meuse, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Crews

Otis B.

Saturday, March 17, 1917

Carnegie, Georgia

Wednesday, February 21, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Unknown Hanged

Davis

William E.

Monday, March 8, 1915

Richmond, Virginia

Wednesday, December 27, 1944

Guiclan, Finistere, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Davis

Arthur E.

Friday, August 8, 1919

Cleveland, Ohio

Wednesday, November 22, 1944

Montours, Ille-et-Vilaine, France

Unknown Hanged

Davis

Lee A.

Monday, January 8, 1923

Temple, Texas

Tuesday, December 14, 1943

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Alexander Riley Hanged

Davison

Tommie

Monday, August 10, 1914

West Point, Mississippi

Thursday, March 29, 1945

Prise Guinment, Manche, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Donnelly

Robert L.

Sunday, July 27, 1924

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wednesday, May 31, 1944

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Unknown Hanged

Downes

William C.

Wednesday, January 27, 1915

Copeland, Virginia

Wednesday, February 28, 1945

Etienville, Manche, France

John C. Woods Hanged
U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, C-D2015-09-08T19:42:32-05:00

U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, A-C

Last Name

First Name

DOB

Place of Birth

Date of Death

Location of Execution

Executioner

Type Execution

Agee

Amos

Wednesday, February 16, 1916

Linden, Alabama

Saturday, March 3, 1945

La Saussaye, Commune de Bure, Orne, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Anderson

Roy W.

Saturday, September 22, 1917

Jeffersonville, Indiana

Wednesday, October 25, 1944

Seine Disciplinary Training Center, Paris, France

Mortimer H. Christian/Woods Assistant Hanged

Bailey

Milbert

Sunday, September 6, 1914

Louisiana

Thursday, April 19, 1945

La Pernelle, Hameau Scipion, Normandy, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Baldwin

Walter J.

Sunday, October 8, 1922

Shell Mound, Mississippi

Wednesday, January 17, 1945

Beaufay, Sarthe, France

John C. Woods Hanged

Bennerman

Sydney

Thursday, January 31, 1918

Wilmington, North Carolina

Monday, October 15, 1945

Les Milles, France (Delta DTC)

Firing Squad Shot

Brinson

Eliga

Friday, February 21, 1919

Tallahassee, Florida

Friday, August 11, 1944

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint Hanged

Burns

Lee A.

Sunday, November 9, 1913

Homer, Louisiana

Tuesday, March 27, 1945

PBS Stockade Number 1, Aversa, Italy

Unknown Hanged

Clark

Ernest Lee

Tuesday, August 10, 1920

Clifton Forge, Virginia

Monday, January 8, 1945

Shepton Mallet Prison, England

Thomas Pierrepoint & Albert Pierrepoint Hanged

Clay

Matthew Jr.

Monday, July 26, 1920

Avery Island, Louisiana

Monday, June 4, 1945

Fontenay-sur-Mer, Manche, France

John C. Woods Hanged
U.S. Army Executions in Europe during World War II, A-C2015-09-08T19:44:44-05:00

Knight’s Cross Recipients in Volume 1

 

Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight’s Cross Winners, Volume 1

Rudolf Abrahamczik, “Exemplary willingness for combat and risk-taking.”

Herbert Bachnick, “Temperamental character, sometimes a little flippant.”

Josef Barmetler, “With a good talent for comprehension and a talent for clear judgment.”

Viktor Bauer, “The squadron under his command did not lose a single pilot through enemy action.”

Ludwig Becker, “His lack of talent for improvisation and quick decision-making are disturbing.”

Friedrich Beckh, “He is never satisfied with his own accomplishments.”

Hans Beisswenger, “He enjoys the full confidence of the other pilots.”

Hans-Wilhelm Bertram, “Demonstrates courage paired with calculation and logical thinking.”

Heinrich Boecker, “Goal-oriented.”

Rudolf Boehlein, “He has endurance and is tough.”

Rudolf Böhmler, “He is firm during a crisis and prevails with an iron tranquility.”

Hans-Joachim Brand, “The proof of descent from German or related blood of Hans-Joachim Brand and his spouse has been obtained.”

Werner Breese, “Passionate pilot.”

Gerhard Brenner, “Demonstrated superhuman accomplishments.”

Max Buchholz, “Toward the men under his command strict, but always correct.”

Kurt Bühligen, “He possesses élan.”

Horst Carganico, “Personal courage and daring in combat.”

Wilhelm Crinius, “He is tough, but he fights with calculation and deliberation.”

Adolf Dickfeld, “He sometimes tends towards high-handedness.”

Erwin Diekwisch, “One can always trust him.”

Anton Döbele, “He can be harsh and one-sided in judging the people around him.”

Alfred Druschel, “Distinct talent for improvisation.”

Hans Ehlers, “Of particular note is that on October 8, 1943, after he had completely depleted his ammunition, he rammed a four-engine bomber.”

Siegfried Engfer, “His appearance is modest and reserved.”

Waldemar Felgenhauer, “Not totally free of personal ambition.”

Leopold Fellerer, “Untiring willingness for action, coupled with an iron will for victory.”

Karl Fitzner, “Mentally very alert with the best ability to comprehend.”

Erwin Fleig, “As an acting squadron commander, he is an exemplary officer on the ground and in the air.”

Ernst Frömming, “Over Crete, he conducted his first jump into enemy territory, without prior training.”

Wilhelm Fulda, “While with the 3rd Squadron, Air-Landing Wing, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross from the Führer due to his courage in combat.”

Robert Gast, “Alert and open to new ideas.”

Siegfried Gerstner, “A healthy degree of self-confidence and ambition.”

Walter Gericke, “Major Gericke has fully proven himself as a battalion commander.”

Franz Grassmel, “Sometimes a little stubborn.”

Alfred Gross, “Keeps rather to himself.”

Hans Grünberg, “In his nature are hidden leadership qualities.”

Andreas Hagl, “He is no longer able to withstand the hardships of war.”

Reino Hamer, “He sweeps the men under his command along with him.”

Friedrich-August von der Heydte, “Distinguished himself through prudent leadership of his battalion and ruthless personal action.”

Herbert von Hoffer, “He is very sensitive, easily becomes nervous.”

Franz Hrdlicka, “He has read the Führer’s Mein Kampf.”

Eberhard Jacob, “Man of character.”

Karl Janke, “He lacks the talent to sweep the soldiers along with him and to create enthusiasm for something.”

Peter Jenne, “Unwavering spirit for battle.”

Karl Kennel, “He is well liked due to his calm, but also humorous and very friendly manner.”

Alfred Kindler, “He is an example for his squadron.”

August Lambert, “He was mentioned several times in official Wehrmacht dispatches.”

Emil Lang, “Demands of himself first.”

Karl-Heinz Langer, “After the encirclement of Stalingrad, showed unusual courage on numerous combat missions out of the fortress.”

Erich Leie, “Has excelled in his current assignment.”

Ludwig Leingärtner, “Has fully distinguished himself as an officer with great willingness for combat against the enemy.”

Lothar Linke, “Possesses good social manners.”     

Helmut Lipfert, “He is a shining example for his squadron.”

Knight’s Cross Recipients in Volume 12014-08-23T12:54:53-05:00

Knight’s Cross Recipients in Volume 2

Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight’s Cross Winners, Volume 2

Luftwaffe Efficiency and Promotion Reports for the Knight’s Cross Winners, Volume 2

Walter Matoni, “Mentally, interested and versatile.”

Wilhelm Mayer, “He shows talent for quick comprehension and great mental flexibility.”

Maximilian Mayerl, “He brought back the old enthusiastic spirit of the entire squadron.”

Julius Meimberg, “Very passionate, outstanding fighter pilot.”

Joachim Meissner, “‘Lieutenant Meissner’ will be a valuable addition for the Luftwaffe.”

Hans Hermann Merker, “Well-liked by comrades and superiors.”

Heinz Meyer, “He succeeded in such devastating blows to the Americans at Monte Castre that he was recommended for the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for this outstanding success.”

Werner Milch, “Distinguished himself through extraordinary courage and relentless personal engagement.”

Helmut Missner, “Ability to quickly comprehend.”

Horst Müller, “Sometimes his temperament appears to be boisterous and blustery.”

Karl-Friedrich Müller, “Possesses a lot of youthful élan and can be very enthusiastic.”

Dr. Maximilian Otte, “In difficult situations, he has demonstrated a high degree of courage and decisiveness.”

Karl August Paulsen, “He is an officer who, by reason of his great sense of justice, will always be a good superior.”

Viktor Petermann, “Of particular note are his cold-bloodedness, dare-devil nature and eagerness for action.”

Karl Peters, “Great mental flexibility.”

Herbert Pölz, “Takes remarks of a general nature too personal.”

Dietrich Puttfarken, “Sometimes he is a little too fast in making judgments and remarks.”

Rudolf Rademacher, “Somewhat disinterested and stubborn.”

Hans Roehrig, “Very good athlete.”

Herbert Röwer, “Mentally above average, with diverse interests.”

Erich Rudorffer, “He is an example for the men under his command.”

Martin Schächter, “During an artillery attack on the division command post at the Invasion Front, he was buried alive and again wounded.”

Wolfgang Schellmann, “An exemplary military trainer and educator for his squadron.”

Wolfgang Schenck, “He appears to have lost his spirit for battle and is tired of being at the front.”

Horst Schiller, “Very passionate Stuka pilot of outstanding courage and untiring eagerness for combat.”

Horst Schimpke, “He is diligent, conscientious and eager to work.”

Leonhard Schmidt, “Has always been an exemplary platoon leader and has consistently proved his unusual courage in the heaviest combat.”

Otto Schmidt, “In every respect, well-rooted character.” 

Heinz Schnaufer, “Somewhat shy.”

Herbert Schob, “Full of humor.”

Rudolf Schoenert, “He always looks for new missions.”

Walter Schuck, “Slender build, but has endurance and hardiness.”

Wolf-Werner von der Schulenburg, “Despite his age and the severe injuries suffered during the World War – one leg 5 cm shorter than the other – at the beginning of the war, he reported to the parachute troops.”

Franz Schwaiger, “Inspiring and an example in every respect for the young pilots.”

Georg Seelmann, “Straight-forward, intelligent human being.”

Günther Sempert, “Mentally very active, skillful in quick comprehension.”

Friedrich Seyffardt, “Overseeing and mastering every situation with great success.”

Werner Sigel, “Tendency to salesmanship behavior, which manifests itself in his frequent attempts to ‘trade off’ something from clearly spelled out orders.”

Eduard Skrzipek, “Still lacking social manners, particularly in social gatherings.”

Rudolf Smola, “Natural leader.”

Willi Sölter, “Within a very short time, his group has sunk 15,000 tons commercial shipping capacity and one destroyer, and has also damaged an additional 93,000 tons and \two destroyers.”

Waldemar Stadermann, “Secure and calm in every situation.”

Heinrich Sterr, “He has an enthusiastic heart.”

Walter Stimpel, “He always understands how to comprehend the essential.”

Heinz Strünning, “Could be a little more lively sometimes.”

Karl Tannert, “Tannert with a few men of his headquarters and the signal platoon retook the village on his own initiative, averting a danger to the flank of the regiment and the entire division.

Gerhard Thyben, “Due to his young age, still somewhat unbalanced.”

Cord Tietjen, “Skillful trainer.”

Erich Timm, “Dazzling élan.”

Kurt Ubben, He has understood how to master the most difficult situations.

Rudolf Weigel, “Slightly conceited.”

Ernst Weismann, “Confronts all things in life without worry.”

Theodor Weissenberger, “Without a doubt, belongs with the best fighter group commanders.”

Walter Werner, “His outstanding courage during the Second Cassino Battle marks the typical resolute soldier in his personality.”

Heinz Wernicke, “Would rather have others tell him what to do than to reach for his own initiative.”

Otto Wessling, “For the men under his command, he is a thoroughly just superior.”

Walter Wolfrum, “Serial victories are not rare for him.”

Otto Würfel, “Physically able to bear a burden.”

Hilmar Zahn, “Understands exceedingly well how to make gunnery training interesting and diversified.”

Eugen-Ludwig Zweigart, “He possesses a clear manner of giving orders.”

Knight’s Cross Recipients in Volume 22016-01-13T17:34:52-06:00

The Fifth Field Wins the Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry Award

2013 Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry Award

LTG Richard G. Trefry, Inspector General of the United States Army

(June 18, 2014)  The Army Historical Foundation has recognized two authors for 2013 with the Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry Award for their contributions to the literature on the history of the U.S. Army.  Colonel French L. MacLean was honored for his book, The Fifth Field:  The Story of 96 American Soldiers Sentenced to Death and Executed in Europe and North Africa in World War II (Atglen, PA:  Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.).  Rick Atkinson was recognized for his highly praised Liberation Trilogy, consisting of the books An Army at Dawn:  The War in North Africa, 1942-1943; The Day of Battle:  The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944; and The Guns at Last Light:  The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (New York:  Henry Holt), on the U.S. Army in North Africa and Europe in World War II.

Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry, who had served as an enlisted man in World War II, retired from the U.S. Army after 33 years of active duty.  He served as the Inspector General of the U.S. Army for six years under three Chiefs of Staff and Secretaries of the Army, revolutionizing the Army’s approach to the Annual Inspector General Inspection by transforming it from a compliance event into an inspection that identified and corrected systemic failings that inevitably led to recurring deficiencies and interfered with the ability of unit commanders to accomplish their missions.  After retirement, General Trefry served in the White House as the Military Assistant to the President of the United States, directing the White House Military Office during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, as a military advisor to President George H. W. Bush.

In 1995, General Trefry served on the Board of Directors of American Military University and today, continues to serve on the Board of Trustees of the American Public University System as a member and committee chair.  In addition, he has served as a Senior Fellow for the Institute for Land Warfare in the Association of the U.S. Army and is Program Manager of the Army Force Management School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  General Trefry teaches and speaks frequently at service schools, public and private organizations, and at public and private schools and colleges.  In 2009, the Secretary of the Army established the Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry Lifetime of Service Award, honoring Lieutenant General Trefry’s extraordinary achievement and service to the Army, the Department of Defense, the Federal Government, and our Nation.

General Trefry holds a B.S. degree in Military Science from the United States Military Academy, West Point, and is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.  In 2006, he received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the United States Military Academy Association of Graduates.

His presentation on “How the Army Runs” has become legendary in military circles in explaining the Constitutional and legal underpinnings of what the Army has and what the Army does.

 

He had this to say about The Fifth Field:

“I couldn’t put it down… a hell of a good book…the subject is fascinating… you have done yeoman’s work and produced a great book.”
“I had been an enlisted man in World War II and knew that soldiers had been executed, but I did not know how many.  Later, when I was the Inspector General of the United States Army, I was visiting the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg about 1980.  As I looked at the crosses, I wondered where the soldiers who were executed were buried.  Now, I finally know.”
The Fifth Field Wins the Lieutenant General Richard G. Trefry Award2023-06-20T14:18:30-05:00

Sergeant Richard A. Mosley

(June 2, 2014) Sergeant and Military Police guard Richard A. Mosley served at the Loire Disciplinary Training Center, during which time he escorted seven condemned men to the gallows.  The son of Irish immigrants, Mosley was born in Pineville, KY on February 22, 1904.  He joined the Navy in World War I, but received a discharge for being underage.  He spent five years at the University of Illinois, studying electrical and mechanical engineering.  He subsequently was the foreman for an automobile service center.  Although he was partially blind in one eye, he entered the Army at Los Angeles on August 1, 1942 and became a powerhouse engineer.  After arriving in Great Britain on June 1, 1943, he was transferred to new duties as a military specialty 635 – disciplinarian.  He stood 6’5″ tall and weighed 203 pounds.  On March 1, 1945, he became a first sergeant in the 1008th Engineer Services Battalion.  Mosley was discharged at Fort MacArthur, CA on August 31, 1945.  He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a Bronze Service Star for Northern France.  Mosley lived in Hanford, CA until his death on January 5, 1953.  He is buried at Grangeville Cemetery in Armona, CA.

However, this is only part of the story.  In May 2014, family members of Sergeant Mosley contacted the author with additional, critical information.  Richard Mosley had died in 1953, but the cause of death was a suicide.  For decades, Mrs. Mosley and her children questioned themselves as to whether they may have contributed to Sergeant Mosley’s decision to end his life.  When you read The Fifth Field, you will see the level of compassion that Sergeant Mosley displayed toward condemned prisoners; a witness to one execution recalled in 2011 how Sergeant Mosley let a man smoke a last cigarette before climbing the stairs of the gallows.

Sergeant Richard A. Mosley did not take his own life over family issues or finances.  In my opinion, Sergeant Mosley was a classic case of Post-Traumatic Stress and he was unable to get the help he needed before it overwhelmed him.

Sergeant Richard A. Mosley2015-09-30T19:59:00-05:00

The Best Military Theorist

Many students at the National War College – and even a few folks today – have asked me who my favorite military theorist is.  Many scholars of military history, strategy and politics have heard of Carl Clausewitz and Sun Tzu and both were indeed influential thinkers.

Carl Clausewitz was a German officer and military theorist in the early 1800s, who stressed the moral and political aspects of war; we would say today that this included the psychological aspects of warfighting. His most notable work, Vom Kriege (On War), has been studied by thousands of military officers around the world; ironically, the book was unfinished at his death and may have been completed by his wife.  He stressed the dialectical interaction of diverse factors, noting how unexpected developments unfolding under the “fog of war” (i.e., in the face of incomplete, dubious, and often completely erroneous information and high levels of fear, doubt, and excitement) call for rapid decisions by alert commanders.  These special commanders were said to have a finger-tip feeling for war. 

Clausewitz also discussed the relationship between three elements that later became known as “Clausewitz’s trinity.”  These are “composed of primordial violence, hatred, and enmity, which are to be regarded as a blind natural force; of the play of chance and probability within which the creative spirit is free to roam; and of its element of subordination, as an instrument of policy, which makes it subject to reason.”

Clausewitz also wrote at length about the concept of center of gravity.  This process was to identify the enemy’s hub of all strength, in other words, what characteristic or element led him to victory.  It might be a strong alliance in support; it might be the enemy’s ground forces, etc.  Very rarely was the enemy’s center of gravity a single person or leader, although many intelligence efforts in the past focused on eliminating that one “indispensable” person.  The U.S. was caught in that trap when Seal Team Six killed Osama Bin Laden and many high-ranking leaders opined that this was the end of Al Qaeda; of course we know it was not.  Whenever you see a politician, or a senior military leader for that matter, not address the center of gravity of the enemy, you know that you are listening to a rank strategic amateur, regardless of his pay grade.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher who lived in the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China, about 500 BC.  He is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an extremely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy.  Sun Tzu has had a significant impact on Chinese and Asian history and culture, both as the author of The Art of War and as a legendary historical figure.  The Art of War presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles and is accepted as a masterpiece on strategy, frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists.

The work very succinctly presents the tenets for developing and executing a strategy that will defeat the strategy of your opponent.   It is presented in lists and recommendations such as: “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”

Perhaps Sun Tzu’s most famous quotation has been: “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.”

While both these theorists have been extremely influential in modern history (and for Sun Tzu much longer), and while I have re-read each numerous times, my absolute favorite military theorist is Colonel Ardant Du Picq, a French Army officer and military theorist of the mid-nineteenth century whose writings – as they were later interpreted by other theorists in the First World War period – had a great effect on French military theory and doctrine.

Ardant du Picq was born at Périgueux, France on October 19, 1821.  On 1 October 1844, he graduated from the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, the French equivalent of the U.S. West Point and was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the 67th Regiment of the Line.  As a captain, having previously transferred to the 9th Battalion of Foot Chasseurs, he saw action in the French expedition to Varna during the Crimean War, but he fell ill with cholera and was evacuated to France. Upon recovery, he rejoined his unit in front of Sevastopol and was captured during the storming of the central bastion of the fortress in September 1855.  Released in December 1855, he returned to active duty, first with the 100th Regiment of the Line and later as a major with the 16th Battalion of Foot Chasseurs.  He later served in Syria from August 1860 to June 1861, during the French intervention to restore order following Maronite-Druze sectarian violence.

Du Picq saw extensive service in Algeria from 1864 – 1866, and in February 1869 was selected colonel of the 10th Regiment of the Line.  At the outbreak of war with Prussia on July 15, 1870, he led his regiment to the front.  Directing his men along an elevated road on August 15, 1870, an overhead burst by a Prussian artillery shell fatally wounded him in both thighs and his stomach near Longeville-les-Metz.  He died four days later at the military hospital in Metz from his wounds.  Ardant du Picq’s last words were, “My wife, my children, my regiment, adieu!”

Before his death in 1870, du Picq had already published Combat antique (Ancient Battle), which associates later expanded into the classic Etudes sur les combat: Combat antique et moderne, most often referred to by its common English title of Battle Studies, which was published in part ten years later, although the complete text did not appear until 1902.

His analyses stressed the vital importance, especially in contemporary warfare, of discipline and unit cohesion.  Du Picq believed that the human element is more important than theories.  War was still more of an art than a science.  One popular quote demonstrating this conclusion drawn from numerous battle studies stated, “Nothing can wisely be prescribed in any army… without exact knowledge of the fundamental instrument, man, and his state of mind, his morale, at the instant of combat.”

Du Picq also thought that great strategists and leaders of men are marked by inspiration. “Generals of genius draw from the human heart ability to execute a surprising variety of movements which vary the routine; the mediocre ones, who have no eyes to read readily, are doomed to the worst errors.”

All of du Picq’s thinking, in my opinion, boils down to one of his fundamental truths:

“Four brave men who do not know each other will not dare attack a lion.   Four less brave, but knowing each other well, sure of their reliability and consequently of mutual aid, will attack resolutely.”

Training, discipline, bravery, teamwork, independent action – everything a young leader needs to know to create a successful organization can be found by reading Ardant du Picq.

The Best Military Theorist2015-12-04T11:52:26-06:00

Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment

This specific pistol, a Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM)-produced Model 1908 9mm Luger, has the serial number 2335 b.  Given the contract between DWM (whose factory was at Berlin) and the German government (for 50,000 pistols) that required delivery of the first 3,000 pistols to the German Army by March 31, 1909, the requirement that DWM provide 2,000 pistols each month thereafter, and the serial number sequence system (9,999 with no subsequent letter, and then 9,999 followed by the letter a, 9,999 followed by the letter b, etc.), it would appear that this particular weapon arrived to the German Army in January 1910.

The weapon has a unit marking on the front grip strap of B. 8. R. 1. 3. This marking corresponds to the Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment, specifically the 1st Company.  The last digit, 3, indicates that it was the third weapon in the company’s arms room.  We do not know exactly when the unit received this pistol, but it was certainly no earlier than February 1910, and probably within that year.

The weapon has the word Germany stamped on the left side of the frame.  This is an export mark stamped on the weapon, probably in the 1920s, when Germany – economically distressed due to the provisions of the Versailles Treaty – exported for sale surplus weapons from the reduced-size military.  This would indicate that the weapon probably remained with the 1st Company for the duration of the war.

Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment

The Königliches Bayerisches 8. Infanterie-Regiment Grossherzog Friedrich II von Baden (the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment, “Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden”) was originally formed on October 10, 1753.  In the First Schleswig War in 1849, the regiment fought at the Battle of Düppel on April 13, 1849.  In the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, it fought against the Prussian Army in battles at Nüdlingen on July 10, and Helmstadt on July 25.  During the 1870/71 Franco-Prussian War, the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment participated in the Siege of Bitsch and the Siege of Paris.

Prior to World War I, the regiment was assigned to the 4th Royal Bavarian Division in the Second (II) Bavarian Army Corps, which was headquartered in Würzburg.  After mobilization, the regiment was stationed at Metz; its parent formation was the 8th (Royal Bavarian) Infantry Brigade, in the 33rd Reserve Division.

At the beginning of World War I, the Bavarian Army had an effective strength of 4,089 officers, physicians, veterinarians and officials; 83,125 NCOs and other ranks, as well as 16,918 horses. With the beginning of mobilization on August 1, 1914, the supreme command of the Bavarian field army passed from the 4th Army Inspectorate to the German Emperor.  Units that remained in Bavaria remained under the command of the Bavarian War Ministry.  The Bavarian Army — consisting of the three Bavarian Army Corps, the Bavarian Cavalry Division — was joined by some additional Prussian units and transported to the Western Front, where it would become a crucial component of the German Army.

During World War I, the regiment was commanded by the following officers: Colonel Hannappel (until October 9, 1914); Colonel Ernst von Rücker (October 10, 1914 – April 22, 1917); Major Anton Ritter von Löhr (April 23, 1917 – May 1, 1918); Major Oskar Vogel (May 25, 1918 – August 26, 1918); and Major Bauer (August 27, 1918 – November 11, 1918.)

After the Armistice in November 1918, the regiment moved from the Western Front to Bad Kissingen, where it was demobilized on December 18, 1918.  The former regimental staff became the nucleus for the 46th Infantry Regiment in the Reichswehr beginning in June 1919.

During the first year of World War I, the 33rd Reserve Division served on the Western Front, fighting in the Battle of the Frontiers against French forces in the early stages, as a part of the XVI Corps (General of Infantry Karl Bruno Julius von Mudra) in the Fifth Army (Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia), initially moving through Luxembourg and southern Belgium.  In August 1914, the division took part in the battles of Nomèny and went to Verdun by way of Gondrecourt, Rouvres and Étain (halfway between the nearest German town and Verdun,) suffering heavy casualties in the latter on August 24 and 25.  On August 26, the 10th Company of the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment, for example, had only 75 men left.

At the beginning of September 1914, the division occupied both banks of the Moselle River south of Pont è Mousson and about September 15 moved to the vicinity of Thiaucourt.  The division remained there until the end of September and the beginning of October it went back into the sector south of Étain at Riaville and Bracquis.  On October 8, 1914, the 8th Bavarian Brigade attacked at Champlon and Fresnes.  After these battles, the 33rd Reserve Division took up defensive positions on the Cótes de Meuse (Combres, Les Éparges), 20 miles southeast of Verdun, and remained there until July 1916.

The regiment distinguished itself at the Battle of Eparges (in German, the Combres-Höhe Schlacht) in March and April 1915.  The hill, actually an elongated ridge about three-quarters of a mile in length, elevated 300 feet above the Woëvre Plain.  On either side of the rise were the villages of Combres (on the German side of the front) and Les Eparges (on the French side.)  The fighting began in January 1915, when the Germans fortified trenches on top of the hill, while the French 12th Infantry Division dug in on the northern and northwestern slopes.  The French detonated a huge underground mine on February 17, 1915 that breached the German forward line.  On March 18, 1915, traversing a sea of gelatinous brown mud, the French attacked up the Combres Heights, penetrating the German positions on the northwest slope.  The 33rd Reserve Division, now under the V Corps (General of Infantry von Oven) launched a counterattack late on the morning of March 19 and regained much of the lost ground.  The French finally captured the summit on April 9, but the 33rd Reserve Division immediately established a trench system to the east of the crest, which they named the Kamm-Stellung (Kamm Position) that the French were never able to seize.

In August 1916, the high command transferred the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment to the newly-formed 14th Bavarian Infantry Division (commanded by Major General Otto Ritter von Rauchenberger), along with the 4th Bavarian Infantry Regiment and the 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment.  The division, part of the XVIII Reserve Corps (General of Infantry Kuno Arndt von Steuben) took up positions at Verdun, going into the line at the end of August, 1916, in the Vaux-Chapitre Wood, northeast of the city.  It launched a violent attack (see red arrow on map) against French positions on September 3, one kilometer to the southwest of Fort Vaux on both sides of the Ravin des Fontaines, advancing to just one kilometer from Fort Souville, fighting heavily until September 9, and continued to hold this sector until October 10, as part of the Battle of Verdun.

Fort Souville dominated the heights from which the “Nez de Souville” (Souville Nose or Souville Nase in German) protruded.  While the “Nose” was occupied by the French, the Germans were in position on the slopes to the west (in the direction of Fleury) and east (in the direction of Fort Vaux) to utilize the Ravin des Fontaines (Fontaines Ravine, known to the Germans as the Souville Schlucht) to advance south.  Covering the “Nose” was the remains of the Chapitre-Woods, which bordered on the Fumin-Wood east of Fort Vaux.  The Fontaines Ravine became known as the “Ravine of Death.”  With German capture of Fort Vaux on June 7, 1916, the first of two lines of French permanent fortifications had been breached.  If the Germans breached the second line on the heights overlooking the town, Verdun would fall.  Fort Souville was the focus of German attacks on the second line, and its successful defense was the turning point in the battle.  On July 12, German troops reached the fort, but were repulsed by an artillery and infantry counterattack.  The attack by the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment and other units was the last desperate gasp to break through.  During the entire battle, the German Army at Verdun suffered 143,000 killed in action out of its 337,000 total casualties.

At the end of October, the division’s 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, whose losses around Vaux were considerable, was dissolved and replaced by the 25th Bavarian Infantry Regiment.  After this reorganization, the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division went back into line on the Hauts de Meuse (“Calonne Trench,” a long road running for more than 25 kilometers through the wooded area south-east of Verdun into what became known as the Saint Mihiel Salient) on October 22.  Relieved at the beginning of November 1916, and sent to rest, it was then sent to the Somme, where, about November 26, it took over the sector north of the Ancre River.

The 14th Bavarian Infantry Division left the Ancre front (east of Amiens) at the end of January 1917, passed the month of February at rest in the Denain area, and came back into line on the Somme northeast of Gueudecourt (south of Bapaume) on February 26.  It was withdrawn on March 20 at the time of the German retirement from the area.  At the beginning of April, under control of the Sixth Army (Colonel General Ludwig von Falkenhausen) it went into action against the British 1917 offensive (Battle of Arras.)  Falkenhausen favored the “gruppe” system of flexible battlefield command, in which corps headquarters formed the nucleus of responsive formations organized and equipped as necessary.  As a part of Gruppe Vimy (General of Infantry Karl von Fasbender) the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division took up defensive positions on the northern side of the Scarpe River and fought against the British 34th and 9th Infantry Divisions of the XVII Corps near Roclincourt (a village just east of the road from Arras to Lens), suffering heavily (about 2,800 prisoners on April 9, 1917.)  The second and third battalions of the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment were rendered combat ineffective.

Sent to rest in Belgium, the division remained for several days in the Ghent area, and then entrained for the Eastern Front on April 26.  About May 14, it went into the line near Lipsk (south of Baranovichi); in June it took over the sector of Tsirin, where it remained until the end of the August, when it transferred to the Riga Front.  At the Battle of Riga, as part of the German Eighth Army (General of Infantry Oskar Emil von Hutier) and German LI Corps, the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division, at 9:10 a.m. on September 1, 1917 crossed the 200-yard-wide Daugava River (also known as the Western Dvina River and in German the Düna) at Űxküll (Ikšķile in Latvian, 20 miles southeast of Riga) on assault boats, neutralizing a heavily-fortified island in the middle of the river, before continuing on to the north bank.  To its left was the 2nd Guards Infantry Division; while to its right was the 19th Reserve Infantry Division.  Once the three divisions were on the far bank, they quickly overran the forward defensive positions of the Russian Twelfth Army (General Vladislav N. Klembovsky) using new assault-troop (Stosstrupp) infiltration tactics to breach the forward defensive positions beginning in the dunes on the riverbank and continuing to the rear in three to four lines of trenches.

It marked the first time that such tactics were used on a large scale combined with new fire support tactics developed by Colonel Georg Bruchmüller – characterized by bypassing any strong points as they move forward, assault troops armed with light machine-guns, grenades and flame throwers focus on quickly infiltrating the rear areas to disrupt communications and take out artillery.  German pioneers quickly constructed pontoon bridges and three additional infantry divisions reinforced the attack.  By the end of the day, the German bridgehead was eight miles wide.  Riga fell late on the afternoon of September 3 as the German Army marched into the city.

The advance gained 24 miles by September 21 and sent the Russian Army reeling.  At the end of October 1917, the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division was sent south to Galicia, moving to Tarnopol.

The defeat at Riga boded ill for the Russian Kerensky government that had overthrown Tsar Nicholas II earlier in the year.  On November 7, 1917, an armed uprising led by radical Bolsheviks toppled the provisional Kerensky government; Vladimir Lenin rose before the newly formed All-Russian Congress of Soviets the following day to call for an immediate armistice with the Central Powers.  This occurred on December 2.

With an armistice secured, massive numbers of German divisions were free to move west and the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division left the Tarnopol area on December 19 for the Western Front.  On January 12, 1918, it relieved the 7th Reserve Infantry Division in the Mont Haut sector.  It was relieved by the 80th Reserve Infantry Division on April 22.  On April 26, the division began moving to a new sector.  On May 3, it relieved the 208th Infantry Division in the Hangard sector (southeast of Amiens.)  It was subsequently relieved on May 21 by the 225th Infantry Division.  The division remained in close support, and relieved the 15th Infantry Division one sector to the south two days later.  On June 20, 1918, the high command withdrew the division from the front line and it rested in the rear of the front for the next month.

About July 23, the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division received the order to return to the front and relieved the 21st Infantry Division in the Castel-Bois Senecat sector.  It was assigned to the Second Army (General Johannes Georg von der Marwitz.)

In the fighting that followed, known as the Battle of Amiens, the division (see red quadrangle on map) suffered heavy losses, especially in the French XXXI Corps (General Paul-Louis Toulorge) attack of August 8, 1918.  It was withdrawn five days later in a badly shattered condition, having lost some 2,500 prisoners.  Total German losses were estimated at 30,000 on August 8, while the Allies suffered about 6,500 killed, wounded and missing.  The collapse in German morale led General Erich Ludendorff to call the day, “the Black Day of the German Army.”

The division was in the line again on August 29, 1918 northwest of Villers-Carbonnel (southwest of Albert-Péronne), but was withdrawn on September 2.  Soon thereafter, the 14th Bavarian Infantry Division was disbanded on September 10, with the Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment going to the 16th Bavarian Infantry Division.   With this division, the regiment was engaged north of Ypres and west of Roulers (Westroosebeke) from September 28 to October 5; losses were heavy.  Pulled out of the line for ten days, it returned to combat on October 15 southwest of Thourout.  Within four days, it was forced back to the southeast of Bruges.  The Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment was located in Belgium when the Armistice went into effect.

If only that Luger could talk!  Having said that, with the unit marking, it is talking.

Royal Bavarian 8th Infantry Regiment2016-05-18T07:04:51-05:00
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