August
Zieglwalner was born in Aschaffenburg on the 17.02.1877. After graduating from
school he worked for a Pharmacist before serving as a one year volunteer from
1899-1900 with the 2. bayerische Jäger Bataillon in Aschaffenburg. After his military
service he studied pharmacy in Würzburg and was working as a Pharmacist when he
married Wilhelmine, daughter of Emil Stein. Stein was the owner of the
Steinbräu brewery in Alzenau and after the marriage August Zieglwalner changed
careers and learnt the trade of Brewer at the Brewery School Michel in Augsburg.
By 1914 he had taken ownership and had expanded the Brewery.
At the
outbreak of the war he was mobilized to serve at the military clothing depot in
Würzburg. Not content to spend the war in a clothing depot he had applied for a
posting to the 2nd Jäger Battalion and on the 20.11.1914 he joined
the Ersatz Battalion of the 2nd Jäger. He was promoted to
Vizefeldwebel d. Reserve on the 08.12.1914 then named “Offizier Stellvertreter”
on the 12.12.1914, the day he joined the 3. Komp. of the 2. Bay. Jägerbatl. in
the field in Flanders.
Flanders and the Loretto Heights
At the time
the Jäger were in reserve at Lille. On the 28.12.1914 of December the Battalion
moved into the line facing the British at Warneton. Due to the waterlogged
ground the defensive positions were in a bad condition and during the weeks
that followed the men were barely able to stabilize the positions, they did not
manage to extend the trenches. Fighting was restricted to exchanges of small arms
fire, artillery and the occasional patrol. When the Battalion returned to Lille
on the 05.02.1915 they had suffered relatively light casualties, 11 men killed
in action and 20 wounded. August
Zieglwalner was promoted to Feldwebel Leutnant on the 01.03.1915.
On the
01.03.1915 the 2.b.J.B. along with the 13th Saxon Jäger Batallion
were put at the disposition of the XIV. Armeekorps, elements of which pushed
the French off the Loretto Heights on the 03.03.1915.
The left flank
of the captured positions came under heavy artillery fire and the German troops
were forced to abandon this part of the line. The newly arrived Saxon Jäger
occupied them again upon their arrival on the 04.03.1915.
When the
2.b.J.B. arrived on the 05.03.1915 the men knew they would have a very
difficult task. Securing damaged trenches against enemy counter attacks was not
a task to be envied. Starting from Souchez the progression of the Bavarian
Jäger towards the Loretto heights was made under extremely difficult conditions.
After leaving the road they had to cross marsh and mud, every step was
difficult and in the pitch black night the men stumbled into rain filled shell
holes, all the time under heavy shell and infantry fire. The only light was
from enemy flares. Every time a flare lit up the sky the men had to freeze. At
that stage of the war the men still recoiled in horror when they reached out
blindly to steady themselves and found themselves gripping part of a shredded body.
Later this would become “normal”. Navigation was difficult as the German and
French trenches had been flattened by artillery. Communications trenches no
longer existed.
Upon
arrival in the front line they found there was little protection from enemy
fire on their flank. Only a sandbag barricade separated them from the enemy. An
attack on the afternoon of the 06.03.1915 was beaten back by the 1st
Company leaving 80-100 Frenchmen dead in front of their lines. The 1st
Company lost 8 dead and 16 wounded in the action.
Above: In the trenches at Loretto, Lt.d.L.II Zieglwalner (left) and Lt. Vogt (right)
On the
07.03.1915 Zieglwalner’s 3rd Company was in the line when another
French attack was launched. The enemy almost succeeded in entering the trench,
close enough for the Jäger to hear the French commander ordering part of his
men to go left, the others were to go right. Lt Vogt ordered the men of the 3rd
Company to hold fire until the last moment… the Jäger opened fire to
devastating effect, stopping the French in their tracks. In the action the 3rd
company suffered 12 dead, 46 wounded and 2 men lost (buried in collapsed dugouts).
Above: 3rd Company 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalion in the trenches at Loretto
Much time
and effort was needed to improve the defenses and the men were soon covered in
a thick layer of mud. Movement was often on all fours as the enemy was often
only 30-40m away. By the time the Battalion was pulled from the line they had
suffered 1 officer killed, 1 wounded, 72 other ranks killed and 193 wounded, 8
Jäger missing, presumed dead.
The Battalion
was in the line until the 23.03.1915 before returning to Lille.
Above: Zieglwalner and Vogt at Loretto
Above: a French soldier killed in an attack on the 3rd Company positions.
On the
07.04.1915 the Jäger returned to the trenches at Warneton for a second time and
was again engaged in positional warfare until the 22.05.1915. Zieglwalner
promoted to Leutnant d. Res on the 15.04.1915.
The Tirol and the formation of the "Alpenkorps"
On the
22.05.1915 the Battalion was loaded into trains to embark on a journey to join
a newly formed unit. They were to become an integral part of one of the most
legendary and elite units of the war. In the
early afternoon of the 25.05.1915 the men debarked at Bruneck in the Pustertal
in Austria. Italy had declared war on Austria on the 24.05.1915 and although
Germany was not (yet) at war with Italy the newly formed “Deutsche Alpenkorps”
was founded partially to reassure the Austrians that Germany would support them,
helping them defend the Southern border of the Tirol. To cement the friendship,
the Erzherzog Eugen awarded the men of the Alpenkorps the traditional Edelweiss
badge to be worn on their headgear.
The 1.
bayerische Jäger Regiment under Major Paulus was formed with three Bavarian
Jäger Battalions. The 2. b.J.B., the 2. b.R.J.B.(The reserve Battalion of the
2. b.J.B.) and the 1. b.J.B. .
Due to the difficult
terrain the 1st Bavarian Jäger Regiment was spread over 50kms of
mountain range, paired up with Austrian Standschützen and Landwehr units.
Hauptman
Albert Kroen, (Zieglwalner’s company commander) wrote a letter to the Battalion
Commander
Above: The Jäger, newly designated mountain troops, on an early march in the Tirol
“Dear
Bauernschmitt! Here is a
report about my experiences, and those of the two detached companies. Along the
route to our sector the locals were overjoyed to see us and we received
friendly greetings. In Bozen we were greeted with roses, the men of my company
looked like a marching rose garden. The march to Welschnosen in the hot
afternoon sun was particularly difficult for the not yet acclimatized troops.
We arrived at 10pm. The next morning we were greeted by Exz. Von Scholz,
divisional staff at the Karersee Hotel. A friendly greeting was also extended
by the Brigade commander Colonel von Schießler. He decided that the machine gun
company would stay on the Pordoi Joch, while I would take command of the Fedaja
Sector. The defensive line stretches from the northern slope of the Col de Buse
(Col di Bousc), past Bambergerhaus up to the highest point of the Belvedere.
Above: A prewar postcard of the Bambergerhaus from Zieglwalner's documents
My troops
are positioned as follows:
-
On
both sides of the Bambergerhaus, 2 Platoons of the 3. Komp 2.b.J.B. (Lt.
d. Res. Zieglwalner is acting Komp.
Führer, he masters his job really well), 2 Machine Guns and the 3. Komp of
Landsturmbatl. 39 (Austrian), 2 Russian Machine guns -
On
the Belvedere, 1 Platoon of the 3. Komp 2.b.J.B., a Standschutzen Komp. (austrian) and part of the 1. Komp
Landsturmbatl. 39 (Austrian) -
Forward
position on a crest east of Belvedere (Called Bescul on the Marmoladagruppe
map) a Fieldgun (Old model), a Stadschützen Komp and 2 Machine Guns -
A
total of 750 men.
Since our
arrival we have vastly improved the positions. Our Jäger are very motivated,
not only in building defenses but also patrolling in the mountains in close
proximity to the enemy. On the 01.06.1915 a Battalion of Italian troops advanced
along both sides of the Fedaja Pass valley, towards our position at the
Bambergerhaus. They were taken under fire by our field gun on the Bescul.
Yesterday at 04:30am enemy artillery fired on our position at the
Bambergerhaus, the veranda of the house was hit and 2 men were killed, 5
wounded. One of the dead and 3 of the wounded were from my Company. All day
long the enemy artillery fired at unexpected intervals, always aiming for the
Bambergerhaus. It was an uncomfortable Sunday.
Today
(07.06.1915) an Italian battery of 4 guns fired 40-50 shells along the length
of our positions. Our gun on the Bescul and guns from Pordoi drove them from
their positions. We suffered one dead from the Landsturm Komp.
We are
doing well, if it was not for the artillery I would say excellently. The
Brigade Commander told me he would like to keep me here. What are the plans for
the future? Do we stay here or will we be relieved by the Prussian brigade?
Does this sector belong to the Bavarian Jäger Brigade now? I would welcome some
confirmation about the future of my company. I would request we are not
relieved by another company of our battalion. My men have settled in well and
should enjoy the fruits of their labor.
What
mission does the Battalion have? Now and in the near future. I am really
curious.
Please
greet the gentlemen of the Battalion for me, and special greetings to you,
Yours
Kroen.
The 3. Komp
stayed at the Bambergerhaus until the 19.06.1915 when a repositioning of the
Regiment saw the Company move to the nearby “Col di Lana”. In September 1915 a
member of the 3. Komp in position on the Col di Lana wrote in his diary that
the bodies of many Italian soldiers lay in front of the barbed wire. The stench
of decay was almost unsupportable and any attempt to move or bury them was
targeted by Italian Artillery.
Although
combat losses were relatively low in the Tirol it was in this rugged mountain
terrain and its merciless weather conditions that the seed of the legendary
German Gebirgsjäger was germinated. Today’s Gebirgsjäger still wear the
traditional Edelweiss given to their predecessors by the Archduke.
From the
16. – 23.10.1915 the Regiment returned to the West and was in reserve in the
Ardennes. The short time was used for resupply and reconditioning of equipment and
on the 24.10.1915 the Alpenkorps was once again on a train, this time Serbia.
The Serbian Campaign
On the
30.10.1915 the Alpenkorps stood at Bazias on the Donau, ready for the invasion
of Serbia. Initially the Jäger were not involved in Combat, they marched behind
Gallwitz’s victorious advancing Army.
On the
01.11.1915 Zieglwalner was once again appointed acting company commander as
Hauptman Kroen took over a mixed combat group within the Battalion.
Above: The Jäger cross the Kraljevo River at Morava
On the
10.11.1915 they reached Morava on the Kraljevo River, here their time as
followers would end and they would go into combat once again. Marching towards
the sounds of the artillery the Alpenkorps was once again ready for mountain
warfare, the first combat of the 2.b.J.B. being on the 13.11.1915. A detachment
under Hauptman Kroen was to cross from the Ciker Mountain, over the Debelobrko
heights and go through the village of Brke towards Beli Km. Enemy dugouts were
sighted on the Beli Km and Kroen decided to attack from the North West.
Reaching Brke at 13:00 the detachment captured 12 enemy soldiers before coming
under long range fire from Sebian infantry. The Jäger machine guns opened fire
from the Debelobrko and Zieglwalner’s 3. Komp was ordered to attack from the
West. Setting the tone for much of the coming campaign the enemy retreated to
the South before the attack could take place. In most other actions skirmishes ended up with
large groups or prisoners or the enemy beating a hasty retreat. What the
Serbian campaign lacked in confrontation with the enemy it made up for with
harsh weather conditions and exhausting marches in the mountains.
On the
13.12.1915, while the Regiment was resting in Bacina, waiting for the orders to
continue the march towards the Greek border Zieglwalner injured the tendons in
his arms. After a short spell in a Field hospital at Stalac he returned to
Germany where he was in hospital in Alzenau until the 19.01.1916.
Aschaffenburg - The Ersatz Bataillon
By now a
seasoned combat veteran he was kept in Aschaffenburg to train new recruits at the
Ersatz Bataillon of the 2. b.J.B. from the 25.01.1916. At the Ers.Btln. until
the end of August 1916 he did not take part in the battle of Verdun, but he did
play an important part in preparing recruits who would fill out the depleted
ranks after the battalion’s heavy losses at Verdun.
After the
heavy fighting at Verdun the Regiments of the Alpenkorps rotated into a quieter
zone in the Argonne to reequip and absorb replacements. Zieglwalner travelled
with his new recruits to join the Battalion. On the 01.09.1916 he was designated
acting commander of the 2. Komp.
Romania - The "Vulkanpaß"
On the
27.08.1916 Romania had entered the war on the side of the Allies. It’s
declaration of war against Austria was followed by a German declaration of war against
Romania on the 28.08.1916. The Romanians wanted to use the opportunity to take
Transylvania from Hungary as 3 000 000 Romanians lived in the contested area.
For the allies the major advantage of Romania’s entry into the war was the
potential to cut German access to desperately needed oil supplies and the
railway connection to Turkey.
Following
the declaration of war, the Romanians immediately invaded through the Carpathian
Mountains. They falsely assumed the Germans would be too tied up on the Somme
and in the end phases of the Verdun Battle to provide much assistance to the
Austrians. This was a Fatal Error. Under the command of General der Infanterie
Erich von Falkenhayn the newly formed 9. Armee marched into battle. The “Battle
of Transylvania (Siebenbürgen).” had begun. After some initial successes the
Romanians rapidly lost momentum. It seems to have escaped them that an army
without functioning logistics is not able to advance. As their advance bogged
down von Falkenhayn prepared his counter attack.
Above: the entrance to the Vulkanpaß
The
Alpenkorps joined operations in the Siebenbürgen on the 13.09.1916.
On the
22.09-1916 elements of the 2. b.J.B. would take part in an attack to clear the
enemy off the crests along the Vulkanpass. Along with the 1. b.J.B. and the II.
Batl. of the Prussian Infanterie Regiment 187 they would succeed in taking
their objectives, holding them, then abandoning them without a fight when the
Romanians gained ground in a neighboring sector.
The
following account was written by a member of the II./I.R. 187 who took part in
the attack, the experiences of the men mirrored that of the Bavarian Jäger.
The 21st of
September began with wonderful sunshine which encouraged hopes for the best. The
unit had a number of full day marches behind it and now lay awake and rested on
straw mattresses in the town of Liyazeny. The morning passed with cleaning and
repair of equipment, the afternoon dedicated to rest. A vacation mood reigned
and the men tried to enjoy every moment. At 16:00 there would be rations and
coffee. Just as the last man was issued his rations a messenger came with the
news all soldiers dreaded. We were to assemble on the pavement ready to march
out. As usual the moaners began to moan, but everyone rapidly packed their gear
and prepared to depart. Rumors were abounding, as always, and orders to
assemble with assault packs always send a ripple of tension through the ranks.
Our
Battalion, along with the F.M.G. Zug 318 (Machine Gunners) was to join the “Gruppe
Paulus” for an attack on the Vulkanpaß. As soon as the four company commanders
had reported the Captain gave orders for the Battalion to march along the road
from Livazeny to Zsilyvajdejvulkan. The pace was fast. To the left of the road
the mountains reached to the skies, the dominating crest of the mountain at the
Vulkanpaß still occupied by the enemy. Darkness was descending when we turned
sharply to the left, leaving the road and marching through meadows and fields
headed towards the forest.
A first
halt was made at the edge of the forest. Darkness had fallen, not a star was to
be seen in the heavens. The trees towered above us giving the impression of an
impassable wall. Having carried out two hours of rapid uphill marching the men
already felt the strain. The halt lasted 20 minutes and the men began to feel
the cold, they were happy to get moving again.
The Battalion
advanced in single file. Within minutes the forest swallowed up the last man.
The dampness and smell of rotting foliage was unpleasant. In the darkness it
was impossible to see your hand in front of your face. The men held onto the
bayonet sheath or bayonet knot of the man in front of them to avoid losing
contact. There were no paths. The men were clambering up overgrown ravines,
ground which no human foot had touched for centuries, and even then, only by
day. It took incredible effort to advance. Calls like “Here! … Where are you?!
… Where are you going? … Not so fast! “ along with other calls mixed with “soldier
like” curses rang through the forest. The last reserves of strength were called
for, all bodies shivering from the effort. The lungs bursting, stomach muscles
aching as men tried to get a solid grip on the rocks and earth. From minute to
minute the progression became more difficult. The calls died down and only
panting was to be heard. Here a huge tree lays across the path, its rotting
wood disintegrating when you try to climb over it, there vines that grab your
legs and trip you up, then a stone that breaks free when you grip it and sends
you falling to the ground, invariably landing on a log or rock.
Just before
one in the morning we reach the assembly area on the top of Height 1159, the
command post of the Alpenkorps’ Reserve Jäger Bataillon Nr. 10. The men fall to
the ground, limbs aching, longing for some relief. They are drenched in sweat, lying
on the cold damp ground when the rain begins. It was pitch-dark, nothing could
be seen, one could only hear the “thump, thump,” as the men collapsed to the
ground. It had required almost superhuman efforts from the men to get this far,
six and a half hours after leaving their quarters at Livazeny.
Wrapped in coats
and Zeltbahn (Shelter Half) the troops try to get some sleep, woken again and
again by the cold. At 03:00 am it is so cold that some of the men try to light
a fire, at first a small one, then a bigger one. As it grows it casts the shadows
of the men gathering around to warm their hands. Their expressions are earnest,
but not exhausted, waiting for the coming day. They are men who know what was
ahead of them, all had been under fire and know their duty. At 04:00am there is
movement, someone must have said something about moving out. A moment later
came the order. The soaked Zeltbahns and coats were rolled up and attached to the
packs. The order to move out in single file came and the battalion advanced,
this time along the treeless slopes. The folly was seen at 05:45 when dawn
approached. The men were marching along a path 100m below the crest. A cold
wind howled across the heights and shook the men awake. The unpleasantness of
the night was forgotten as the men were confronted with the new day. Every hour
there was a short break in which the men could admire the wonders of nature
around them. The troops were at an almost dizzying height.
Below in
the pass the road from Livazeny to Vulkan appeared as a thin grey line bordered
by the forest covered ravines which had been crossed during the night. The
palette of colors is beautiful. The dark blue sky and the yellow Pusta (?) in
the distance. In front of us the sun lights the mountainous areas taken from
the enemy between the 14th and 22nd of Sept. Below the
dark green of the pine forests, the lighter green of the beech trees and the
weathered green and black of the rock and cliffs. The beauty of the morning has
its effect and soon the men are chatting, jokes being exchanged. The men regain
their energy and spirit. At 10:00am there is a halt under an overhanging peak. During
the break the orders for the attack arrive.
The heights
around the Vulkan pass were to be cleared of enemy soldiers. The II./I.R. 187
was to help the 2. and 3. Komp. of the bayr. Jäger Bataillon 1. to attack heights
1692-1691 in the direction of the enemy positions stretching from heights
1692-1693. The companies of the 2. bayr. Jäger Bataillon would attack on their
flank.
Soon after
the German and Austrian mountain batteries began their bombardment. During this
time more detailed orders were given. The basic goal was to clear the heights
on both sides of the Vulcan Pass. After the briefing and orders the Battalion
commander and other officers took up positions to observe the artillery fire,
waiting for the right moment to attack. Some of the soldiers ate their
remaining rations while some of the more worrying kind questioned if that was
sensible in view of a possible stomach wound. Others passed the time telling
jokes to avoid slipping into the doldrums. What is the point of worrying? Take
it as it comes, there is always time to complain afterwards if it all goes
wrong. At the moment there is no reason to hang our heads. The sun is shining,
we are in good shape, good spirits. The bad will come soon enough. When you are
with positive comrades the mood is lifted and the time passes pleasantly. Finally,
the order comes for the attack. A final shiver goes through the body, the rifles
firmly gripped in our hands, with a loud “Hurrah!” the 5. Komp. rushes
forward.
The enemy
is hypnotized. Bending forward, their eyes open in astonishment, it takes them
some moments to realize what is happening. Then heavy rifle fire begins on both
sides. The attackers are the better marksmen and our right wing is almost upon
the enemy positions. A last “Hurrah!” and we are in among them. Those who
escape flee down the steep incline into the valley and forest. A good number of
these were shot and lay where they fell. The enemy was chased over the heights;
further positions were rolled up as we advanced. The enemy had no leadership
anymore and the positions which followed were not so strongly manned. We
succeeded in reaching the pass heights 1621 and 1672. When crossing over this
last height a strong enemy contingent with two machineguns confronted us. Our
artillery support offered no assistance and as the enemy was well dug in the situation
rapidly worsened. All along the front we try to push forward, in vain. Wild
shooting from both sides, first kneeling, then laying down. The first wounded
have left the battlefield and our ranks begin to thin out. More wounded and
dead litter the battlefield and heartbreaking screams of pain ring out. Calls
for Medics or water mix with the hammering of machine guns.
Above: Hans Luger, a Jäger Machine Gunner would have been killed in the action described below
A German machine gun
(2nd Jäger Batl.) is set up on our right flank and tries to return fire but the enemy has seen it
already. The gunner sinks to the ground with a cry as a bullet shatters his
skull. The bravery of the others is to be marveled, they try and man the machine gun
again and again… a number of them lose their lives. A further advance is not an
option. The men of various companies lay mixed in the front line. The sun
signals its departure and the last rays are hidden by thick clouds. On both
sides the hammering of the guns keeps up its tempo, in some respects it
increases, a bitter fury, a fanatical, mindless lawnmower of fire.
As darkness
descends and the heavy rain clouds take their place in the heavens the
deafening fire fades away. Only now does one begin to understand, or not
understand, the horrors of war. Stunned and confused the men rise from the
earth they had clung to for the last few hours. The limbs are heavy, the brains
unwilling to think, the experience of the last few hours weighs heavily on the
soul. Wherever you look the same pitiful, horrible scenes that shake the
strongest of nerves. The badly wounded need to be bandaged and carried to the
rear. The Medics cannot do this alone. Only when midnight arrives do the men
have time to think of themselves. But now it is time to dig. Using spades,
bayonets and hands the men try to dig holes between the rocks. At 02.00am we
are shaken by wild fire from the enemy positions, the men hug the ground,
rifles in hand, staring towards enemy lines. Soon after the firing stops and we
continue to prepare our defenses.
After the
fighting on the 22nd September the two days that followed were
relatively calm. Sudden artillery fire by both sides kept the situation static.
The pause in the fighting allowed the men to rejoin their companies, improve
the defensive line and resupply with ammunition and rations. The two companies
of the 1. Bayer Jäger Battalion were withdrawn and we, along with our
neighbors, filled the void. We joined with the neighboring 2. Bayer. Jäger
Bataillon of the Gruppe Bauernschmidt under whose command we now found
ourselves.
Due to
losses suffered on the day of the attack and continuing small losses in the two
days which followed, the difficulty exacerbated by taking over the positions of
the 1. b.J.B. and then the withdrawal of a machine gun platoon, our firepower
was relatively depleted. We received reinforcements in the form of three
Austrian machineguns, but these proved to be useless in the days that followed.
The Battalion’s positions were very isolated, the situation difficult and we
could not count on further support. In spite of this the spirits remained high in
spite of the knowledge that a counter attack must come soon.
At 5:30 am
on the 25th of September the enemy Artillery began to pound the
German positions. As the fire increased the attached Austrian mountain
batteries were unable to counter the enemy artillery. The enemy artillery
concentrated their fire on Height 1672 and it could be assumed the main thrust
of the attack would take place there. At 08:15am the enemy assault waves advanced
in masses towards height 1672 but were beaten back by fire from the 6. Komp. I.R.
187. No sooner had they retreated when a new assault wave began to advance.
Relief was
provided by the 2. B.J.R on the right flank which poured fire into the ranks of
the attackers as they headed for the 6. Komp. The combined fire power beat back
attack after attack. After a short pause to recover from their bloody losses the
weakened enemy tried again and again between 11:00 am and 13:00pm to reach the
heights. The losses were horrendous, the assault waves decimated before they
could leave their own positions. There was now a five-hour pause before a third
attack was launched. The exhausted defenders, out in the open and under enemy
artillery fire beat these last assault waves back as well. At 20:00pm the enemy
ran out of steam. The assault troops had suffered terrible losses and were
apparently refusing to continue. The night was relatively calm with sudden
volleys of shots from the enemy positions. The II. Btln. I.R. 187 had a bloody
day behind it and had suffered losses of its own.
Unexpectedly
orders reached us from the Gruppe Bauernschmitt that there would be a pullback
as soon as the situation allowed it.
The
withdrawal was ordered because of a Romanian advance in a neighboring sector. It
was carried out in secrecy and went unnoticed by the enemy. On the following
day the Romanians attacked the empty positions after a heavy artillery
bombardment. As can be expected the German troops pulled back with dampened
spirits, as is natural after abandoning ground that had been gained with such
heavy losses.
Above: Awards and Documents belonging to Lt. d.L.II Zieglwalner including the bullet which wounded him in Romania (The Edelweiss did not belong to him)
On the
10.10.1916 Generalmajor Busse commander of the 301 Infanterie Division reviewed
the Battalion and awarded 30 Iron Cross 2nd Class to the Jäger. He handed
Oberstleutnant Bauernschmitt an Iron Cross 1st Class for Leutnant
der Reserve Zieglewalner who was by then in hospital in München. Zieglewalner
had been seriously wounded by a bullet in the lung during the attack on the
22.10.1916. He had been rescued by his Batman Johann Schneider. The Iron Cross
was forwarded to him in Hospital. In November
1916 he transferred to a hospital in Aschaffenburg and at the end of December
1916 to a hospital in neighboring Alzenau. He returned to Service but due to
his age and seriousness of his wound his time as a Jäger were over. In April
1917 took command of the Bavarian Flieger Bau Komp. 4.
Left: As commander of the Flieger Bau Komp.
At the end
of the war he returned to Alzenau to take over the management of his Brewery.
In 1925 he drowned when his car tipped into a river after flooding had weakened
the riverbank.
Our
Battalion, along with the F.M.G. Zug 318 (Machine Gunners) was to join the “Gruppe
Paulus” for an attack on the Vulkanpaß. As soon as the four company commanders
had reported the Captain gave orders for the Battalion to march along the road
from Livazeny to Zsilyvajdejvulkan. The pace was fast. To the left of the road
the mountains reached to the skies, the dominating crest of the mountain at the
Vulkanpaß still occupied by the enemy. Darkness was descending when we turned
sharply to the left, leaving the road and marching through meadows and fields
headed towards the forest.
