Hujcze - September 6/7 1914

Introduction 

The following article is the description of a relatively unknown action fought by the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment in the late Summer of 1914 on the sandy plains of Northern Galicia in what is the present day Ukraine. In early September 1914,the best part of two battalions of the regiment, commanded by the youthful Oberst Alexander Brosch Edler von Aarenau were engaged by a six fold superior enemy force and were decimated in the ensuing action. In the epic that followed, the colonel was killed alongside many of his men and the regimental colour was captured by the Russians. The sacrifice of the regiment enabled the XVII.Korps and rest of the 3rd infantry division to successfully withdraw and evade capture and to build up a new defensive front. Following further withdrawals to the line of the River Dunajec the line was eventually stabilised. This article attempts to inform the reader in English of a much under reported theatre of operations in the Great War and in particular the capacity of the Austrian infantrymen so often maligned by contemporary authors. Holger Herwig in his "The First World War - Austria and Germany 1914-1918" rather unfairly describes the affair in a couple of lines as a senseless bayonet charge, which cost 2000 men which it did not and was not. Much of the specific action on the 6th and 7th of September 1914 is recounted from Ernst Wißhaupt's "Die Tiroler Kaiserjäger im Weltkriege" and the maps are also reproduced from that source and Österreich-Ungarns Letzter Krieg.

Regimental organisation and Preceding events

The 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was one of four regiments on the Tyrolean Kaiserjäger establishment. As its name suggests, the regiment was recruited primarily from the population of the Austrian Tyrol and also the Italian speaking part of the South Tyrol known as the Trentino. Originally the Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment had been an extremely large single regiment composed of sixteen battalions which was reorganised  in 1895 into four separate four battalion regiments. Just prior to mobilisation,  the 2nd regiment with it's regimental staff and 1st and 2nd battalions was garrisoned in Bozen (Bolzano), the 3rd battalion in Meran-Untermais (Merano) and the 4th battalion in Brixen (Bressanone). The ethnic composition of the personnel of the 2nd regiment was as follows: 55% German, 41% Italian and 4% of other nationalities. The commander since 1911 had been the 44 year old Oberst Alexander Brosch Edler von Aarenau, a gifted young colonel and general staff officer who had previously been the head of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's military chancery. The principle officers of the regiment at mobilisation were as follows:

The regiment was a component of 15.Infanteriebrigade (Generalmajor Theodor Stipek), 3.Infanteriedivision (Feldmarschalleutnant Josef Roth) of XIV.Korps under command of General der Infanterie Erzherzog Josef Ferdinand. Brigaded with the 2nd Kaiserjäger was the famous 14th Infantry regiment "Hessen".

XIV.Korps was part of General der Kavallerie Rudolf Ritter von Brudermann's third army which by mid August was assembled in the Sambor-Lemberg (Lvov) area. To third armys left i.e. North was General der Infanterie Moritz Ritter von Auffenberg's 4th army and General der Kavallerie Viktor Dankl's first army. To third army's South was General der Infanterie Hermann von Kövess's "army group"; in fact the forward element of 2nd army in transit from the Serbian theatre. Commencing on the 23rd August the Austro-Hungarian armies advanced into the Russian empire on differing axes. 1st Army moved North in the direction of Lublin, 4th army in a North-Easterly direction and Brudermann's third army due East in the direction of Rovno. Initially XIV.Korps had been the left hand corps of third army with the task of covering fourth armies flank but by the 26th of August had been attached to fourth army. Although the Austrians secured initial victories at Krasnik and Komarów in the North, the Russians were able to benefit from the widely differing axes of the Austrian forces and third army was defeated at the battle of the River Gnila Lipa on 28/29 August 1914. A sixty mile gap appeared between first and fourth armies to the North of Lemberg into which the Russians poured and the Austrian first and fourth fourth armies were in danger of encirclement.  By the first week of September XIV.Korps alongside General der Infanterie Blasius Schemua's II.Korps  moved to the Northern flank of fourth army as a part of the newly formed "Army Group Erzherzog Josef Ferdinand"  in the area of Rava Ruska. With the Austrians desperately trying to stabilise the front,  3.Infantereidivision found itself in the gap between the two armies and was trying to secure the left flank of fourth army. Whilst withdrawing South at the head of the 3.Infanteriedivision to new positions in the area of Grzeda on the evening of the 6th of September, the 2nd Kaiserjäger encountered the whole of the 11th Russian infantry division. The regimental history takes up the story:

 On the 6th September 1914 at about six o'clock in the evening, the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment moved out from the area Southeast of Domaszów. Major von Bézard led the vanguard: 8th company under Oberleutnant Wanke and 5th company under Hauptmann Beck. Behind followed the advance guard reserve: 6th company under Oberleutnant Hugetz and 7th company under Hauptmann Novák, then the 2nd machine gun detachment under Hauptmann von Jakob and finally the 3rd battalion. In this manner the 2nd Kaiserjäger moved towards the South in the great beechwood and attempted to reach Grzeda. Oberst von Brosch, the regimental commander rode at the point of 6th company. 

Initially, the advance went quickly, then marshy ground checked the movement. At dusk as the vanguard neared the hunting lodge named Na Granicy, the rattling sound of carts rang out from over to the South. The vanguard ran into an hussar patrol whose commander explained that it wasn't able to effect further reconnaissance in the direction of the noise as the patrol would give itself away by riding through the many puddles. Major von Bézard halted the vanguard and sent ahead patrols under Oberjäger Lapka and Zugsführer Stefan Feiersinger. Stalking with the utmost silence, the courageous members of the patrols saw a Russian camp filled with train wagons and horsemen just to the South of the forest edge. No sentries guarded the entrance. 

In the meantime Oberst von Brosch had arrived at the head of the column in order to inquire about the cause of the hold-up. Major von Bézard reported to his regimental commander, that he would not move ahead out of the forest until it was ascertained whether Austrian or Russian troops would be found over at the Na Granicy hunting lodge. After a few feverish minutes of high tension Oberjäger Lapka returned and excitedly brought to his regimental commander the news of the observed Russian bivouac. In order to be certain that the Russians were camped over there, on the instructions of Oberst von Brosch, Major von Bézard with his Adjutant, Oberleutnant Šaj went forward to the edge of the forest. 

Clearly, Major Bézard and his adjutant also recognized Russian lancers and a group of horses of dismounted officers silhouetted in the light of the rising moon against a cluster of wagons; occasionally lights flashed; a draw well creaked incessantly. The busy movement showed that the camp had been first occupied a short time before.

The auspiciousness of the situation demanded quick action. Oberst von Brosch decided to assault the camp. The advance battalion formed into fire and assault groups with perfectly quiet order on both sides of the path just North of Na Granicy hunting lodge. Meanwhile the noise still rang out from the Russian train columns and also situated in a leisurely fashion were the Russians just South of the wood's edge. Major Ritter von Bézard had already thought to await for the approach of the machine-gun detachments of the 2nd and 3rd battalions in order to secure a smashing success. Suddenly, however, by accident a Cossack moving around the woods came across the 5th company and ran back to the encampment crying loudly. That forced Hauptmann Alois Beck to give the immediate order to open fire. In the same moment shots whipped through the night, assault-like fire crackled on the whole front. The effect was at first extreme in that in the encampment everything was in utter confusion, then however all movement died away.

Major von Bézard ordered the firing to stop, but it was difficult to get the order through the packed marsh to the Jägers. Individual follow-up detachments pushed forward, others held back, West of the path to the South in projecting woodland they fired at one another. When the fire now finally subsided, the 5th company with Hauptmann Beck leading and small groups of the 6th, 7th and 8th companies, whose wild "hurra-a-a" roared through the night, assaulted into the encampment. More than a hundred Russians surrendered willingly. Additionally even a Russian divisional commander, an artillery brigade commander and several officers were taken. And while Hauptmann Beck with his Jägers searched the Russian encampment, Zugsführer Bonsert , who with a patrol had pushed out to the right to secure the flank suddenly saw Russians from the West creeping up along the forest edge. On receipt of the report, Hauptmann Beck without a moments hesitation led his company running back into the wood, brought it rapidly into a front against the new enemy who at close proximity were received with a devastating fire and were chased into flight.

Hauptmann Beck charged with the 5th company into the encampment again, individual groups of the 6th, 7th and 8th companies, including Oberleutnants von Dragoni and Wilhelm joined in. On the causeway south of the hunting lodge stood seven guns that had driven into each other  with dead horses in the traces. They were rendered inoperable by Hauptmann Beck and his Jägers. And while this all came about, Major von Bézard also prepared with those parts of the 2nd battalion held in reserve on the woods edge to advance. But just as he wanted to give the order to advance two Austrian soldiers, who had escaped from the Russians on the assault of the encampment warned him there, with urgent words: "Herr Major, don't attack, there's a whole Russian division in the wood with a lot of artillery". The Russian prisoners under guard had suspected the same. Major Bézard sent this highly important message to Oberst von Brosch and awaited the return of the non-commissioned officer who was sent looking for the regimental commander.

Oberst von Brosch who had stormed forward with the 5th company had in the meantime ordered the newly arrived troops from the 2nd Kaiserjäger at the woods edge (2nd and 3rd machine-gun detachments, the regimental pioneer and telegraph detachment and the 3rd battalion) into the captured encampment. With this group including the prisoners, Oberst von Brosch set off,  apparently of the opinion that the remaining companies of the 2nd and 1st battalions were closed up and continued the march to the South in order to reach the destination already given to him, Grzeda at midday. Furthermore, Oberst von Brosch believed, that with this advance he was acting fully in accordance with the wishes of his divisional commander, because this had itself been reported in the message of the successful assault. The non-commissioned officer sent to the divisional headquarters on his return reported them "obviously pleased"  and the instruction given through an orderly officer: "old order remains in force!"

But the capture of a Russian divisional staff had soon shown to Feldmarschalleutnant Roth that they could at any moment meet a strong enemy and he decided on the suggestion of Generalmajor von Schneider, to postpone the advance on Hujcze-Grzeda to the next morning, especially since his troops were very much over-tired and the divisional artillery was marching on the road from Uhnów to Rzyczki and therefore not available. Overnight Generalmajor von Schneider with the 2nd Kaiserjäger Regiment and with the moving up 28th infantry regiment should occupy in deeper, wider formation the wood's edge on both sides of the hunting lodge 228; behind, the 14th and 59th infantry regiments had to camp.

But now when Generalmajor von Schneider found out, that the Kaiserjäger had already turned towards Grzeda, he wanted to send forward to them beyond the wood, infantry regiment 28 as reinforcements, and he himself rode on ahead to Oberst von Brosch with his brigade staff - Oberleutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Handel-Mazetti, Oberleutnant Friedrich and Leutnant Baron Dreihann. Meanwhile Hauptmann Beck's company was East of the causeway leading to Grzeda advancing through bog up to the Dąbrowa farm. West of the causeway at the same level stood the combined group of parts of the 6th, 7th and 8th companies under Oberleutnant von Dragoni; close up behind on the causeway stood the 2nd and 3rd machine-gun detachments under Hauptmann von Jakob, the regimental pioneer and telegraph detachment with the prisoners and then the 3rd battalion. Since the enemy concealed itself in Dąbrowa, Oberst von Brosch wanted to await for the arrival of infantry regiment 28. It had now become 11 o'clock in the evening.

Just about this time from the direction of the woods West of the hunting lodge Na Granicy and in the Russian camp already searched by the Kaiserjäger heavy firing was audible. Soon enemy bugle calls sounded out from over there and indicated that the enemy had interpolated itself between the greater part of the 3rd division and the the 2nd Kaiserjäger. But apparently also over in Grzeda stood the Russians. They heard from this small town noise and the clatter of wagons. In this confused situation  Oberst von Brosch took the heroic decision, with his group to fight his way through to the West across country in order that the connection with the left flank of the XIV.Korps could be won which he expected at Rzyczki.

In the meantime with the majority of the 3rd division, things developed as follows: Except for parts of Major von Bézards 3rd battalion, the 28th, 59th "Rainer" and the 14th "Hessen" infantry regiments were under the divisional commander's control and had come to a halt next to the hunting lodge Na Granicy and further North in the woods. Hauptmann von Laube's 1st battalion which initially ought to have moved as the left flank column of the division to Grzeda, could not work through the hardly passable bog via Na Piłce and had therefore turned via Iwanki. In front of the hunting lodge Na Granicy the battalion ran into the column of the 28th infantry regiment just advancing now through the wood. Part of this regiment assaulted once again the encampment already assailed by the kaiserjäger. Hauptmann von Laube proceeded with about 80 men of the 1st battalion and with a platoon of the 28th towards the Russian occupied Dąbrowa farm, without however, being able to contact Oberst von Brosch's group which in the meantime had moved to the West. The causeway to Grzeda was under Russian machine-gun fire. Nothing else remained for Hauptmann von Laube ,but to lead his small band back to the hunting lodge Na Granicy.There was great confusion there. In the darkness the 28th and the moving up 59th infantry regiments had become mixed up. Shots cracked from all sides. The Russians emerged again in front of the hunting lodge. Soon the 28th withdrew. Parts of the 59th infantry regiment had to be deployed at the woods edge for their reception. During this chaotic gunfight many Kaiserjäger were hit by the whizzing projectiles. Leutnant Alfred Röttig was killed, Hauptmann Alois von Laube und Leutnant Dr. Hermann Candussi were wounded. 

The assault on the Russian encampment had worked like a grab into a wasps nest. It looked as if an attack against the right flank of the 3rd division in the wood threatened. There were ever more Russians before the front. In the rear, the advance of the Russians threatened beyond Domaszów. In this situation, in order to gain the hook-up with XIV. Korps, Feldmarschalleutnant Roth decided to lead the 3rd division back to Michalówka and from there out on the road leading to Rzyczki.

The fate of the cut-off part of the 2nd kaiserjäger regiment however gave the divisional commander great concerns. Major von Bézard strived in vain to again make contact through patrols with Oberst von Brosch. When Generalmajor von Schneider didn't return, Major Podhaisky, the divisional chief of staff, also personally attempted to make his way along the causeway. He ran into Russians. An Ulan officer was killed during the same enterprise. At about daybreak, the Kaiserjäger detachments that had remained behind the hunting lodge Na Granicy heard the noise of battle and the bugle call "Cease fire" from over at Zaborze. Meanwhile the buglers at the woods edge blew the Kaiserjäger call.

At this time a patrol that had been sent to Grzeda also reported back: only Russians, but no Kaiserjäger encountered outside of the wood. Major von Bézard withdrew with his group of Kaiserjäger (parts of the 2nd and 1st battalions) behind  the 28th and 59th infantry regiments. It succeeded in crossing  the wide wooded area with exhausted troops also in considerable confusion and under small arms fire from Cossacks and assembling on a clearing next to the hunting lodge Plesnarski. In the process, Zugsführer Köll, Ploner, One-year volunteer Unterjäger Anton Christanell and one-year volunteer Andreas Bida especially distinguished themselves. They collected stragglers and brought them through. One-year volunteer von Schmidt and Offiziersdiener (officers' orderly) Fritz Mayer carried their wounded battalion commander back to the divisional dressing station at Jozefówka.

The regiments of the 3rd division marched across undulating ground East of Michalówka, in order to await the field cookers and munitions carts to replenish spent ammunition. With the front to the South, the "Rainer" marched up on the East flank, and to the right of them were the 28th infantry regiment as well as the 2nd Kaiserjäger ( 1st battalion and remainder of 2nd and 3rd battalions). In Michalówka the hard worked 28th infantry regiment assembled. Also at this village were the formerly employed advance guard of the division, the 4th battalion of the 2nd Kaiserjäger. 

At about 7 O'clock in the morning Russian detachments moved close up from out of the East and Southeast directions. Cossacks emerged , but however turned back again, when shots were fired against them. A detachment of the "Rainer" regiment , which up to this time had remained on the Southern edge of the wood next to the hunting lodge Na Granicy, still had included about a 25 man strong group of Kaiserjäger. It was the last of the group of the 12th company whose platoon commander, Josef Scheffauer, with great circumspection had led them out of the enemy encirclement. He reported that his regiment had been assaulted with a terrible fire and destroyed at daybreak. What had happened to Oberst von Brosch and his group? The last message about him was fetched by Generalmajor von Schneider on the morning of the 7th of September. He had spoken to the colonel for the last time and then under a hail of bullets, being able to do nothing more for him escaped across country on horseback. Still they hoped that Oberst von Brosch with the six cut-off companies would somehow have broken through. However this hope was not fulfilled. Oberst von Brosch and his followers remained missing. As they later read in the Russian newspapers, the colour of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was shown in Kiev. However nothing of the capture of Oberst von Brosch was announced. The war continued. In February 1916,  Hauptmann Beck who severely wounded, and in Russian captivity succeeded with the help of the Red-Cross to send a report from Irkutsk to regimental headquarters about the tragic events on that disastrous morning.

The Disaster at Zaborcze - 7th September 1914

Still in the dark of the night on the causeway leading from Grzeda to the West Oberst von Brosch hoped to link up with friendly troops. This Westerly march was an heroic action. At the head of the column formed up in skirmish lines was Hauptmann Beck's 5th company on the left and Oberleutnant von Dragoni's mixed little group on the right . Behind strode Oberst von Brosch, Generalmajor von Schneider with the brigade staff, Oberleutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Handel-Mazetti, Leutnant Baron Dreihausen, further back, the Ulan Oberleutnant Friedrich and the officers of the regimental staff, Hauptmann Schirnhofer, Oberleutnant kaiser, Feldkurat (padre) Dr. Drexel and the regimental surgeon Dr. Lebenhart. Forward on both flanks of the skirmish line, followed parts of the 3rd battalion under the command of Hauptmann Goppolt as well as the 2nd and 3rd machine-gun detachments under Hauptmann von Jakob with guns facing to the rear through a company of the 3rd battalion. In the middle of this square were the prisoners, the telephonists under Oberleutnant Frena and the regimental pioneers under Oberleutnant Hermann with the colour.

In this way the 2nd Kaiserjäger moved towards a small burning town in the West with smarting eyes, fixed bayonets and swaying rifles past the Russian occupied village of Hujcze without being noticed. Nevertheless they only moved forward slowly as newly ploughed fields and water ditches hampered the progress. At every halt the dead tired Jägers fell asleep. When at last dawn came there appeared in front a sand hill and on the right flank the outline of a small town. This was Zaborze. Therefore Oberst von Brosch moved off to the Northeast with his group.

After a little movement forward they heard the rattle of wagons from the town. Oberst von Brosch already believed he had the train of the 3rd division in front of him. Hauptmann Beck went to reconnoitre. It didn't take long as suddenly shots lashed out at the scouts in front through the rising morning. Hauptmann Beck saw in the dim light the Russians spring up, he immediately had 5th company open fire, his example being followed by Oberleutnant von Dragoni.

"The majority of the group" as explained by Hauptmann von Jakob " found themselves about 200 paces South of Zaborze, when suddenly from there and also from the woods an intense infantry and rifle fire hit us, to which at once also artillery fire from the town's edge joined in. Everyone looked for cover in the water ditches or behind clumps of ground and took up the battle on the spot. Between the two fire lines lay the prisoners. With the incoming fire the riding horses and the trace animals rushed in wild haste from it, so that just one packed machine-gun could be brought into position".

Hauptmann von Jakob who had just five men near him, manned the gun himself. Exhausted from the previous exertions,  the privations and the dreadful nervous strain, the fighters would sink into sleep during the pauses in the battle. As soon as the Jäger machine-gun fired, down crackled the rapid fire of the Russian guns, but which fortunately, as the artillery shells landed in the swampy ground, remained rather ineffective.

When it dawned, Hauptmann von Jakob suddenly saw strong Russian detachments, which moved out of the woods East of Zaborze against his right flank. He immediately brought the machine-gun against this dangerous enemy to good effect; also the Jägers in the thinly manned skirmish line fired enthusiastically. But losses mounted and ammunition shortages occurred. In this extraordinary critical situation Oberst von Brosch encouraged his Jägers to hold out, as the weak hope of relief by the 3rd division still remained with him. 

But Feldmarschalleutnant Roth was in the meantime withdrawing with the other regiments from the Southern edge of the wood towards Michalówka. With inner fury the Kaiserjägers encircled by the Russians held out in the destructive fire, Hauptmann Beck with his handful of men of the 5th company on the left flank, Oberleutnant von Dragoni on the right with his company and Hauptmann von Jakob with his machine-gun. Every act of courage couldn't help against the crushing superiority. In particular the Russians appeared ever nearer on the right flank. In this appalling situation the gradual fading of the skirmishing fire of the Jägers almost seemed sinister, which at times would totally cease. The battlefield resembled a field of corpses. The depressing feeling of abandonment took hold of even the most courageous.

As further resistance had become futile and also artillery fire had suddenly impacted in the rear of the skirmish line, the rest of the six Kaiserjäger companies attempted to escape to the South over the defended hills 253-231. This withdrawal presented a shocking picture. Those who could, ran, also the not too badly wounded crawled back with the last of their strength, in order not to be taken prisoner. But from all sides fatal fire was sprayed. Many were hit for the second time during the evasion, got to their feet again, until they remained lying shot.

Also Oberst von Brosch had certainly ascertained himself of the inescapable end, "The Russians should not take me alive, greet my wife for me", he cried out into the chaos. He was killed at this moment, his dimming eyes saw another brave Unterjäger, who placed himself astride his regimental commander and was himself killed from a Russian bullet. It was about 8 O'clock in the morning.

With the pioneers around the colour a whole squad of men had been shot, who had attempted to save it from the advancing Russians. Jäger Georg Werlberger, later Zugsführer Anton Graus, Heidacher and Jäger Johann Götsch, who in spite of his wounds had made the nighttime advance, had been anxious to save the palladium of the regiment. But the rescue of the colour was not successful as the Russians had penetrated from three sides and everyone who was not already dead or wounded was taken prisoner.

In total, as found out later, with Oberst von Brosch, 13 excellent officers had been killed at Zaborze. They were Hauptmann Ferdinand Schirnhofer, Karl Goppolt, Oberleutnant Friedrich Hermann von Sannwerd, Wilhelm Dragoni von Rabenhorst, Wilhelm Wilhem, Franz Frena (missing), Leutnant Franz Gloser, Hermann Steiner, Josef Novák, Richard Helmberger, Dr. Ernst Skutezky, Fähnrich Alois Garber and Friedrich Hartwich. In addition 158 non-commissioned officers and Jäger. Taken prisoner wounded on the battlefield of Hujcze were: Hauptmann Alois Beck, Wilhelm Jakob von Herminenthal, Feldkurat Dr. Karl Drexel, Kadett Ivo Becke and August Leva. The following were also captured: Major Ernst Devarda, Regimentsarzt Dr. Eduard Lebenhart, Oberleutnant Karl Kaiser, Leutnant Erwin Lang, Fähnrich Alois Mair, Robert Kommenda and Robert Kurt Leslé. Also Oberleutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Handel-Mazetti, Oberleutnant Friedrich (wounded) and orderly officer Leutnant Baron Dreihann were captured. The number of prisoners as indicated by the Russians was 160, of which most were wounded.

Aftermath

As previously stated, while the forgoing action had occupied the Russians, the remainder of 3rd division and XVII. Korps were able to successfully withdraw and build up a defensive line. The body of Oberst von Brosch was found in 1915 when Galicia was liberated by the Austro-Hungarian and German forces. Barely covered with earth, the skeleton of the colonel was found in the arms of his dead comrade, the un-named Unterjäger. Oberst Alexander Edler von Brosch was posthumously awarded the Golden Bravery Medal for officers in 1926.

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