Wytschaete, Flanderrn WW1.

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Gents,

upon my recent return visit to Kempten in the Allg?u region, I revisited a place I stumbled across near to the house where I was living,

I lived for 4 years on the outskirts of Kempten, on Adelharzer Weg, while wandering in the woods to the rear of the house I discovered this commemorative memorial stone.

The inscription reads:

"GEDENKSTEIN FUR DEM IM WELTKREIGE GEFALLENEN HELDEN MAX HERGENRODER

FORSTASSISTENT IN KEMPTEN + 26.SEPT.1914.WYTSCHAEDE."

Kevin in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

My buddy Alec, brought me around some of the small Kempten back streets, in Haubenschloss, to show me a plaque he had spotted upon the wall of a house near Haubenschloss. Apparantly post WW1, the street used to be called Wytschaetestrasse!!

"Wytschaetestrasse 2,

In der Allerheiligennacht 1914 st?rmen die Allg?uer Kriegsfreiwilligen dreimal Wytschaete in Flandern."

Does anybody have any information of the particular Bavarian Units that took part in the campaign in far off Flanders?

Kevin in Deva.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Kev in Deva

[Chris Boonzaier]

I would go with 6th Bavarian Reserve Division... Old 'Itlers division.

[Chris Boonzaier]

16th, 17th, 20th, and 21st Bavarian Reserve Regiments. plus other odds and sods.

Now which regt.... that would be more difficult.

[Kev in Deva]

Another military related plaque on the wall of a building that is now the Alpine Museum,

near the Residensehoff, in Kempten, which was formely the Calvary quarters,

with stables for the horses beneath.

Kevin in Deva.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Kev in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

To the rear of Haubenschloss, can be found hidden away in the trees, the WW1 & WW2 Denkmal:

Close-up of the lower section:

DEM K. B. 1. JAGER BATTALION KONIG 1815 -1919.

Kevin in Deva.

[Kev in Deva]

This one nearby is newer and I believe for Sailors.

Kevin in Deva.

[Kev in Deva]

Inscription:

and nearby this small wooden monument to the Gebergsj?ger of WW2:

Kevin in Deva.

[Kev in Deva]

Close up of carved inscription.

Kevin in Deva.

[rast]

6th Bavarian Reserve-Division would be a good guess, only: they were not in Flanders in September 1914. The division arrived there by the end of October.

I've only some few copies of the "Allg?uer Kriegschronik", a weekly periodical published in Kempten. It has about three to five pages per week filled with "our heros" (the KIAs), approx. 10 per page. Unfortunately, that Max Hergenr?der is not among those I have.

It would, however, seem that men from the Kempten region did not only serve in Bavarian regiments (3., 20., 12., Res 12., 3. Ldw, 16. Res, 18. Res, etc.) but also in W?rttemberg units, e.g.: 120, 124, 127, Res 120.

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Rast

many thanks for the additional info.

Two other stone tablets with military units inscribed are mounted on the walls of the Residenze, near the Kaufhoff Store.

Please see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=12280

Kevin in Deva.

[rast]

I've looked into the books: There were no German (including Bavarian) troops near Wyschaete by the end of September 1914. Thus, if the inscription is to be correct, the man should have been a POW, dying in an Entente hospital or camp.

Bavarian troops were in vicinity Wyschaete by the end of October 1914, II. b.AK and the 6. b.RD, the latter storming Wyschaete on 1st/2nd November several times.

[Kev in Deva]

I've looked into the books: There were no German (including Bavarian) troops near Wyschaete by the end of September 1914. Thus, if the inscription is to be correct, the man should have been a POW, dying in an Entente hospital or camp.

Bavarian troops were in vicinity Wyschaete by the end of October 1914, II. b.AK and the 6. b.RD, the latter storming Wyschaete on 1st/2nd November several times.

Hallo rast

On the plaque with the name Wyschaetestrasse 2, does Allerheiligennacht 1914 reffer to the day of what we call "All Souls Night" (Commemoration for the Dead) ???

Please excuse my ignorance of traditional religious holy days in Germany.

Kevin in Deva.

[rast]

Allerheiligen = All Saints = 1st of November

Allerseelen = All Souls = 2nd of November,

both catholic holy days, thus very important for Bavarians.