New picture officer

[Poulton Palmer]

Hi gentlemen,

some time ago I posted something.

Here is a picture i got from a collector friend. I like it very much but don't know the ribbons.

It is a Leutnant from Inf Rgt 32?

On the backside there is the following text: "gefallen am 16 sept 1914".

I would very much like to know where this gentlemen died.

Greetings Poulton.

[Dave Danner]

He was a Hauptmann in IR 32. I don't know why the pips are missing or fuzzy. You can barely make them out as bumps on the right strap.

Gustav Leopold Friedrich v. Vogel, 19.4.1872-16.9.1914.

A Hauptmann in IR 32, promoted to Major on 19 August 1914, wounded on 11 September 1914 by Adamsheide, East Prussia, died on 16 September in Rogahlwalde, East Prussia.

Ribbons are:

Prussia: Red Eagle Order 4th Class

Prussia: Centenary Medal

Baden: Order of the Zähringer Lion, Knight 2nd Class

Saxony: Albert Order, Knight 1st Class

Saxe-Weimar: Order of the White Falcon, Knight 2nd Division

Baden: 1902 Jubilee Medal

Thailand: Order of the White Elephant, Knight

[Poulton Palmer]

Wow Dave! Thanks.

I am amazed at the speed and knowledge: respect.

What I don't understand is that on the back at the bottom of the pic it says: "Dies liebe Vera, schrieb er mir als ersten Gruß auf dem Transport nach Belgien und seine Augen haben dabei geweint".

The two words which are underlined: I don't know if these are correct.

So he went to Belgium in 1914 at the start of the big conflict, isn't it strange then that he is wounded in East Prussia on 11 september 1914?

Many greetings from the beautiful Bruges,

Poulton

[Dave Danner]

The Russians invaded East Prussia shortly after the Germans invaded Belgium, surprising the Germans, who did not expect the Russian Army to mobilize and move so quickly. After the battles to take the Belgian forts at Liege and Namur, IR 32 was part of the forces pulled from the Western Front and sent east. They arrived in time to participate in the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. The fight in the Rogahlwalde, also spelled Rogalwalde, was part of that campaign.

The Germans defeated the Russian invasion, but it may have cost them the war, since the whole German war plan for a two-front war hinged on defeating the French quickly so they could then turn to face the Russians. The Russian invasion diverted German attention and resources that might have made a difference on the Marne.

[Poulton Palmer]

Hi Dave,

I must thank you once again for this interesting military history lesson!

Cheers, Poulton