A classic artillery slaughter...

[Chris Boonzaier]

Following research would not have been possible without a great article about an obscure battle written by Bruce I Gudmundsson...... And thanksto Tom Young for reworking the map....

[Chris Boonzaier]

The Battle at Bertrix...

The main body of the French 33rd Infantry Division was advancing northwards from Bertrix through the Forest of de Luchy. They were heading towards the village of Ochamps intending to continue into the open ground beyond. The marching column had four battalions of infantry at the head. Following them were thirty six of the divisions 75mm field guns which were protected by two more battalions of infantry.

Orders not to take the guns into the forest had been issued at the last minute but arrived too late to stop them advancing towards a disaster. To the north the unsuspecting French troops marched out of the forest towards Ochamps and soon realised that a strong German force occupied the town as a field battery opened fire on them. The direct fire of the battery was deadly and casualties multiplied as a second, then third battery opened fire on the French troops. In spite of the fire the French infantry advanced and managed to push some of the German forward posts aside but their advance was hampered by wire farm fences and the fact that they could not strike back at the German field artillery which was 1400 meters away. On the left flank things went slightly better for a French battalion. Out of site of the Germans they managed to advance along a gully to the south western corner of the village. Here they ran into three battalions of the German 87. Infanterie Regiment who were positioned there along with their machine gun company. The Germans were able to stop the attack but men from two other French battalions arrived to continue the assault. The commander of the German field artillery battalion ordered two batteries to limber up and sent them rushing down to the front line where they turned their field guns to face the advancing enemy and fired into the advancing French infantryman at point blank range. Four battalions of French infantry were being decimated while their three battalions of artillery lay immobile, stuck on the forest road.

[Chris Boonzaier]

The battle entries in the Militry pass for Moritz Weyersh?user, a field artilleryman who was in Ochamps during the fighting. Below is his paybook that would have beenwith him on the day of the battle.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Meanwhile to the right, on another road through the forest which ran at a 45 degree angle to the advancing French and coming out of the forest at Bertrix, the bulk of the German 21. I.D. was advancing southwards. There were nine battalions of infantry, nine batteries of field artillery and four batteries of heavy howitzers. They came out of the forest at Bertrix just as the last French guns were disappearing into it a few hundred meters away.

Shots were exchanged between the German vanguard and the French rearguard with the French keeping the upper hand and advancing towards the German infantry. The German commander, Generalleutnant von Oven ordered two battalions forward to counterattack at which they did at once. Movement was hampered as they were fired on not only by the French infantry spread out along the road into the forest but also by an independent battery of French field artillery far of to the rear which had seen the fighting break out.

The forward most German artillery battalion received seemingly suicidal orders to advance and without hesitating they rushed out of the forest, taking up positions on both sides of the road. All the while taking losses, the eighteen guns managed to set up and ready themselves for action. Fortunately for the Germans, the French infantry and artillery had been firing too high and many of their artillery shells had been duds. One of the German batteries faced the rear and took on the independent French battery which was about 5 kms from the point where they had exited the forest. The other two batteries opened fire on the French infantry and the three or four field guns which had been at the tail end of the column entering the forest. At a range of 400 m's the twelve German field guns made short work of the infantry and their handful of field guns as well as a handful of brave French soldiers who rushed out of the forest in an effort to recuperate the guns. The French battery to the rear seemed to loose interest in the fighting at Bertrix and adjusted its fire elsewhere.

To the north the French troops were stuck at the exit of the forest at Ochamps, to the south six battalions of German infantry and a battalion of field guns were blocking the southern exit towards Bertrix... and still the Germans did not realise the potential. Von Oven was rather worried about the ten batteries of his artillery still in the forest and fearing a French assault he ordered his men to counterattack. The manoeuvre was simple, 3000 infantryman did a simple right turn and advanced into the forest to meet a French attack that had never been launched. The right wing of the German attack ran into the French troops trapped to the south of Ochamps while those on the left wing ran into the rear elements of the French artillery column. The artillerymen defended themselves bravely with rifles and fists but were no match for the infantry. Soon the rear battalion was overrun. The two artillery battalions in the middle of the forest had but one way out of the mess. A trail turning left off the road had been spotted, a trail that led westwards out of the forest. The order was given for the two battalions to retreat down this trail, out of the forest then over hill 471 and to safety, which they proceeded to do.

[Chris Boonzaier]

The Iron Cross 2nd class document to a leutnant of the 27th Field artillery regt awarded for the Battle at Bertrix.

[Chris Boonzaier]

To the south the German artillery had exited the forest and had set up on the open ground leading to Bertrix. Eight batteries of field artillery and four batteries of field howitzers watched in excitement as the first retreating battalion of French artillery appeared on the opposite hill. The initial German firing was ragged but the sheer volume was enough to send the remnants of the battalion galloping, trying to reach safety. While the next battalion tried to avoid the skyline they were not able to manoeuvre their guns through the bogs and fences on the other side of the hill. At the end of the day the French division had managed to save only nine of its initial thirty six field guns.

As the Germans began rounding up the stragglers the French reserves arrived on the scene. Issued with confusing orders and advancing through the remains of the two destroyed battalions of their field artillery the five battalions of French infantry prepared to counter attack. Facing them were seven and a half German infantry battalions, six batteries of field guns, two batteries of light field howitzers and four batteries of heavy field howitzers. The German artillery was set up as if part of a textbook battle scenario. The field guns were in the front firing line, the light howitzers a few hundred meters behind them and the heavies a thousand meters behind the light howitzers. The French attack ran into a wall of shells and quite naturally crumbled, the Poilus retreating in disarray. It was the last disaster of an already catastrophic day. The French 33. I.D. had been destroyed and only the fact that the Germans did not realise the extent of their victory prevented them from chasing down and destroying the remnants of the French regiments.

[Chris Boonzaier]

The Iron Cross 2nd class document to a captain of the heavy artillery who took part in the final desctruction of the french forces at Bertrix/Ochamps.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I started doing a bit of research about bertrix when I got the first EK2 doc. It was a nice "complete battle in a nutshell" affair. Then igot the EK2 and 1 to the Hauptman. About a week ago while on EBAY I saw a Milit?rpass and Soldbuch with a EUR20 buy it now. no details about any of the entries.... so i thought... why not... go for it.

It arrived today and I was happy to see the tie in for the battle. What is interesting.... the Milit?rpass guy must have been to the north of the forest (entry is "Ochamps" while the Leutnant must have been to the south (Entry on the doc is "Bertrix")

[Ulsterman]

Bravo! Well written, interesting and fun to read-you made my morning Sir. Thankee.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Bravo! Well written, interesting and fun to read-you made my morning Sir. Thankee.

We aim to please ;-)

[Daniel Murphy]

Chris,

Great job of bringing a "few pieces of paper" back to life. Keep up the good work.

Dan Murphy

[dond]

Chris, you are the man!!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Chris, you are the man!!!

Thats what all the girls say ;-)

Thanks guys, it takes a lot of effort to dig out the details, sometimes I have the feeling it does not interest a lot of us

[Chip]

Chris,

Well, it sure does matter to those of us here. Another great vignette of the war brought to life with a few pieces of paper, your hard work and talent. Great job!

Chip

Edited April 20, 2006 by Chip

[IrishGunner]

QUOTE(dond @ Apr 20 2006, 17:02 ) ←

Chris, you are the man!!!

Thats what all the girls say ;-)

Thanks guys, it takes a lot of effort to dig out the details, sometimes I have the feeling it does not interest a lot of us

I've been digging back into the GMIC posts and found great interest in this one, Chris. This is what I hope to be able to achieve as I start my German artillery regiment collection. Great work!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

I can try and help in any way I can. Time is always limited, but the will is there.....

[IrishGunner]

Hi,

I can try and help in any way I can. Time is always limited, but the will is there.....

I also was surfing kaiserscross earlier today... I was thinking, "hmm, some more artillery pages would be nice..."

Once I get smarter on the topic, maybe I will be able to save you some time and help you... :beer:

[Mike Dwyer]

Very, very nice article, Chris. I thought it was kind of funny that your German captain has the same last name as the French general Maxime Weygand! :unsure:

[joerookery]

Chris,

You are the man! That was really nice. God bless.