In the earliest hours of September 2, 1914, the battalion headed for Villers-devant-Dun, where we got a short rest. Then the battalion hurriedly rejoined the regiment and, under a hot sun, marched through Andeville and Remonville to Landres. The enemy had retreated and the Meuse lay behind us. Morale was high in spite of the battles and exertions of the last few days. The band played as if we were on practice manoeuvres. To the south in the direction of Verdun we could see artillery flashes and hear the shell bursts. We marched west in the heat and dust.
At Landres, in the afternoon, we suddenly turned southeast. Over miserable paths and through heavily wooded terrain, the 124th Infantry hurried to the assistance of the hard-pressed 11th Reserve Division. In the woods one mile northwest of Gesnes, French artillery got the range and greeted us with a shower of shrapnel. The battalion halted and I was sent ahead in the direction of Gesnes to find a road that offered some cover from this artillery fire. Accompanied by a sergeant, I moved through a dense brush to the south edge of the woods where we were forced to take cover because of heavy fire raking the edge of the woods from the right. We continued to the left and discovered a fairly well protected road. On returning we found the battalion had moved. Hanle was waiting alone with the horse and reported that the column had marched off to the right. Ahead enemy shells were striking along the edge of the woods. Accompanied by Hanle and the sergeant, I rode forward toward Gesnes, in order to overtake the unit, on the road I had just reconnoitred. On leaving the edge of the woods I could not locate the battalion. Perhaps it had already passed over the hill on its way to Gesnes. An officer-less company of the 11th Reserve Division asked me to assume command. Soon three additional officer-less companies were following me. Deploying, I led my fairly large force from the edge of the woods in the direction of Gesnes. On a slope three quarters of a mile northwest of Gesnes we halted and reorganized and the result was quite imposing.
The ridge of the hill ahead was under intense fire from French rifles, machine guns, and artillery. Our own troops appeared to be engaged there. While my new formation was being reorganized, I rode forward and tied my horse to a bush on the protected slope close behind our own skirmish line. Up ahead I found elements of the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry, mixed with troops of the 123rd Grenadier Regiment, all engaged in violent fire fight with the enemy on the hills south and southwest of Gesnes. Our own attack had stalled in the face of heavy small arms and artillery fire and the men were digging in.
The enemy was well concealed and hard to locate even with field glasses and his artillery made life miserable for us. No one had seen anything of the 2nd Battalion. Was it still in the woods to our rear? I galloped back. On the way I met the colonel of the 123rd Grenadier Regiment and reported to him concerning the situation on the hill, giving him the location of the battalion that had placed itself under my orders. To my intense regret, an older officer was given command of this outfit and I was left free to continue my search for the 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry. I could not find it and rode back to the front line on the hill thirteen hundred yards northwest of Gesnes, collecting the parts of the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry, that remained there. Soon I had about a thousand men with me.
The French batteries opened with rapid fire, and during the next few minutes hell broke loose around us; then one after the other, the enemy batteries ceased firing and finally all were silent. Night fell and except for sporadic flare-ups the rifle fire died away. I continued looking for the 2nd Battalion on the hills west of Gesnes until late, but luck was against me and I returned to my men. All were worn out and hungry for they had not eaten since early morning. Unfortunately I could not supply them with rations and I had my doubts as to whether the kitchens had managed to get through Gesnes Woods. My intention was to start back at daybreak in the direction of Exermont where I hoped to locate my regiment. The night passed without incident and toward morning we had a decided drop in the temperature. My complaining stomach served in place of an alarm clock.
At dawn, French small-arms fire started in again over a broad front. We retired in the direction of Exermont, and in a hollow a mile and a half east of that place I found the regimental command post near which I located the 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry, which was in regimental reserve.
After reporting, I was given a new job. The battalion adjutant was a casualty, and I was ordered to take his place. The food situation was no better here than up forward and I ate some wheat grains to quiet my protesting stomach.
Infantry small-arms fire could be heard again, but the artillery had ceased firing. About 0900 the battalion commander took me with him on reconnaissance. The 1st and 2nd Battalions held the ridge between Exermont and Gesnes. During our ride we had ample opportunity to see the results of the last day's fighting. Dead were everywhere, and among them we recognized the bodies of Captain Reinhardt and Lieutenant Holmann who fell on the preceding day. Our own front line was now dug in and there was little to see of the enemy who still held Tronsol farm. We returned to the battalion.
My next job was to find the battalion kitchens and bring them up. This was an imperative task, for the troops had not eaten for more than thirty hours. To complicate matters, no one knew where the field kitchens were. I began by searching Gesnes and Romagne Woods and then proceeded to Romagne. The latter was full of vehicles belonging to the 11th Reserve Division. My next stop was at Gesnes because I remembered that the kitchens had been ordered there via Exermont, and I had a feeling that I would find them around our front lines. Gesnes was empty, and I headed toward Exermont which lay in the valley between the two fronts. Firing from the heights on both sides had ceased, and one mile southwest of Gesnes I ran into the entire 2nd Battalion combat train. My hunch was correct for they were ahead of the front line. Shortly afterward some scouts arrived with the information that the regiment was moving forward in a quarter of an hour. Under these circumstances, I left the kitchens where they were.
The hills around Tronsol farm were taken without further opposition. The enemy had withdrawn by the south leaving a few dead and wounded behind. The regiment bivouacked under canvas in the vicinity of the farm. My horse got a stall in the stable. He was in need of care after several strenuous days and cold nights.
World History
