Table of Contents
1 The beginnings of trench warfare Jäger-Bataillon 13 5
Invasion battles and the 'Race to the Sea' 7
Trench warfare at L'Epinette 9
Postscript: Jäger-Bataillon 13 at war December 1914-November 1918 18
2 The Breweries at Frelinghien 19
The war reaches Frelinghien 21
The Südbrauerei 22
The Nordbrauerei 26
A hundred years later 30
3 At Ploegsteert Wood 31
The battle for Ploegsteert Wood 33
The onset of trench warfare 37
Biographical notes 38
Christmas 1914 at Ploegsteert Wood 41
The first weeks of 1915 43
Reorganisation and development of the line 43
Spring 1915 to summer 1916 48
South of Ploegsteert Wood 57
The artillery 59
A hundred years later 64
4 The First Battle of Ypres Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 245 65
From the diary of Major Alfred von Heygendorff 67
A neutral view 80
5 The Second Battle of Ypres Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 245 81
From the diary of Hauptmann Curt John 83
From the diary of Major Alfred von Heygendorff 86
A hundred years later 96
6 The Second Battle of Ypres XXVII. Reservekorps 97
Situation on the corps front in early 1915 99
Preparations for the offensive 100
The battle begins 101
The Saxons reach Zonnebeke 104
The offensive continues 106
Three photos and what they tell us 115
7 In the rear of XXVII. Reservekorps 117
Command and control 119
The supply chain 125
Medical services 129
Kommandos 132
Rest and rebuilding 136
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 245 as hosts in Waterdamhoek 146
Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon 25 at rest in Pittem 151
A hundred years later 156
8 In the Wytschaete Salient 1915-1916 Infanterie-Regiment 182 157
At Bayernwald 159
Resting at Ruddervoorde 164
The verdict of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 213 167
St. Eloi and Halluin 169
The other side of no mans's land 173
A hundred years later 176
9 A Summer in Flanders: 1917 23. Reserve-Division 177
At Het Sas und Bikschote 179
In the Third Battle of Ypres - Pilkem und Langemarck 181
The Hell of Passchendaele 185
10 The Third Battle of Ypres Infanterie-Regiment 133 189
Offensive preparations and the Battle of Messines: January-July 1917 191
On the fringe of the Third Battle of Ypres: July-September 1917 193
The defense of Gheluvelt - October 1917 195
The other side of no mans's land 201
11 The 58. Infanterie-Division 1917/1918 203
An ominous arrival in Flanders 206
The battle for Houthulst Forest 207
Houthulst Forest in the aftermath 209
At Poelkapelle and Langemarck 214
Biographical notes 216
12 Those who remained in Flanders 223
A day with 245's friedhofskommando 225
State of the friedhof Hollebos in 1918 230
Other Saxon graves and cemeteries 231
A hundred years later 246
13 Appendices 247
