World War I
The Regiment (7. Infantry Brigade, 4. Infantry Division, II. Bavarian Army corps) is a part of the 6. Army, which marches up between Metz and the Vosges. Only one day after mobilisation (01.08.) it is transported by train in 4 lots to the French border. On foot it reaches the City of Mörchingen (Morhange) in Lorraine and takes its first quarter in the barracks of the Infantry Regiment 131
Regimental strenght: 84 officer, 3,260 men and 234 horses
07.08.1914
Regiment moved to Orn (Oron) at the border river French Nied
11.08. - 15.08.1914
Outpost position near Püschingen (Puzieux), 11. company at Erlen (Aulenois)
20.08.1914
General attack of all troops in Alsace-Lorraine
Regiment attacks at 11:30 a.m. in direction Bruchkastel (Château-Bréhain) and overrules the enemy position near Wastingen (Vaxy) by strong heat21.08.1914
Capture of two Seille bridges at Château-Salines and Hédival
22.08.1914
Cross German-French border at Bezange-la-Grande, regiment is advance guard of the 4. ID
26.08.1914
Strong battles between Mortagne and Xermaménil
28.08 - 12.09.1914
War activity at the Meurthe (Hériménil, Baupré, Bois de Bareth)
19.09.1914
Retreat from Lorraine beyond the northwing of the Marne battle (4-day march to Metz, transport by train via Diedenhofen (Thionville) - Arlon to Namur, march to Nurlu, 12 km northern Péronne)
26.09. - 01.10.1914
Battle of the Somme (Guillemont, Ginchy, Bois Foureaux, Bazentin la grande / -la petite)
03.10. - 23.10.1914
Fight at Mametz (Beaumont, Fonquevillers)
24.10. - 28.10.1914
March via Templeux le Guérard, Anneux, Douai to Lille
29.10.1914
Onward march to Comines, crossing of the river Lys (Leie) and march to Kortewilde
30.10.1914
Attack and capture of palace Hollebeke (available only in German version)
Hollebeke palace 1914
31.10. - 03.11.1914Attack against the area behind the manor house and street of Klein-Zillebeke
04.11.1914March from Houthem via Wambeke to Oosttaverne, 11:30 a.m. attack against Wytschaete
05.11. - 10.11.1914Daily attacks of the 5th Infantry-Regiment
12.11.1914
1:00 p.m. after Artillery fire attack against the "Bayernwald (Bavaria forest)" at Diependaelebeek ground, the whole forest is captured. Regiment (II. and III. Battalion) takes 150 POW
13.11. - 16.11.1914
Four days of fierce fighting for the "Bayernwald". The forest is horribly destroyed!
Burnt trees, ragged bodies - friends like enemies - uncountable pieces of schrapnel on the ground
"Bayernwald"
19.11. - 19.01.1915
Trench warfare at St. Eloi
20.01. - 07.03.1915
Trench warfare at Wytschaete
08.03. - 21.10.1915
Trench warfare at Messines (Flanders)
22.10. - 16.07.1916
Trench warfare at Loos
Position warfare west of Hulluch beside the street of Lens; 27./28.04. Gas attacks show the unreliability of poisonous gas; 28.06. three war gas attacks by the enemy; 06.07. two war gas attacks by the enemy are uneffective; 16.07. Regiment retreats to Wahagnies and Libercourt17.07. - 24.08.1916
Action near Lens (mine- und gas war)
26.08. - 18.09.1916
Battle at the Somme
Lorry transport from Cambrai to Barastre, position between Foureaux and Delville forest (near Longueval, Bapaume, Flers); 15./16.09. heavy fighting days at Gallwitz-Riegel near to the street Flers-Ligny (strong Artillery fire, mixed with war gas grenades; Tank attacks)21.09. - 26.05.1917
Trench warfare at Lys and Deûlemont (daily until 300 heavy mines on our position, enemy war gas attacks)
27.05. - 16.06.1917
Fights for the Wytschaete bend (at Messines and Ploegsteert forest)
17.06. - 07.07.1917
Relaxation in Belgium (Audenarde, Ronse)
09.07. - 22.09.1917
at the Lys near Berlinghem
23.09. - 07.10.1917
Battles eastern Paschendaele (Jngelmünster, Moorslede, Zonnebeke)
11.10. - 12.10.1917
Transport by train via Gent - Namur - Sedan to Conflans near Metz
13.10. - 31.03.1918
Position in Mort-Mare forest southern of Thiaucourt (Lorraine)
12.04. - 15.04.1918
Transport by train from Landres via Sedan, Valenciennes, Douai to Ligny, March to Armentières
25.04.1918
Attack of the Regiment and Alpes hunter on the Kemmel hill; roughly at noon the hill is token
Kemmel hill 1998
26.04.1918
I. and III. Battalion western Brulooze, II. Battalion takes the Loker Hospiz
29.04.1918
Attack advances against the Scherpen hill, French counter attacks from Red Hill
1. company (1 officer/15 men) imprison a whole company with 5 officers and 250 men30.04.1918
The Loker Hospiz goes lost
01.05. - 04.05.1918
Relaxation at Armentières
04.05. - 11.06.1918
Relaxation near Leers and Lys eastern of Lille, strengthen decimated troups
14.05. The Regiment stands on parade near Croix the last time in its 200-year history in front of its sovereign - together with Crown Prince RUPPRECHT, Commander-in-Chief of the army group and Prince FRANZ, 4. ID commander12.06. - 11.07.1918
Battles northwest of Armentières, regiment in position near Merris
12.07. - 12.08.1918
Relaxation at Roubaix (Erquinghem) and task force of the Bavarian III. Armycorps at Armentières and Wambrechies
13.08.1918
Transport by train to Baisieux/Lesquin within 10 hours to Vélu
14.08. - 01.09.1918
Defensive battle at the Somme (Archiet le Grand, Biefvillers, Bihucourt), replacement of the 5th Infantry Regiment by the Reserve Infantry Regiment 225
02.09. - 06.09.1918
Behind the 4. Army at Ramillies and Escaudoevres, march to Denain, transport by train to Wevelghem (Staff, I. und III. Battalion) and Menin (II. Batl.)
06.09. - 25.09.1918
Realignment of Batallions and training of companies, Reserve IR 5 is disbanded and integrated into the II. Battalion/5. IR
26.09.1918
Transport by train to Savigny in Champagne
27.09. - 21.10.1918
War activity in Champagne (Marvaux, Vieux, Manre) and at the Maas (Vouziers, Falaise)
22.10.1918
Regiment is reduced, fighting in heavy battles since 27.09., obtain in rule of the IR 411 (406th Infantry Brigade), then detach (gathering place: Le Chesne)
26.10.1918
Regiment is transported to Lorraine
06.11.1918
Regiment crosses Bavarian border, the train is decorated in green and with Bavarian flags, drives via Augsburg to Munich-Pasing
07.11.1918
Drives south to the Austrian border. Regiment gets friendly quartiers after it is known that the Royal Bavarian 5th Infantry is an active front regiment
- Regimental staff and I. Battalion in quarter at Garmisch,
- II. Battalion and MG company at Partenkirchen,
- III. Battalion at Mittenwald01.12.1918
Regiment returns finally to Bamberg
30.04.1919
The Peace Treaty of Versailles disbanded the Royal Bavarian 5th Infantry Regiment
On 16. July 1923 in Hain Park at Bamberg a memorial to honour those soldiers killed in action was erected. Inauguration and dedication with the inscription
"KB
5. IR - Die noch Lebenden fuer ihre Toten 1722 - 1922
In memory of those from
the Regiments lost in World War I. |