I've been researching like crazy, but the internet has very little to help. I am writing a fictitious letter to home from a German School Volunteer about October 21st, 1914 at the battle of Langemarck. I got very little information, other than that the weather was cold, they had recently started using trenches, Hitler was there as a Gefreider (not that that piece of information is helpful), and that they were fighting the British Allies. If anyone can give me more information that might be useful, that would be much apprecciated.

Langemarck was the very first WWI battle I researched at the Great War Forum about two years ago; I asked numerous questions about the battle:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...c=85732&hl=


As far as I know, there is no evidence that Hitler or the Bavarian regiment he was in, i.e., the 16th Bavarian 'List' Reserve Infantry Regiment (R.I.R.), was at the October 21, 1914 Battle of Langemarck, which was part of the larger battle of First Ypres, except Hitler claiming that he was in his 'Mein Kampf' political biography.

The battle of Langemarck continued on October 23, 1914, with the Germans being driven off by the 1st Gloucestershire battalion.


My understanding is that, historically, the 16th Bavarian 'List' R.I.R. was first deployed at Gheluvelt on October 31, 1914; that regiment, and several Saxon regiments, were driven back from the grounds of Gheluvelt Chateau and the town / village of Gheluvelt about 6 (?) miles south-east of Ypres by a famous charge of the 2nd Worcestershire battalion.

Also, the weather on October 21st and 31st, according to Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley's 'Ypres: Death of An Army', was not cold; both days were perfect fall days; the weather started to become cold in Flanders after November 11th.

Hockley's book contains a very detailed Gloster soldier's recollection of the fighting on October 23rd.


However, the article on this website seems that it may be more helpful for the assignment you are trying to complete:

http://www.kaiserscross.com/40312/179301.html


It is a little confusing, but there were actually, historically, two battles called Langemarck in 1914.

First, there was the battle between the Germans and the British in October; then there was a battle between the Germans and French at the village of Bixschoote, about 2 miles north-west of Langemarck, on November 10, 1914.

It was this second battle that became the focus of the German press and gave rise to the emotive phrase "Kindermord bei Ypern" (i.e., the Massacre of the Innocents at Ypres).

However, this second battle should properly be called the Battle of Bixschoote, since that is where the fighting took place; it became known as the Battle of Langemarck by the German press because that was the name reported in a German Army press release a few days later, probably because Langemarck sounds more German (like Bismarck).


And Langemarck remained a focus of fighting throughout the rest of WWI; the Germans first released poison gas on the Western Front at Langemarck in April, 1915.

Then, there was a Third Battle of Langemarck in 1917; my particular focus though is the 1914-1916 period of the First World War, so I am not that knowledgeable about the 1917-1918 period.



Al

Thanks! It's been really hard getting the information needed for my assignment, so this is really quite helpful! We're going to be doing a lot of WW1 in my history class, so if I ever need more help, I'll definitely go to this forum first.