First World War Standschützen

1 first world war

1.1 preparation , mobilization
1.2 welsch tyrolese standschützen
1.3 equipment
1.4 deployment
1.5 operational theatre , operations
1.6 summary

first world war
preparation , mobilization

at beginning of first world war, 3 regiments of landesschützen transferred russian front, although, according letter of law, should have been used defend tyrol. result, in tyrol, trained troops available protect border italy 2 effective battalions (no. x march battalion of 59th infantry (k.u.k. salzburgisch-oberösterreichisches infanterie-regiment „erzherzog rainer“ nr. 59) , tyrolean ist landsturm battalion. further 19 battalions partially effective. tyrol defence command began distrust neutral italy.

since standschützen, liable call-up, had been mobilized , no longer available, remaining, non-liable standschützen rapidly trained in military skills.

these included, example, disabled or otherwise discharged kaiserjäger or landesschützen riflemen. training took place in national costume or shooting jackets; in addition men had furnish own hunting rifles. initial tasks involved guard duties @ military installations , on bridges or like. since no uniforms available, black , yellow armbands made. training not easy. in particular, younger conscripts, had not yet received regular military training, elderly, had not done military service decades, gave leaders headaches. youngest rifleman 14 years old; oldest on 80. because of these deficiencies, many serving officers did not take standschützen long time, , patronized or insulted them. not surprising, because people appointed majors, in instant, were, whereas normal officer attained rank after serving 15 years. captain ten or more years of service found himself facing standschützen major, had been lance corporal or corporal when on active military service or had no military service @ all. inevitably caused tension. commander in chief in tyrol, feldmarschalleutnant dankl, issued order in november 1915 insults , improper treatment of standschützen officers severely punished.

in april, standschützen units inspected first time. in wake of inspection, standschützen divided capable of service @ front (thus considered field formations) , of lower capability (deployed on guarding duties or used replacements). expected italy declare war on austria-hungary. reason standschützen mobilized on 18 may 1915. day later, first formations in south tyrol advanced southern front. 3 days later trains arrived @ new front, having crossed brenner pass, carrying north tyrolese standschützen. italy declared war on austria-hungary on 23 may.

welsch tyrolese standschützen

the imperial , royal leadership of army uneasy members of standschützen units in trentino. although schießstände had existed long time, mistrustful of italian-speaking tyrolese , attempted classify them according reliabity. classification ranged reliable unreliable . weapons , uniforms issued welsch tyrolese standschützen absolutely reliable units; deployed in combat on few occasions. in cases assigned guard duties or used porters, or divided work details.

equipment

until end of march 1915, no military clothing or weapons had been envisaged standschützen, less made available or issued. after became increasingly evident italy enter war on side of entente, formation of standschützen units, had started in january, began accelerate. issued whatever uniforms found. on 23 may 1915, 2 companies of schwaz battalion, example, drew pike gray parade uniforms of pattern designed jägertruppe.

mannlicher repeating rifles either unavailable or available in small numbers so, begin with, standschützen issued old, single-shot werndl rifles or forced use own weapons. in may 1915, north tyrol , vorarlberg standschützen received 16,000 model 98 guns german sources; @ time south tyrolean units still armed mannlicher rifles. welsch tyrolese units kept werndl guns; few units, assigned combat missions, given model 98s. schwarzlose machine guns allocated individual units when needed and, had relations, bolzano battalion, given own machine gun sections. standschützen had no artillery; schlanders battalion had old 6 inch mountain gun of unknown origin.

after initial difficulties, standschützen issued mountain infantry uniform. sudden effort made stemmed fears non-uniformed combatants might treated guerrillas. nevertheless, significant deficiencies in quality of equipment remained. example, instead of sashes (riemenzeug), web belt material (webgurtmaterial) issued. there no bread bags or spades - both fashioned or improvised out of possible.

as badge, troops wore tyrolean eagle of tyrolese units on grass green gorgets. vorarlberg troops wore vorarlberg coat of arms. on left side of cap, edelweiss of mountain infantry attached. front of cap specially designed additional badge slogan hands off tyrol (hände weg von tirol). celluloid stars of regular army used rank badges non-commissioned officers , men, instead of envisaged silver embroidered rosettes. difficulties of ordering latter in large quantities meant issued officers.

the rescue equipment of alpine huts in mountains made serve medical facilities. equipment , medical stores emptied out, packed onto wooden frames , assigned battalions. each battalion given 2 medicine , 2 bandage knapsacks.

units intended have standards, ones receive them battalions @ bozen, kaltern, passeier , meran ii. many of other units flew club standards swearing-in ceremonies , march off parades.

deployment

following mobilization order issued emperor franz joseph on tue 18 may 1915, 39 german tyrolese rifle battalions , 2 independent rifle companies, 6 vorarlberg battalions, 4 welsch tyrolese battalions , 41 welsch tyrolese rifle companies formed.

on 22 may 1915, 1 day before italy declared war, standschützen deployed protect frontier in south , southwest. exceptions zillertal , nauders-ried battalions, remained protect main chain of alps, , lienz battalion, deployed protect east tyrolean border south of river drau , remained there until september 1915.

operational theatre , operations

the operational theatre of standschützen covered 5 districts of south tyrolean front. stretched dreisprachenspitze mountain on swiss border eastern foothills of carnic alps @ kreuzberg saddle.

although standschützen used exclusively defend tyrol against frequent italian attacks, participated in attacks against italy. in addition trench warfare conducted patrols , reconnaissance operations. other main task in construction , repair of defensive works: built defensive positions, accommodation, caverns , barbed wire barriers, , assisted in repairing damaged fortifications. used transport supplies, stretcher bearers , on guard duties.

mention of sarnthein standschützen in war diary of zugsführer franz pomykahler of iiird innichen rifles in 1917

in weeks standschützen asked defend tyrolean front on own. despite that, these weak forces sufficient withstand italian attacks, italian leadership not believe border stood virtually unprotected. later did regular troops , soldiers of german alpine corps, kaiserschützen , kaiserjäger arrive. unlike many other officers, recognized standschützen proper soldiers. austrian war strategists described standschützen disorderly mob no experience of war. however, courage, marksmanship , mountaineering skills, standschützen acquired respect , esteem.

summary

there no doubt use of standschützen saved austria-hungary @ stage of war in may 1915. there 12,000 regular troops available, theoretically meant man rifle stationed every 30 metres. 23,000 standschützen men under arms, @ 2 thirds of total available strength, formed backbone of defensive line. german alpine corps intervene in limited way, because germany not yet @ war italy @ time , german troops not allowed enter italian soil.

thanks excellent local knowledge of standschützen, able intercept italian patrols , reconnaissance companies , repulse them. in particular, since correct uniforms had been issued, impression given constituted regular forces, may have influenced reluctance of italian commanders. moral value of standschützen lay in fact property , family not far behind front , had protected. purely military value of standschützen formations highly variable. proverbial obstinacy , stubbornness, particularly amongst miners, led indiscipline , high-handedness. example, feldmarschalleutnant goiginger reported on 12 jun 1915 innsbruck monte piano standschützen had left battle without authorization. however, such incidents not common , restricted isolated cases. in order strengthen military discipline, active duty army officers began appointed commanders standschützen. furthermore, after manning situation had eased arrival of troops eastern front, work began train standschützen , strengthen them militarily. officers , men sent off on various training courses in order learn latest tactics , techniques. @ suggestion of german alpine corps, regular units inserted sections of front had been held standschützen alone. in way, kind of corset formed further strengthened combat power available.

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