2/2, HISTORY, 127 WURTT. INF. REGIMENT

PART 2 OF 2, HISTORY OF THE127 WURTT. INF. REGIMENT (9.WURTTEMBERG.) AND ITS UNIT MARKED ACCESSORIES


Download Attachment: 19081927JR15.jpg
54.98 KB
Figure 15. 1908 DWM, serial number 1173. Details of unit stamp 127.R.9.3.: 127 Infanterie-Regiment, Kompagnie 9, Waffe Nr. 3. Note: there are the remnants of an earlier unit stamp that has been mostly rasped off. Note: the size of the unit stamp digits and letters are not according to regulations. The R (main unit type) should be 4.2 mm high, the 9 and 127 (regiment number and company number) should be 3.1mm high, and the 3 (weapons number) should be 2.5mm. Apparently the armorer that applied the stamps was confused or had a bad Monday.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR16a.jpg
24.86 KB
Figure 16. Historic- tradition information on the 127 Infantry Regiment, from “Ruhmeshalle unsere alten Armee”. 9. Wurttembergisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 127”. Its headquarters/base is Ulm and Wiblingen and was founded in 1897.

Note: The percentage of national contingents in the German Army during World War I is as follows:
Prussia and the smaller states 78 percent
Bavaria 11 percent
Saxony 7 percent
Württemberg 4 percent
From “German WWI Identity Tags/Disks”, Peter Meinlschmidt, page 56.
Lugers unit marked to Württemberg Regiments are rare.

During World War I the 127 Infanterie-Regiment was part of the 27th and the 242rd Infantry Divisions. The issuing Regiment controlled and distributed unit marked Lugers to the troops. The history of these Lugers is the same as that of the Regiment that issued them and the troops that carried them.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR17a.jpg
113.78 KB
Figure 17a. World War I battle history of the 127 Infantry Regiment when it was part of the 27th Infantry Division (from the start of War in1914 to the end of 1916). From “Ruhmeshalle unsere alten Armee”.

For the non-German readers. Some German to English translations are listed below:
Abwehrschlacht: counter attack
Angriff: Attack
Aufklärungs- u. Verschleierungskämpfe: reconnaissance, suppression, camouflaging, screening
Besetzung: occupation
Doppelschlacht: double, false, diversion battle
Gefecht: fight, battle, action, combat, engagement
Grenzschutz-u. Aufklärungsgefechte: frontier guard, border protection, border reconnaissance
Grosse Schlacht: large attack
Kämpfe: fights, actions, combat
Räumung: evacuation
Rückzugskämpfe: retreat, with draw
Schlacht: battle
Stellungskämpfe: warfare, combat from fortified position, fight, action
Verfogungskämpfe: follow up attack
Vorstoss: thrust, drive, advance
Waffenstillstand: armistice


Download Attachment: 1908127JR17b.jpg
95.09 KB
Figure 17b. World War I battle history of the 127 th Infantry Regiment when it was part of the 242 Division (from the end of 1916 to the end of War in 1918). From “Ruhmeshalle unsere alten Armee”.




Rough notes of the World War I battle history of the 127 th Infantry Regiment when it was part of the 27th and 242nd Infantry Divisions. From “The Histories of 251 Divisions of the German Army, Which Participated in the War, 1914-1918". From the perspective of Allied Intelligence.

The 27th Division belonged to the 13 th Army Corps (Royal Wurttemberg) and at the start of World War I war part of the 27th Division and the 5th German Army (German Crown Prince). At the end of 1916 the127 Regiment went to the 242 Division where it remained until the end of World War I.
27th DIVISION
1914 Lorraine: Battle of Longwy (August 28), Virton, Longuyom, August 30 at Dun and Sassey, crossed the Meuse River and fought at Pretz and Vaubecourt Sept 6 and 7. It took a position on the Argonne where it remained until the end of 1915.
1915 Argone (Binarville-Grurie wood), Mine Warfare, August offensive. In Dec. to the Courtrai
1916 Ypres: between Sanctuary wood and the Ypres-Comines Canal. On Feb 27th gained possession of the British Trenches of Bluff but lost them March 2. June 2nd violent attack on the Canadians in the Guillemont sector, gained possession of Observation Ridge with heavy losses.
1916 Somme, August 1 Guillemont sector, successful resistance to the attacks upon the village, but serious losses. August 25 to Nov. 11 in the Wytchaete sector. Middle of Nov. North of Sailly Saillisel.
Rated as a very good Division
At the end of 1916 the127 Regiment went to the 242 Division.
242 DIVISION
1917 Lorraine March 29 to April 30 the 242 the Division in line between Abaucourt and Bezange Wood. North of the Suippe May 4 to15.
1917 Champagne-cornillet, May 15-16 Grille-Cornillet wood, French attack May20 caused heavy losses.
1917 Meuse, French attack of August 26 heavy losses. Counter attacked to relieve Beaumont.
1917 Aisne Oct.-Dec. 16 held the section of Berry au Bae
The 242 Division showed itself to be energetic and tenacious and was listed as an Assault Division
1918 Battle of Picardy, March-april, Counchy les Pots, Orvillers, Sorel; Boulogne la Grasse, and Mortemer, Heavy Losses
1918 Battle of the Aisne, May 27 attacked and advanced Merfy, Tinquex, Betheny, Courelles, St. Brice (June 2) Held sector until the first of August and then retreated on La Neuvillette and held the Betheny-Vitry Road relieved Sept 26.
Engaged northeast of St Pierre a Arnes fell back on Rethel. Engaged near Chestres, Balley, Quatre -Champs until Nov 4


Download Attachment: 19081927JR18a.jpg
87.85 KB
Figure 18. 1908 DWM, serial number 1173, (with its World War I Württemberg unit stamp visible 127.R.9.3.) shown with its World War I history and resting on its World War II holster. Its history was written by surviving members of the Regiment and published in 1920. It details the World War I battle history of this Regiment in 180 pages of text and 4 fold out maps showing detailed battle sketches.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR19af.jpg
89.86 KB
Figure 19. Luger marked 127.R.9.3. and bayonet marked 127.R.12.186. Both resting on a map showing Alsac Lorraine, Luxemburg, Northern France, and Belgian. This map shows the deployments and battles of the 127th Infantry Regiment during World War I. From “The 9. Wurttemberger, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.127 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918", 1920.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR20a.jpg
36.16 KB
Figure 20. Details of the Bayonet unit stamp, 127.R.12.186. which signifies: 127 Infanterie-Regiment, Kompagnie 12, Waffe Nr. 186.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR21c.jpg
94.18 KB
Figure 21. Details of the map above showing details of the area to the West of Metz and the advances at Longwy and in the Argonne Wald (Argone Forrest). From “The 9. Wurttemberger, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.127 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918", 1920.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR22c.jpg
106.66 KB
Figure 22. Wruttemberger infantry battle the French near Longwy during August1914. The Infantry Regiment 127 battled in scenes such as this at Longwy during August 22, 1914. From
“Die Wurttemberger Im Weltkrieg" by General Otto von Moser, 1928


Download Attachment: 1911121R23a.jpg
52.59 KB
Figure 23. Wurttemberg infantry attacking the French in the Argonne Wald (forest). During late 1914 and 1915 the 127 Infantry Regiment battled the French in the Argonne Forest.


Download Attachment: 1908127JR24.jpg
135.76 KB
Figure 24. Argonne Forest, showing its destruction from fierce battles between the French and Germans during 1914 and 1915. From “The 9. Wurttemberger, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.127 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918", 1920.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR25.jpg
117.54 KB
Figure 25. Photo-postcard showing the 9. Kompagnie of the Wurttembergisches Infanterie- Regiment Nr. 127. (9th Wurttembergisches), photographed November 1915 in the Argonne Forest, France. Peacetime garrison of this regiment was Ulm on the Danube River. This is the exact unit of the Luger shown above and it may be in this photograph. Perhaps the P08 armed sergeant shown in the center of the photograph is carrying a similar marked Luger. (Post card is a gift from Joachim Görtz)
Note: photograph contains approximately 190 Wurttembergers and the approximate strength of an infantry company is 270 men. Battle losses may account for some of the disparity.


Download Attachment: 1911121JR26a.jpg
94.12 KB
Figure 26. The 1916 Battle of the Somme was one of the titanic struggles of World War I. Somme battle scene showing Wurttemberger infantry and machine gun battling the attacking British during 1916. The 127 Infantry Regiment battled at the Somme in scenes such as this during 1916. From “Die Wurttemberger Im Weltkrieg" by General Otto von Moser, 1928


Download Attachment: 19081927JR27c.jpg
67.54 KB
Figure 27. Photograph showing 127 Infantry Regiment soldiers examining the wreck of a German warplane. From “The 9. Wurttemberger, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.127 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918", 1920.


Download Attachment: 19081927JR28.jpg
70.95 KB
Figure 28. The Kaiser reviews the Württemberg 127 Infantry-Regiment, 27 January 1917. From “The 9. Wurttemberger, Infanterie-Regiment Nr.127 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918", 1920.


Download Attachment: 1908127JR29.jpg
83.7 KB
Figure 29. The Wurtt. Imperial Luger shown here in, also served the German Army during World War II. It may have participated in mechanized battles such as that shown above. World War II battle photograph, showing German infantry and tank advancing through a maize field during the approach to the Caucasus.

Click on the link below for details of the Luger described.
1/2, 1908 DWM, SN 1173, 127TH WURTT. INF. REGT Jan C Still http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3791