9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2005 - Page 0059
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Transcription |
REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 57 Moy de L’aisne Who were the enemy that the 12th Lancers engaged at May on 28 August 1914? hen I originally began my research on our two regimental days over a decade ago, much of the story that was told owed more to folklore and myth and often incidents at Moncel and Moy were interchanged. This was possibly because most of the information available was taken from a few select sources which subsequently turned out to contain some historical errors. Also much that was passed by word of mouth from gen- eration to generation slowly became distorted as it was retold and there were no veterans of the day to correct the story. The story of Moncel and Moy clearly focuses on the exploits of the Regiment on the 28 August and the 7 September 1914. However, as the research progressed and I went through the eye- witness accounts I noticed anomalies in the different accounts as to who the enemy were that day. In the Regimental War Diary for the day it states: “The Enemy’s Regiment appears to have been the 2nd (Queen Victoria’s Own) Dragoons. In Stewart’s History of the Regiment‘ the following statement was made: ‘Altogether it was reckoned that between 200 and 300 casualties were inflicted on the enemy, 70 at least being speared in the mounted action in which one squadron and most of the Headquarters’staff of the 2nd (Queen Victoria’s Own) Prussian Dragoons were annihilated” In Cpl Lawrence’s Diary2 the following was written: “From the marks on the arms of the enemy, we found that they were the Second Regiment of Prussian Dragoons of the Guard (2GD). The Tsaritza of Russia is their honorary colonel.” The Cavalry]ournal April 19213 makes the following statement: “To our surprise we found that the German cavalry bore the badge VRI“ like our own 21st Lancers. They were in fact Queen Victoria’s Regiment, the 2nd Guard Dragoons.” It should also be noted that of all the material available, it is this account that was used by The Marquees of Anglesey in his History of the British Cavalry on his account of the Battle of Moys. In Lt ]H Leche’s6 diary he states: “They were the 2nd Guard Dragoons (Queen Victoria’s) and had VRI on their shoulder straps.” When I came to look for the 2nd Guards Dragoons (Queen Victoria’s Own) which seemed to be the most often mentioned name I found that they did not exist. However, there were Regiments called lst Guards Dragoons (Queen Victoria’s Own)7 and 2nd Guards Dragoons (Tsarina Katrina of Russia )3 and when I investigated the VRI that was mentioned as being seen on the shoulder straps, I found that this related to the lst Guards Dragoons and not the 2nd Guards Dragoons likewise the title Queen Victoria’s Own also related to the lst Guards Dragoons. At this stage it was not clear if this was confusion between the two Regiments or if it was indeed that there were two separate Regiments. It would appear that the issue of 2nd Guards Dragons and them being at Moy was not in doubt; the confusion lay in the presence of the lst Guards Dragoons. So the question was “Who were the enemy that the 12th Lancers engaged at Moy on 28 August 1914” The answer to the riddle was to be found in the Regimental Histories of the two German Regiments account of 28 August 1914 in the area south east ofSt Quentin just outside Cérizy. The following account is a com- posite article taken mainly from the Regimental History of lst Guard Dragoons: At approximately 1600hrs the 3rd Guard Cavalry Brigadey (from Berlin) commanded In; Colonel Freiherr von Senden were under orders to clear the woods of French and British troops along the road to La Fere. The Brigade advanced south with No 2 Squadron of 1st Guard Dragoons commanded by Capt von Rheinhaben and No 2 Squadron” from 2nd Guard Dragoons commanded by Lt Freiherr von Buddenbrock acting as the Advance Guard for the day. Their patrols had reported that enemy Infantry and Artillery were in the area of Ce’rizy and there were English cavalry south ofEssingny. The remain- ing Squadrons of 1st and 2nd Guard Dragoons were deployed to the east flank. This advance was to be supported by covering fire from Capt Grafvon Roedern’s Battery. Colonel Freiherr von Senden ordered that the Brigade“ should attack the enemy; he gave this order initially without seeing the enemy. The Advance Guard had only advanced about 1km across the open terrain before they were engaged by the artillery and dismounted infantry. It was only at this point that Colonel Freiherr von Senden realised that he was dealing with a formed body of enemy and not just remnants of patrols.” The German Advance Guard galloped over the brow of the hill and advanced some 500-600 yards down the forward slope, dis- mounted and opened fire from a standing position just in front of their horses. ’3 Orders were given to No 4 Squadron from 1st Guard Dragoons to move forward and support the lefi wing of No 2 Squadron of 1st Guard Dragoons“. While attempting to move forward from the woods some 800metres behind, the No 4 Squadron commanded by Lt Graf von Schwerin was seen and engaged by the dismounted Squadrons. Schwerin managed to move his squadron forward and get into position to the lefi of Capt von Rheinhaben’s Squadron who situated to the right of Buddenbrock ’s Squadron. Colonel Graf von Gessler then ordered Lt Heinrich Graf von Finckenstein from 2nd Guard Dragoons to move forward and report on the situation of the dismounted squadrons. On arriving at the field adjacent to Puisieux Farm (where the Squadrons had dismounted) he joined Lt Grafvon Schwerin’s men". The Regiment was subsequent- ly given the order to return to their horses, but the horses which had never been subjected to such heavy artillery fire were stampeded, and the order issued to Lt Graf von Schwerin to withdraw was never received. It was here Lt Grafvon Schwerin (later died of wounds) 7 The H/story of the 72th Roya/ Lahcers 777 577945 by Capt P F Stewart MC 7 7950, 2 D/ary of 337 7 Pte LM Lawrehce 7st Troop r C SQN 72th Lahcers 7 property of Mrs W W////ams (daughter) 3 The Cava/ry Jourha/Aprr/ 7927 , The 5th Cava/ry Bde at Cer/zy , 28 Aug 7974 by Lt Co/ RGH HowardrVyse CMG DSO {Ede Major), Queeh V/ctor/a, Empress of/hd/a history of the Br/t/sh Cava/ry 787677979 Vo/ume 7page 747, D/ary of Lt JH Leche r C Sort 7 Property of Mr GJ Crump, 7 GarderDragoherrFleg/mehtKoh/g/h voh Grossbr/tahhreh uhd /r/ahd 2 GarderDragoherrReg/meht Ka/ser/h Alexahdra voh RUSS/Elli] Oowmona 9 From 7st Cava/ry Corps commahded by Geh Frhr voh R/chthofeh, 70 Gay/trig , “/h the first S/X mohths of the war 5 Sort was rerdes/ghated as 7 Sabre Sdh, because the or/g/ha/ 7 Sort was turhed rhto the Reserve Sdh, / wr// however, hot use th/s des/ghat/oh ahd a/ways refer to /t as 5 Sort“, 77 3 Garde Kava//er/e Br/gade {Ber/7h), 7 7st Kava/lerre Korps, 72 Reg/mehta/ H/story of 2hd Guard Dragoohs /h the War 7974778, Ber/7h 7927, 73 Emperor‘s Chamberma/ds by Lt Co/ CB Oats 20H, 74 Reg/mehta/ H/story of 7st Guard Dragoohs /h the War 7974778 by Frhr Gay/trig vA/threm , Ber/7h 7920, 75 Reg/mehta/ H/story of 2hd Guard Dragoohs /h the War 7974778, Ber/7h 7927, |
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