What I experienced here in the West
Event ID: 637
29 August 1914
Source ID: 55
“Dear Mum!
I want to briefly describe to you what I have experienced here in the West. – Before the army’s deployment was complete, it was of course quite boring. We were unloaded northeast of Diedenhofen and marched through Luxembourg, crossing the Belgian border at Arlon.
In Etalle, about twenty kilometres west of Arlon, I was given the order on 13 August to reconnoitre in a southerly direction towards Meix-devant-Virton. In Etalle, about twenty kilometres west of Arlon, I was ordered on 13 August to reconnoitre southwards towards Meix-devant-Virton. As I reached the edge of the forest south of Etalle, I spotted a squadron of French cuirassiers. I only had ten men with me. After about half an hour, the enemy squadron disappeared, and I set off after them to find out where they had gone, ending up in a huge mountainous forest. I was just at the edge of the forest near Meix-devant-Virton.
To my right is a rock face, to my left a stream, behind it a meadow about fifty metres wide – then the edge of the forest. Suddenly, my vanguard stops. I gallop ahead to see what is going on. Just as I raise my telescope to my eyes, a volley of shots rings out from the edge of the forest about fifty metres away and from the front. I found myself facing about two hundred to two hundred and fifty carbines. I couldn’t go left or forward because the enemy was there – to the right was the steep rock face, so I had to go back. Yes, if only it had been that simple. The path was very narrow and led straight past the edge of the forest occupied by the enemy, but what could I do? There was no time to think, so I went back. I was the last one. Despite my previous prohibition, everyone else had gathered together and presented the French with a good target. Perhaps that is the reason why I escaped. I brought back only four men. This baptism of fire was less fun than I had imagined. In the evening, a few more people returned whose horses had died and who had managed to save themselves on foot. It is truly a miracle that nothing happened to me and my horse.
That same night, I was sent to Virton, but did not get there because Virton was occupied by the enemy. During the night, Division Commander von Below decided to attack the enemy at Virton and appeared with his vanguard Ul-R. 1 at the edge of the forest. The fog was so thick that you couldn’t see thirty paces ahead. One regiment after another emerged from the narrow forest paths, as if in a manoeuvre. Prince Oskar stood on a pile of stones and had his regiment, the 7th Grenadiers, march past him, looking each grenadier in the eye. It was a magnificent moment before the battle. Thus came the Battle of Virton, where the 9th Division fought against an enemy six times its size, held out for two days and finally won a brilliant victory. In this battle, Prince Oskar led his regiment at the forefront and remained unharmed. I spoke to him afterwards, just as he was being presented with the Iron Cross.”
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