On this day in the Great War (1914-1918) (1 Viewer)

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24th September

Péronne taken by German forces .

Fought as a precursor to the battles of Albert canal. An offensive by the French Second Army, forced Falkenhayn to divert the XXI and I Bavarian corps as soon as they arrived, to extend the front northwards from Chaulnes to Péronne on 24 September and drive the French back over the Somme. Overcrowded and damaged railways behind the German front slowed the transit of German forces and infantry marched from Namur and Cambrai. On 25 September, the German reinforcements attacked, crossed the Somme south of Péronne and then advanced to take a bridge between Hem and Feuillères, when a French attack north of the Somme against the II Bavarian Corps forced a hurried withdrawal. As more Bavarian units arrived in the north, the 3rd Bavarian Division advanced along the north bank, through Bouchavesnes, Leforest and Hardecourt until held up at Maricourt. The 4th Bavarian Division further to the north, defeated the French territorials and then attacked westwards towards Albert, through Sailly, Combles, Guillemont and Montauban.


Amiens-Arras,_1914[1].jpg

Map of Arras to amiens, showing position of the village of Peronne. Note the poor positioning of the railways, which greatly affected German operations

Przemysl isolated by Russian forces. First siege begins

The Siege of Przemysl begins as Russian forces isolate the fortress town on the River San in present day Poland. The siege is the longest of the war, lasting until March 1915. It is a crushing defeat for Austria-Hungary, who suffer over 86,000 dead and up to 110,000 wounded.
 
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25 September

Russians regain control of the east bank of the Niemen River

Following the double defeats at Tannenburg and Masurian lakes, the Russian Armies in or adjacent to East Prussia were in bad shape, and the germans were preparing for further attacks. From 25-28 September, Rennenkampfs battered army counterattacked and managed to restore cohesion and stibilised the front, largely by regaining control along the Niemen

The previous actions had resulted in two defeats of the Russian army, and largely removed any threat to German forces stationed in East Prussia, although a Russian counter-attack from 25-28 September (the Battle of the Niemen) forced a German retreat back to the border and resulted in the Russian army retaking much of the ground lost in the First Masurian battle.

As a consequence of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes - although the former battle was a much clearer cut victory than the second - Hindenburg was hailed as a hero in Germany, subsequently succeeding Falkenhayn as Chief of the German Staff in late summer 1916.
 

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