My War Memories, 1914-1918
Grand Duke's heavy attacks had been shattered, and that we stood everywhere on hostile soil. But we had taken but one step towards the final decision against Russia, and it was with that goal that my innermost thoughts and feelings were most concerned. The fearful losses of the Russians in East and West Prussia ought, later on, to help the operations in Galicia. The Russian losses had been extraordinarily heavy in comparison with ours. Even Russia's enormous resources in manpower could not stand such a drain indefinitely.
Each of the successive tactical situations had made the fullest demands on my mental and spiritual energies. It is simply impossible to put it all on paper, the proud hopes, the despondency, the disappointments, the heart-searchings before a decision, the annoyance caused by one thing and another. I cannot describe the differences which had so often to be over_T come, nor can I portray how deeply I felt for the troops, who had to bear the privations of a winter campaign in such inclement weather.
Later on I had happier times at Lotzen.
Our quarters and the office were small, but I liked them. I look back with pleasure on that time in the friendly little East Prussian town.
Whilst the fighting was still going on one of our most important tasks was the construction of rear positions. Along the whole of the eastern frontier of Prussia there arose a barbed-wire zone as the first permanent element of the new positions. Numerous special battalions composed of poorly trained men unfit for labour or service in the field were sent there at my request. They often had to work under enemy fire, and did so devotedly. The word " digger" is a title of honour. These units were subsequently transferred from the Eastern to the Western Front.
About this time General Headquarters ordered the number of regiments to a division in the West to be reduced from four to three, so that a division now had nine battalions instead of twelve. We did the same on our front. In this way a larger number of strategical units was formed. Operations were thus
136