IR 27 of Graz

The 27th Infantry Regiment was the home regiment of the city of Graz. It was founded in 1682 during the Turkish war. Like the other German-speaking regiments, it received special attention during the Great War. Later, the veterans’ association and then the traditionalists took care of the memories of the regiment until today.

In the Great War the 27th was one of the III. “Iron Corps” regiments. In August and September, the regiment fought in Eastern Galicia, then in the Dukla Pass in the Carpathians. Until the breakthrough in Gorlice, they continued defensive battles here with huge personal losses. In August 1915, they were transferred to the Italian front. First they fought on the Karst, then on the border of Carinthia. They took part in the 1916 South Tyrol offensive. A prominent event of this was the seizing of Mt Meletta on June 6. In September 1916, the regiment was ordered to the Dolomites. In January 1917, the regiment fought on the “mountain of blood and iron” the Col di Lana. The unit later took up a defensive position in the Asiago area. This is where the collapse found the regiment.

The regiment therefore thoroughly took part in the battles. Despite this, the wearing photo depicts soldiers in a good mood, on one of their caps is the subject of the entry, the circular insignia 27, with the names of the battlefields on the edge.