IR 81 IV, Battalion

It was the separate special battalion of the parent regiment, mostly of Czech (Moravian) nationality, with headquarters in the city of Bileca. He belonged to the 6th mountain brigade throughout the war, and it was ordered to the 57th division. In 1914, in the offensive against Serbia, their task was to protect the Bosnian border. In May 1915, the entire division was transferred to the newly opened Italian front. Until September, the southern part of the Karst plateau was defended in front of the city of Monfalcone. From the autumn of 1915, they were again on the Balkan front and took part in the occupation of Serbia, Montenegro and Albania. In August 1916, after the renumbering and restructuring of the divisions, the 6th Mountain Brigade became part of the 59th Division. At that time, they were assigned to the I. Corps and fought on the Eastern Front. In the summer of 1918, IV/81 became one of the battalions of the newly established 108th infantry regiment.

The year 1917 can be read on the battalion’s insignia, which means they were with the 59th Division at the time when the Kappenabzeichen was made. The owner of the regiment was knight of Waldstetten at the beginning of the Great War, that is, Falkenhayn became the owner of the regiment sometime after 1914. I haven’t been able to find out when. On documents from 1917, his name already appears as the owner of the 81st regiment. Not yet on a 1915 stamp. The red background on the postcard matches the lapel color of the regiment: carmine red.