July 1916 the story of private Rácz

In January 1916, the 40th “Fokos” division, including the 30th infantry regiment, suffered huge losses in the battles around Toporoutz in Bukovina. The regiment then had to be reorganized and its battalions re-established with additional crews. This work was completed during the spring, although the third battalion of the regiment was not raised until June 1916. The reorganized regiment was still in reserve at that time, but was soon deployed to help repel the Brusilov offensive. On June 24th, it was assigned to the 7th Army unit from Galicia as a reinforcement, and from Galicia he was again ordered to Bukovina in the vicinity of Jakobeny. In this section of the front, the regiment was again hit by fierce Russian attacks.

Private Rácz died at the start of this defense effort. He served in one of the observation posts in front of the regiment’s defense line on the Pirie Heights on July 16, 1916. Cossack horsemen rushed the position. Four of his comrades died, he was the last one left and fought on defeating three enemy soldiers until he was fatally wounded by the third pike. The replacement shift sent to the position found the bodies and reconstructed the events. The heroic story of Honvéd Rácz was born. The event was immortalized on a plaque by the artist Ede Kallós, who served in the regiment. This scene could not only be seen on the badge attached to the post. A large relief with the same scene was placed on the building of the regiment’s replacement battalion in Budapest. The plaque was made also in the form of several souvenirs by the regiment’s invalid fund. The newspaper used as a background is the opening page of the regiment’s field newspaper from the spring of 1918. The relief can be seen on it. At that time, the regiment was stationed in Eszék and performed control duties.