Photos Austro-Hungarian Army in WWI

[berkut76]

I seem to be posting a lot of photos related to Austro-Hungarian armed forces in WWI on Facebook, so I'll share some of them with you, guys.

A rare photo of the equally rare Austro-Hungarian 'Romfell' armored car. Very few (possibly only no more than two) of these vehicles were made.

Panzer Auto 1 (aka Junovicz Armored Car) in 1916. The first three Junovicz cars were built on Fiat 40 PS truck chassis and only 5 were made in total. Note the Vickers Guns - probably captured from the Italians.

Two Austro-Hungarian soldiers inspect an abandoned Russian Lanchester 4×2 Armoured Car in Galicia, Probably 1916. Note the gun shields and the small cupola on the turret, unique to the vehicles delivered to the Russian Imperial Army.

An Austin Armored Car built in Britain, shipped to Russia and used on the Eastern Front, then captured by the Austro-Hungarians and sent to the Italian Front.

 

[berkut76]

Some improvised Austro-Hungarian Anti Aircraft contraptions. I guess, the first rule was "find a suitable tree stump..."

 

[berkut76]

Truck mounted anti-aircraft artillery. Italian front 1917 - 1918

 

[berkut76]

Austro-Hungarian infantry attack on the Romanian Front, Winter 1916-17. The smoke columns from the preparatory barrage still hover over the Romanian trenches.

Demonstration of an Austro-Hungarian 60 cm Scheinwerfer (Searchlight) M.15a, May 1916. The church tower being lit up by the powerful light beam is 1.5 kilometers away.

Austro-Hungarian 'Schwerer Panzerzug' (Heavy Armored Train) in Zborów, JUNE 1916. This is either Panzerzug VII or VIII. Both had the same layout with a 7 cm quick-firing gun in each end, two locomotives and an MG car in between.

An Austro-Hungarian 90 cm searchlight with automotive transport and crew somewhere on the Italian Front, 15 November 1917. Note the solid rubber tires.

 

[berkut76]

Austro-Hungarian soldiers atop the Italian Fort Campolongo, captured on 22 May 1916 during the 'Strafexpedition'. Prior to its capture, it was almost completely destroyed by "Barbara" - a 38 cm Austro-Hungarian Siege Howitzer near Werk Lusern.

Austro-Hungarian cavalry of the 'Reitende Tiroler Landesschützen' ride towards the San River in Galicia, 1914.

Men of the Hungarian Honvéd Infantry Regiment No.309 near Sosnow, 1915. Note that several of the NCOs are armed with the Steyr M.1912 pistols.

Hansa Brandenburg C I. Fighter plane, 08.09.1917.

 

[uktabber]

A friend sent me this he found on FB, worthy of posting here.....imagine loading this in a dogfight and the value of such little range from pistol cartridges!

 

[berkut76]

Sophie Halechko and Anna Dmyterko, two Ukrainian women who were awarded the medal for bravery while serving as volunteers in the Austro-Hungarian Ukrainian Legion.

An Austro-Hungarian sniper takes aim with a scoped hunting rifle. Amongst the volunteer rifle units, bringing privately owned rifles into service was not uncommon.

An Austro-Hungarian sniper aims his Steyr-Mannlicher M.1895 from the trenches near Brody in Galicia, 1916. A trench shield is leaning against the trench wall at his feet.

 

[berkut76]

1917 Eastern Front

Uhlans on the march in Galicia, 1914

Legionnaires of the II Brigade of the Austro-Hungarian Polish Legions, 1915. They're armed with Mannlicher–Schönauer rifles, produced by Steyr for the Greek Army and requisitioned by the Austro-Hungarian Army due to a shortage of rifles.

Isonzo front, 03.09.1917.

An Austro-Hungarian officer takes aim with a periscope Mannlicher M.1895 rifle on the Eastern Front. These rifles were a product of trench warfare, allowing the shooter to take aim and fire without exposing himself above the parapet.

Austro-Hungarian soldiers take aim with their periscope rifles from a trench on the Carso/Karst plateau on the Isonzo Front, 1915/16.

 

[berkut76]

I suspect most of the photos that I have posted come from the folks who run a small Publishing House in Croatia, Despot Infinitus

They have released a book about Austro-Hungarian Army on the Italian front, but nothing about the Russian front so far.

 

[berkut76]

Austro-Hungarian naval personel manning a Schwarzlose M.7/12 machine gun on the Adriatic coast, 1918.

Position at Busagrande, Mitrailleuse, November, 1915.

An Austro-Hungarian soldier keeps watch from a trench while enjoying his meal. His age and the Mannlicher M.1888/90 could indicate that he belongs to a Landsturm unit.

Beer print advertisement

 

[berkut76]

Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M.11 siege howitzer

One of just two 24 cm Kanone M.16 delivered by Skoda to the Austro-Hungarian Army during the war. These guns were ordered to compensate for the super heavy 42 & 38 cm guns' limited range. They had a maximum range of more than 26 km.

Austro-Hungarian soldiers manning a camouflaged 3,7cm Infanteriegeschütz M.15. This small gun was a product of trench warfare. It was tested in late 1915, and 1,000 were ordered, produced and delivered in 1916.

Up to 1914, the Škoda factory produced 2210 guns of various calibers. In the years 1914 - 1918 production totaled 10 010 units.
Production hall large-caliber guns.

 

[berkut76]

Austro-Hungarian soldiers in a trench on the Alpine Front, 1916. Note that they're armed with requisitioned Mauser M.1912 rifles, built by Steyr for export to Chile, Columbia and Mexico.

Austro-Hungarian machine gunners use their Schwarzlose M.07/12 guns in an anti-aircraft role.

Austro-Hungarian Standschützen in trench on the Italian Front. The soldier on the right is holding a scoped Mannlicher M.1895 rifle.

Austro-Hungarian Army Senior Officer Aspirant - Kadett-Zugsführer Prone firing position with a Standschütze Hellriegel ca 1915

 

[berkut76]

Rifle grenade test firing. 1915

March 18th, 1913. The commissioning of the first company of Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen.

Mine "thrower"

 

[berkut76]

Piave. Italian Front. The end is near. September 15th, 1918

Mitterberg caverns 1916

Gorizia. Italian Front.

Austro-Hungarian soldiers rest in a narrow trench dug through a cornfield near Skala on the Zbrucz River, 1917.

An Austro-Hungarian soldier on the Ortler (3905 m) armed with a Danish Madsen light machine gun (no magazine). In the Austro-Hungarian Army, formations armed with these weapons were called "Musketenpatrouillen".

 

[berkut76]

Anti-aircraft in Podhajce, 1915.

24 cm Kanone M. 16

15 cm Autokanone M. 15/16 Vittorio 1918

30,5 cm Skoda Mortar embedded German Alpine Corps, 1915.

 

[berkut76]

Dental Services.

 

[berkut76]

Austro-Hungarian artillerymen grease the ball bearings for the race ring of the massive 42 cm L/15 Coastal Howitzer M. 14/16's turntable carriage, 18 August 1916.

Austro-Hungarian 10.4cm Feldkanone (Field Gun) M.15 in Galicia. Many of these guns would see post war service with a number of armies and became the principal Italian long-range guns in WW2 seing extensive service in Africa & Russia.

The Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M.11 "Schlanke Emma" ("Skinny Emma") of the Austro-Hungarian Festungsartillerieregiment Nr 2, Fort Kościuszko, Kraków 1914.
These guns, firing from Kraków forts, played a vital role in halting the Russian offensive in December 1914.

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

Very nice, you have any photos of their U-Boats?

 

[berkut76]

Very nice, you have any photos of their U-Boats?

Not really my thing. Haven't stumbled on any. However, there is a book on this subject by the publishing house I've mentioned in this thread:

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN SUBMARINES

Austro-Hungarian submarines appeared late on the world´ scene and many of these were small and/or obsolete, but in spite of this they were successfully operating on the Adriatic and in the Eastern Mediterranean. From six trial submarines built during the decade before the First World War and joined by a seventh, being built on speculation and bought finally by the Imperial and Royal Navy, two were not of no use as fighting boats and other three were lost during the war. The group of five bigger submarines (being built in Germany after an Austro-German design) was sold there, as it was believed that they cannot reach the Adriatic during the war. Five small German UB I boats bought instead were not really a replacement for these custom-built boats, but were still useful as training vessels and small attack boats, operating in enemy waters and sinking there one enemy submarine and one torpedo boat. Four coastal boats of the Havmanden Type were a waste of time and resources needed to build them, but eight boats of the German UB II Type, built in license in Austria-Hungary and joined by two more units of German origin, were finally able – together with one salvaged and repaired French boat of the Laubeuf Type – to operate outside of the Adriatic too.
The author is describing the development of the Austro-Hungarian submarines, including their descriptions, technical data and short operational histories in WW I, and their fates during the war and afterwards. In addition there is a list of all German submarines operating under the Austro-Hungarian flag and temporary Austro-Hungarian designations, during the time as Germany was not at war with Italy, a former ally. There are more than 200 illustrations with numerous tables on the building and technical data, making this book an interesting addition to the libraries of warship´ and submarine´ enthusiasts and historians as well.

There has been an earthquake in Zagreb. So, I'll probably help this outfit and get another book from them. I really liked the Italian Front one.

 

[NebrHogger]

Excellent photos! Many thanks for posting them! The Isonzo front rivalled Verdun in terms of pure, senseless waste.