Adolf Hitler 1914

1914 - 1st Ypres

By September 1914 Hitler had received two weeks rudimentary army training in Munich, He certainly had touched a gun for the first time here and was eager to fight. Now in October Private Hitler was awaiting his first battle.

 During WWI Hitler served in the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division from 1914-1918, Hitler was a private or soldat in a platoon from 1st Company during 1914; serving with the 16th Reserve Infantry Regiment - RIR 16 or the "List Regiment". RIR 16 was one of 400 regiments in the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division.

Notice how Hitler is comfortable
 yet always is sat to the corner
 somewhat aloof from the group

 Hitlers regiment was scrapped together to get enough men to take Russia out quickly so troops are free to fight on other fronts. RIR 16 was to hold and fight on the western front and the regiments first battle saw only 25% survive, including Hitler who wrote to that month to his landlord, "There was no cover so we just had to follow our company commander, men were dropping all around me, it was exiting racing from trench to trench like lightning, we took prisoners but if they were slow to surrender we shot them and moved on".

The battle which caused Hitlers Regiment to lose three in four soldiers to death or hospital also First Ypres saw 350 deaths the first day in Ghevelt, it was decimated literally the next day also. By the Christmas Truce Hitler had won an Iron Cross for saving a CO from fire and swapped jobs to a much safer position: That of a regimental runner. I doubt he used his rifle ever again.

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Written by Brady fair. S.