First Battle of Orsova

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
First Battle of Orsova
Part of the
Orsova, Banat, Austria-Hungary (today in Romania
)
Result Romanian victory
Belligerents  Romania  Austria-Hungary
 GermanyCommanders and leaders Kingdom of Romania Ioan Culcer
Kingdom of Romania Ion Dragalina
Arthur Arz von Straussenburg
Austria-Hungary Alexander Ritter Szívó de Bunya
Units involved

1st Army

  • 1st Infantry Division

Austria-Hungary:
1st Army

  • 145th Infantry Brigade

Germany:
9th Army

Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown

The First Battle of Orsova was a World War I military engagement between Austro-Hungarian and German forces on one side and Romanian forces on the other side. The Central Powers failed to advance, the battle thus resulting in a Romanian victory.

Background

Between 28 August and 4 September 1916, during the

Mehádia). The aim of the Central Powers was to secure the Iron Gates.[3] The battle took place between 6 and 10 September.[4] However, only on 6 September - the first day of the battle - did the Central Powers gain any ground. Their forces managed to secure Herkulesfürdő as well as Mehádia, but fell short of reaching Orsova.[5] As early as 8 September, two days before the end of the battle, Vienna admitted that the Romanians had taken Orsova, five days after the town was seized.[6] In October, the Central Powers forces at Orsova were under the command of Colonel Alexander Ritter Szívó de Bunya.[7]

Battle

The battle took place between 1 and 4 October 1916.[8] It resulted in a Romanian victory, given that, by mid-October, Szívó's Orsova force was the only Central Powers unit that failed to advance.[9]

Aftermath

A mixed Austro-Hungarian and German force under the Hungarian Colonel Szívó had moved along the Cserna River in mid-November, during a general Central Powers offensive against Romania which started on 11 November, and captured parts of Orsova during fighting on 11–13 November.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ The Times, 1917, The Times History and Encyclopaedia of the War, Volume 11, p. 213
  2. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 21
  3. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 98
  4. ^ Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, 1930, Öesterreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914-1918, Volume 1, p. 89
  5. ^ Edmund Glaise-Horstenau, Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg 1914 – 1918. Vol. 5: Das Kriegsjahr 1916; 2; Beil, Verl. der Militärwiss. Mitteilungen, Wien, 1932
  6. ^ Military Service Institution of the United States, 1916, Journal, Volume 59, pp. 517-518
  7. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 169
  8. ^ Austria. Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, 1930, Öesterreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914-1918, Register-Band, p. 91
  9. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 169
  10. ^ Michael B. Barrett, Indiana University Press, Oct 23, 2013, Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania, p. 241
  11. ^ Austria. Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, Verlag der Militärwissenschaftlichen Mitteilungen, 1930, Öesterreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, 1914-1918, Register-Band, p. 91

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Battle_of_Orsova&oldid=1207936665"