PAST MEETING - JOHANNESBURG BRANCH
While Major Hall was visiting another branch, arrangements had been made to ensure that the audience was not deprived of the customary "short": Dr Ron Sinclair gave us a glimpse of his most exciting trip to Berlin in August 1945. Stationed in northern Italy, he and a friend travelled 3852 miles in 16 days in his suitably marked "bonnie Army lorry". They reached Berlin after an involuntary deviation, courtesy of the Red Army, and later made it to Paris before heading south to the Riviera and back to camp.
Stewart Stiles then spoke on one of Napoleon's less well-known campaigns, that of Germany in 1813. After the disaster in Russia in 1812 which saw only 93 000 survivors out of a Grand Armee of 655 000 return from Moscow, Napoleon was in a predicament. He had to get another Armee together rapidly to counter-act the growing restlessness of the conquered nations in the eastern part of the Empire. Perhaps the loss of 200 000 horses in Russia was the most critical aspect, since conscripts soon built up his numbers, although experience was obviously sadly lacking. Similarly, the Empire's resources soon replaced most of the more than a thousand guns which had been lost.
His need for a show of strength was accentuated by the fact that he was also fighting on another front: Spain. It was imperative that he obtain rapid, significant victories in Germany to consolidate his rule.
Opposing Napoleon were Tsar Alexander 1 and the Prussian King. Frederick William III, while Sweden was also re-arming. Austria under Napoleon's father-in-law, Francis l, was sitting neutral but watching events. Bent on avenging the invasion of Russia and already in Germany, having pursued the French armies to the Elbe by the end of March 1813, the Tsar and the Prussians gathered along the River in anticipation.
Mr Stiles took us through the details of four specific battles: Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden and Leipzig. At Lutzen (May 1813) neither army was fully prepared and after initial surprises on both sides it was the Emperor's personal intervention which won the day for the French. Casualties were high however: 20 000 men as against 18 000 lost by the Allies. Lack of cavalry hampered the French pursuit and continued to play a part as both armies re-assembled further east.
The battle of Bautzen took place three weeks later in an area where the Allied troops had extensive entrenchments and hoped that Napoleon would smash his armies against them: he in turn could not afford another non-decisive "victory" and laid plans accordingly. The Tsar almost played into Napoleon's hands, pouring more and more soldiers into the left flank while his Generals advised caution, suspecting - rightly - that the French plan would be to roll up the right. The Allies' 96 000 men were outnumbered by Napoleon's 115 000 even before Marshall Ney's force - a further 84 000 - arrived, but the latter's diversion to attack the village of Preititz allowed time for a skillful retreat to be started. Casualties were about equal, 20 000 each side.
An armistice from 4 June to 10 August allowed both sides a breathing space which was well used to re-arm: the Swedes and Austrians also formally joined the Allied cause. When hostilities resumed the armies were immense: 655 000 in the field and 112 000 in garrisons for the Allies; 450 000 in the field and 77 000 in garrisons for the French. A new tactic had been decided by the Allies: if Napoleon were personally on a battlefield, retreat; if not, fight his marshalls wherever they were found. The success of this plan was already in evidence before the next major battle which took place at Dresden at the end of August.
Napoleon did not get a chance to complete his battle plan at Dresdens because the Allies broke off and retreated when it became obvious that the French were in command: 38 000 Allies and 10 000 French casualties had been suffered by that stage, which was nevertheless the greatest French Victory of the campaign.
The last battle, that of Leipzig, took place on a scale not surpassed until the Great War: the French forces peaked at 195 000 while the Allies employed no fewer than 365 000 men. Cavalry action on 14 October was followed by fierce fighting until Napoleon decided on the evening of the sixteenth that a retreat might be called for but Bertrand delayed in carrying out his orders. Mustering 160 000 men and some 700 guns, the French could not face up to the Allies who had 295 000 and double the number of guns. The result was a foregone conclusion.
Summarising the reasons for the French defeat, Mr Stiles cited the inferior quality of the French conscripts; the physical/logistical problems associated with commanding almost a quarter of a million men on the battlefield; the disappointing performance of the marshalls and finally the newly emerging spirit of nationalism, particularly in Prussia.
Thanking the speaker on behalf of the Society Mr G Tremoulet complimented Mr Stiles on the excellent slides and imaginitive sound-effects which illustrated his presentation.
FUTURE EVENTS: APRIL 1987
Johannesburg Branch. - 9th April - Annual General Meeting and film: "Raid on Entebbe"
Cape Town Branch Annual General Meeting and film: "War under the Sea"
Durban Branch - no news - contact Tania v d Watt.
AGENDA FOR THE TWENTY-F I RST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MlLITARY HISTORY SOCIETY
TO BE HELD AT 20h00 ON 9 APRIL 1987 AT THE WAR MUSEUM.
Joan Marsh - acting scribe
P.S. The Society's ties have finaly arrived and will be available from Ron Sinclair at the AGM. The ties sell at R12-00 each if collected and R12-50 if they must be posted. Postal requests should be sent to the Secretary at the above address.
Mike Marsh.
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