Source: https://www.weaponews.com/history/472-the-baltic-front-of-the-first-world-the-riga-operation-of-1917.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 04:01:32+00:00

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Operations on the riga-dvina direction was conducted in the years 1915-16, but in the campaign of 1917 to operational reasons and added political. Field marshal general p. Hindenburg had said that the attack on riga in Russia is alarming for the fate of petrograd [the hindenburg p. Memories.
Pg. , 1922. P. 51]. Impact the task was entrusted to the german 8th army under the command of general of infantry, o.
Von gotera (11 infantry and 2 cavalry divisions, 2000 guns). In the striking force of the army consisted of 2 guards, the 203-infantry, the 14th bavarian and 19th reserve divisions. The aim of the operation was the encirclement of the main forces of the Russian 12th army of the Northern front in the heart of riga with the prospect of an offensive against petrograd. 1.
O. Von hutier. Operational plan of the germans involved the crossing of the Western dvina river and attack on ikskyul, herzenberg, rogenous. 2.
The scheme of the riga operation, the german command had carefully prepared for the operation. Artillery beat on a pre-zeroed and calibrated targets. Affected by the previous period of fraternization, which was used to obtain intelligence information. So, in the satchel of a murdered german soldier Russian soldiers found perfectly printed in three color maps of the entire riga area: one was applied all more or less significant roads in the location of Russian troops on the second map were marked all the Russian field fortifications of the first and second lanes of defense, the third was caused to plan for the future actions of the germans after crossing the river, and on the fourth the map is divided into squares, targets for the german artillery [Vladimir voitinsky, the fall of riga.
Pg. , 1917. P. 7]. The riga bridgehead was defended by troops of the 12th army (commander lieutenant - general d.
P. Parsi, chief of staff major - general a. A. Posokhov).
The army has carried the brunt of the riga defensive operation 19 – 24 aug 1917 3. D. P. Parsky 4.
A. A. Staff in the army consisted of 15 infantry and infantry (13th, 21st 43rd army, 2nd and 6th siberian army corps), 3 cavalry divisions, 3 infantry and a cavalry brigade). The front of the army was stretching over 200 km.
Of the case occupied the position of: 13th army corps defended the gulf of riga; siberian army were at the riga bridgehead (battle area from frenkendorf to baramunda over a length of 80 km); the 21st and 43rd army took up the defense from baramunda to friedrichstadt (length combat area about 100 km). The main attack the germans had the positions of the 43rd corps (infantry 109-i 110-i, 186-i division, 2nd latvian rifle brigade). The case was defended by the section length of 32 km, passing along the banks of the Western dvina from the oger to baramunda. Exculky bridgehead defended 186 division.
The efficiency of the army was weak: the shortage reached more than 30 thousand people [kavtaradze, a. G. Riga operation of 1917 // military-historical magazine. 1967.
No. 9. P. 121], the discipline was low (a consequence of the last phase of the "Deepening revolution" in the Russian army).
The german high command took into account the fact that degradation of the Russian army [ritter h. The criticism of the world war. Pg. , 1923. P.
165]. At 6 o'clock on 19 august the germans began artillery preparation, and in 11 hours and 10 minutes - the crossing of the troops of the first echelon. According to the testimony of the quartermaster general of the german Eastern front m. Hoffmann, the actions of the 2nd guards, the 14th bavarian and 19th reserve divisions were supported by artillery batteries 170 and 230 medium and large mortars [hoffmann m.
War of missed opportunities. M. -l. , 1925. P. 155].
2nd guards division quickly crossed the Western dvina, separating the first line of defense of the Russian troops. The Russian part of the 186th infantry division, leaving the artillery destroyed the trenches, retreated through the forest filled with poisonous gases from the explosions of german chemical munitions. But a further promotion of the german guards met resistance units of the 186th division. Crossing the river parts of the 14th bavarian division in the area of the 21st corps was unsuccessful.
5. Riga and the riga bridgehead operation 6. The fallen Russian soldiers, the commander of the 12th army, in 13 hours ordered forces 136th, 33rd infantry divisions, a brigade of the 116th infantry division and the 2nd latvian infantry brigade to throw back the germans on the Western shore. However, to form a battle group and carry out the counter-attack all the forces simultaneously failed, and local counterattacks were unsuccessful.
Great tactical importance were the actions of the squad of v. E. Vyazmitinova. Major-general v.
E. Vyazmitinov was appointed commander of the 136th infantry division (with the assignment to "Improve" that contaminated the division) and manage attached parts. Part of his unit was able to fend off the enemy attack along the highway to riga - it was saved from the environment of the siberian corps and army headquarters. 7.
V. E. Vyazmitinov the evening of 19 august, the germans gained a foothold to 15 km wide and 5 km deep. 20 august, the germans resumed the offensive.
German heavy artillery began to bombard riga. 8. View of riga, drawing of the beholder. From the fire of the german artillery started fires – the city is shrouded in smoke.
The 14th bavarian division about 15 hours broke at the joint of connections of the 12th army- the right flank of the 21st corps. The night of 21 august the germans broke through the 2nd line of Russian defense positions. Excerpt of the 2nd latvian infantry brigade, which managed to stop the 2nd guards division advancing on rogenous, prevented the encirclement near riga main forces of the army. The resistance of latvians gave the command of the 12th army 26 hours of operational time.
9. Latvian riflemen in the battle of riga is not using all the defensive capabilities, the command of the 12th army gave the night of 21 august, the order to withdraw. It was the first step toward the surrender of riga which collapsed on august 21. 21 - 24 august the Russian troops in disorder retreated to vengerskim positions, leaving their artillery and equipment.
The germans kept mostly cavalry units (including dismounted), shock regiment p. V. Glasenap and partisan unit l. N.
Lunin. In rearguard actions once again excelled squad v. E. Vyazmitinov, and vasily yefimovich for the successful fighting of the squad was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed commander of the 6th siberian army corps.
The loss of the 12-th army - 25,000 people (including 15000 missing, ie mainly prisoners). The heavy losses among army units suffered 186-infantry division (3283 person from 6575 and 742 th infantry regiment ponevejsky during a gas attack killed completely). Was lost 273 guns (including heavy 83), 48 mortars, 185 256 mortars and machine guns [kavtaradze, a. G.
German losses - up to 5,000 people. It is usually the victims of missile fire, as the artillery of the 12th army was using chemical weapons out of action at the beginning of the operation. Fighting near riga, the remarkable birth of the tactics, received the name "Lutheranska". Largely thanks to her that the germans had such a brilliant tactical successes in their offensive operations on the french front in the first half of 1918 the poor were the actions of the command of the 12th army, which failed to group the army reserves and make an effective counterattack, the reserves are scattered between buildings, and the newly arrived parts were introduced into battle in small packages.
The brunt of army defensive operations actually fell on the shoulders of corps commanders, especially the commanders of the 2nd siberian army lieutenant-general v. F. Novitsky and the 43-rd army of lieutenant-general v. G.
Boldyrev buildings. 10. V. F.
Novitsky 11. V. G. Boldyrev, it should be noted the actions of the siberian parts of the Russian army, once again confirmed their high military reputation, as well as the latvian riflemen: "Spike of siberian and latvian riflemen were still solid, stress, and even in the hands of experienced chiefs officers.
The corps commander general novitsky has repeatedly shown his personal praise and admiration about the heroic exploits and superhuman endurance in the battles of latvian riflemen" [possevin s. The fall of the empire. Northern front (from the diary of a staff officer for assignments). Riga, 1932.
P. 34]. Latvian infantry brigade suffered in these battles, heavy losses – for example, the 5th zemgale rifle regiment lost 80% of officers and 67% of the ordinary compositions. 25% loss of the entire 12th army occurred in 2 of the latvian rifle brigade.
He distinguished himself in the battles of riga and armored cars. So, on the night of august 20, 2 armored cars covered the retreat of the latvian part. Armored "Invincible" brought 2 guns, abandoned by the Russian troops, and then covered the departure of the 77-th siberian rifle regiment. On the german side, it should be noted a large amount of used chemical artillery shells.
In fact, there has been a real gas attack, which bore, above all, counterbattery nature - its main objective was the firing positions of the Russian artillery. An eyewitness recalled: "The first 3 - 4 hours the fire was directed mainly against our batteries. Shots were fired chemical shells and grenades, large caliber. Hours to 10 a. M.
- 11 a. M. Coastal forest were all like mist shrouded in suffocating gases. Some of our guns were by this time lined. The other battery was broken or saklas servants.
And some of the guns were thrown by our artillery, as the work in clouds of choking gas became impossible. About 11 o'clock in the morning sounded the last single cannon shot from our shores and our artillery was silent, was silent for the whole day" [v. Voitinsky decree. Op.
P. 8]. Confirmed the fact of enhanced use of enemy chemical munitions and s. Posevin: ". Our infantry trenches the first three lines along the river is quite empty, but with human corpses, livid and stained from suffocation by gases.
The artillery positions of two brigades of artillery: field battery was dead, the servants and officers part strangled explosive gases asphyxiating shells; horse brigades - also. It's in zabrejko six horses, and of them lay on the side and some strangled sled and heads of departments. Limbers full of shells. " [possevin s. The decree.

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