Shmakalakan involvement in the First World War

*For the actual conflict of the First World War*

Shmakalaka's involvement in the First World War began on the 4th August 1914 when Britian declared war on the Central powers, automatically including the dominions and colonies of the British Empire. Shmakalaka's first involvement of the war came in April 1915 when 4,500 men of the 3rd Brigade participated in the landings at Cape Helles against the Ottoman Empire in the Gallipoli campaign. Shmakalakan troops where then later deployed to the British sector of the Western front where they fought with distinction participating in the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Passesndale, most notably, .... Shmakalakan's lost their lives on the western front. Ethnic Italian Shmakalakan units were formed in the colonial Italian state of Soresta and fought on the Italian front against the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Alps and participated in the retreat at Caporetto and the Battles of Monte Grappa. In total **50,787** Shmakalakans lost their lives fighting in the conflict, the largest loss of life ever suffered by the nation in any war or conflict.

## Background

The British declaration of war automatically involved Shmakalaka.

## Structure in early 1918

or.....
1 company= 4 platoons of 25 men divided into 2 squads per platoon.
1 Regiment= 10 companies of 100 men= 1000 men
5 companies= 1 battalion= 500 men
2 battalions= 1 regiment
regiments joined together form a brigade= 3 brigades per division
3 brigades join together to form a division= 10,000 men

not including artillery, signal corps, Medical Corps, cycling corps, Engineering Corps
Artillery in Regiment or Battalion with the others in companies.

There are other types of infantry platoons (e.g., antiarmor, heavy machinegun, light armored reconnaissance, mortar, reconnaissance, scout, scout sniper, and intelligence.

### Honours

1st Division- Gallipoli, Somme (Disbanded 1916)

2nd Division- Somme, Passchendaele, Hundred Days

3rd Division- Somme, Passchendaele, Hundred Days

4th Division- Somme, Passchendaele, Hundred Days

5th Division- Caporetto, Vittorio Venetto

6th Division- n/a

## Gallipoli Campaign

### Preparations

In March 1915 the Shmakalakan 1st Infantry division was assigned to the newly formed Mediterranean Expeditionary Force an army which was being tasked with invading the Ottoman Empire landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula before capturing Constantinople and securing passage to Russia with the capture of the Dardanelle straights.

### Landings

In the early morning of the 25th April 1915 Shmakalakan 3rd Infantry Brigade landed alongside their British Allies on the Gallipoli peninsula, at X beach just north of Cape Helles, the Shmakalakan's only suffered 22 casualties in the initial landings as X beach was only guarded by a single Ottoman Company, with the main force being further south at the tip of the peninsula at V beach. The Shmakalakan's fortified their positions alongside there parent division the 29th British Infantry Division and were soon tasked with fighting there way south towards the men stuck at W beach which was a bloodbath with heavy casualties. The Shmakalakans found the mess at V beach and met up with the men stranded at night before moving inland. The 2nd Brigade would soon join the 3rd at Gallipoli by July, the 1st was diverted to Western Europe due to the stalemate in the Dardanelles. The campaign ultimately was a stalemate and led to over ... Shmakalakan Deaths and many more injured, the allies were evacuated from the peninsula in December 1915.

## Western Front

After the evacuation from Gallipoli the 1st Division was depleted and was given a break before heading to the Western Front to meet up with the now fully equipped 2nd Division of which was comprised of volunteers. They also met up with the newly formed 3rd and 4th Divisions which arrived on the Western front in August and October of 1916 in preparation for the massive planned assault at the River Somme in November 1916.

### Battle of the Somme

The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Shmakalakan Divisions all participated in the Battle of the Somme from August onwards, over 11,000 Shmakalakans would be killed during the offensive lasting till November, the offensive was deemed a failure resulting in heavy casualties for little land gained, however it was successful at depleting Germanys existing force from which they would never recover. Shmakalaka lost a total of 5,300 during the offensive which saw the 1st Division rested due to loses suffered from this campaign. The 1st Division suffered tremendously high casualties early in the campaign.

### Battle of Passchendaele

After the Somme, replacements were called up to fill the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Divisions which had all suffered heavy loses during the Somme Offensive, as well as the introduction the 5th and 7th Division in time for the offensive. During the campaign Shmakalaka lost a total of 27,359 men, the highest during the First World War.
Before the Battle, saw the creation of the Shmakalaka Corps which consisted of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th (1st formed into Brigade, 6th on Italian front). The Shmakalaka Corps was made up of around 110,000 men at is peak, by the end of the campaign the Corps was down to around 80,000, due to the heavy loss of life suffered.

## Italian Front

The Shmakalakan 6th Division made up of Soresta regiments was formed with most if not all being ethnic Italians due to Soresta's colonial past and Italian settlement. The 6th requested to fight alongside the Italians in the Alps and arrived at the front on 20th September 1917. Some 30 days later the Division along with there Italian counterparts were subject of a combined Austrian and German assault called the Battle of Caporetto. The battle lasted till the 11th of November 1917 and saw over 1,300 Shmakalakans killed. Of the 20,000 men which made up the 6th Division 1,300 were killed and a further 3,100 were injured and over 1000 were taken as POW's. The 24th of October is a public holiday in the state of Soresta due to this immense loss of life and the rate of which it occurred. It should be noted that 2 Victoria Crosses were given out to members of the 6th Division for Heroics in combat. The Shmakalakans were highly regarded like most colonial troops of Britain by the end of the war, the 6th Divisions service on the Italian Front certainly demonstrated this. The Shmakalakan 6th Division was the first foreign unit to fight on the Allied side till British and French divisions arrived to help the Italians after Caporetto. The 6th Division would later be a part of the successful final Vittorio Venetto offensive which resulted in the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Overall Shmakalakan casualties on the Italian front were over 8,400.
The 6th Division remains legends of the Italian Front, elements acted as the rear guard for the retreating Italian Armies at Caporetto where 2 VC's were awarded, with Austro Hungarian troops surrounding there defensive position legendary Lieutenant Matteo Vincezere of the 1st Battalion of 2nd Natale Rifles (Infantry) Regiment manned a deserted machine gun and killed a recorded 26 Austrian Hungarian men allowing the remainder of his platoon to retreat safely to join up with the Italian Armies, he then successfully retreated with help of Italian Artillery and rifle fire from his Battalion.

## Consequences

### Monuments

National Building-Porto Azul

Palmero Memorial, Natale Memorial, Georgetown Memorial

Passchendaele Memorial (Belgium), Somme Memorial (France), 12th Isonzo Caporetto Memorial (Volce, Slovenia)

## Order of Battle in 1918

### 1st Division

1st Machine gun Battalion

1st Signal Squadron

1st Artillery Regiment

1st Medical Regiment

1st Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

1st Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

1st Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**1st Brigade**

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Soresta Regiment

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Soresta Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Costa Dourado Regiment

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Costa Dourado Regiment

-**2nd Brigade**

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Guards Regiment

**3rd Brigade**

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal 1º Carabino Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Highland Regiment

-1st Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Naval Regiment

-2nd Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Naval Regiment

### 2nd Division

2nd Machine gun Battalion

2nd Signal Squadron

2nd Artillery Regiment

2nd Medical Regiment

2nd Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

2nd Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

2nd Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**4th Brigade**

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Naval Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Naval Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Regiment of Ordenanças

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Regiment of Ordenanças

**7th Brigade**

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Costa Dourado Infantry Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Costa Dourado Infantry Regiment

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

**11th Brigade**

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal 1º Carabino Regiment

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Highland Regiment

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Regiment of Ordenanças

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Regiment of Ordenanças

### 3rd Division

3rd Machine gun Battalion

3rd Signal Squadron

3rd Artillery Regiment

3rd Medical Regiment

3rd Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

3rd Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

3rd Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**18th Brigade**

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

**6th Brigade**

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-5th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-6th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

**9th Brigade**

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

### 4th Division

4th Machine gun Battalion

4th Signal Squadron

4th Artillery Regiment

4th Medical Regiment

4th Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

4th Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

4th Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**10th Brigade**

-5th Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

-6th Infantry Battalion, Royal Hamilton Regiment

-5th Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

**14th Brigade**

-6th Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

-7th Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

-7th Infantry Battalion, Royal Porto Azul Regiment

**8th Brigade**

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal 1º Carabino Regiment

-5th Infantry Battalion, Royal 1º Carabino Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Puanesian Regiment

### 5th Division

5th Machine gun Battalion

5th Signal Squadron

5th Artillery Regiment

3rd Medical Regiment

5th Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

5th Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

5th Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**5th Brigade**

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Soresta Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Soresta Regiment

-5th Infantry Battalion, Royal Soresta Regiment

**19th Brigade**

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Highland Regiment

-4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Highland Regiment

-15th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

**20th Brigade**

-2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Guards Regiment

-3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Guards Regiment

-1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Travira Regiment

### 6th Division

6th Machine gun Battalion

6th Signal Squadron

6th Artillery Regiment

6th Medical Regiment

6th Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Battalion

6th Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Battalion

6th Cavalry Regiment

-1st Squadron

-2nd Squadron

-3rd Squadron

**17th Brigade**

-7th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-8th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-9th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

**12th Brigade**

-10th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-11th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-16th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

**13th Brigade**

-12th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-13th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment

-14th Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment