95 - near Chavonne/Soissons, 13 October 1915 (Letter from friend Ltn Plutte)

Bei Chavonne, 13-10-1915

[Arr. Soissons]

Dear family Limbach!

I just received the shocking news that also Fritz has given his life for our Fatherland.

I cannot say much, but let me tell you that I share your pain with all my heart.

Fritz has always been a role model for me through his quiet unselfish demeanor, and I often think back in gratitude to the hours we spent together.

May God give you strenght to bear this terrible loss. Please be assured of my sincere condolences.

Your’s faithfully

H. Plutte

Absender:

Leutnant Plutte

6. Komp. II Batl.

R.I.R. 30

7. Res. – Korps

15. Res. - Division

The original letter:

94 - Baden, 12 October 1915 (Letter from Fritz's cousin Walter Nettelbeck)

Baden, 12 October 1915

Dear Uncle, Dear Aunt!

My sincerest condolences on your dreadful loss.

May God soon give a purpose for this murder.

With warmest greetings

Walter Nettelbeck

Walter Nettelbeck was wounded in September or October 1914.

Letter was sent from the Josefinenheim hospital in Baden-Baden. 

Verlustliste of 5 November 1915:

93 - Mischnitsche bei Smorgon, 10 October 1915 (Letter from friend Walter Benzenberg)

Mischnitsche bei Smorgon, 10 october 1915

[*1]

Dear mrs Limbach!

After a long time I have finally found the time to reply to the letters.

Then I would like to ask you to please send my warmest congratulations to Fritz on his birthday.

Just as things here are quieting down after 2 months it apparently flares up in the West.

I hope the English and Frenchmen did not get to our Fritz, so that he can spend his birthday in the field cheerful and in good health.

I would like to report in more detail from here, but just as we had settled ourselves here for the winter the order came to move again. As soon as we have gotten ourselves a real home for the winter longer reports on the very tiring but also interesting journey via Kowno [Kaunas/Lithuania] and Wilna [Vilnius/Lithuania] to here will be written.

With warm greetings to the whole household I am,

Your

W. Benzenberg

Walter was stationed on the Eastern front, and Fritz often wrote that the post to and from there did not arrive. So the news of Fritz’s death did not reach Walter before this letter was written.

He was a Gefreiter in Reserve Feld-Artillerie-Regiment nr 66, under the command of 80 Reserve-Division.

http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/80._Reserve-Division_%28WK1%29

[*1]  Smorgon is now Smarhon, Belarus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smarhon%E2%80%99

The original letter:

92 - Stammheim [Auchy], 9 October 1915 (Letter from friend Musketier Otto Mertens)

Stammheim [Company HQ], 9 October 1915

Dear family Limbach,

I would like to write you some details about that pointless day the week before last.

A terrible loss has affected your dear family, as it has me and all of his comrades. In Fritz we lost one of the best and our friend.

The only solace is that he did not die in pain, just like Karl Steigleder in his time.  A headshot brought his young life to an untimely end.

It is extremely difficult for me to write to you. I know how close your relationship was to Fritz.

We were always together, and only by coincidence were we seperated from each other in his hour.

We could not help our friends at the Prellbock anymore, as, after the gas cloud had drifted over, disaster had already struck.

Our heroism knew no bounds in the fight against the English, filling the places of our friends.

Please excuse me that I cannot write more extensively, I just can’t.

Please believe me when I say that I fully understand your pain, as I have lost the dearest friend.

I send to you my most heartfelt condolences, and remain

your‘s sincerely

(was signed)  Otto Mertens

The original letter:

91 - France, 3 October 1915 (Letter from Offz.Stellvertreter W. Scheffel)

91 France, 3 October 1915

[In the same envelope as letter nr 90]

Valued family!

You will by now have received from the regiment the deeply sad news about the hero’s death of your dear son “Fritz”.

Please accept my deepest personal condolences.

Please excuse me that I only now have time to write you some more details.

On the 25^th September, in the morning at around 06:30 hrs, the English attacked our “Prellbock” position with great superiority, supported by a preliminary gas-attack.

When the thick clouds had drifted over us, the English, who sneaked up behind it, were in our immediate vicinity. Gunfire commenced! The cunningly concealed English machineguns fired like mad, and our machinegun returned fire, thereby revealing its position which was unknown to the English upto then. Following that the enemy tried to capture the German machinegun.

It came to a handgrenade fight in which there were sadly casualties. Fritz, who was positioned there, was mortally wounded by the explosions, as were many of his comrades. He quietly fell backwards, suffering no pain or discomfort.

The fight went on. We were victorious thanks to the heroism of our weakened platoon. The enemy was thrown back suffering considerable casualties.

In “Fritz” we lose, and miss, an ever faithful, honest and brave friend and comrade.

His “Hero’s grave”, which is adorned with a beautiful white cross, is situated in the “Ehrenfriedhof” in Douvrin, amid those of his fallen comrades.  

When we have the opportunity we will gladly send you a photograph of the grave.

You will have received his personal effects, which were found with him, from the I.R.M., if not they will arrive within the next few days.

Please excuse me that I do not have time to write you more extensively, and can only write you this short message. The last two weeks have been extremely strenuous, and, as you can well imagine, there is much to do.

Please accept my heartfelt “condolences”, and I remain

With warm greetings to your valued family,

Yours sincerely

(was signed)  W. Scheffel

Offz. Stellvertreter

Note: The words in inverted comma’s  “… “ are as they appear in the original.

The original letter: