Battle of Komarów begins
- Category:
- Military operations
- Front:
- Eastern Front
- Date:
- 26 August 1914
- Author:
- Natalia
- Battle:
- Battle of Komarów
On 26 August 1914 the Battle of Komarów began in the Zamość region. The Austro-Hungarian 4th Army of General Moritz von Auffenberg clashed with the Russian 5th Army of General Pavel Plehve on the territory of the Kingdom of Poland, between Zamość, Komarów and Tomaszów Lubelski.
Two armies on the march
After the victory at Kraśnik, the Austro-Hungarian Chief of Staff, Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, ordered the 4th Army to advance north towards Chełm. At the same time the Russian 5th Army was marching south from the opposite direction, from Chełm and Hrubieszów. Neither side knew exactly where the enemy’s main forces were. Auffenberg, reinforced by the Tyrolean corps of Archduke Joseph Ferdinand, decided to outflank the Russians on both sides.
The first day
The first blow fell on the Russian XXV Corps near Zamość. The Austro-Hungarian II Corps from Vienna inflicted heavy losses on it and forced it to retreat north towards Krasnystaw. Further Russian corps, however, were arriving from the east, and in the following days the fighting spread along the whole front from Zamość to Tomaszów, and at times the Austrians’ position became dangerous.
What the following days brought
The battle lasted until 2 September. The Austro-Hungarians almost encircled Plehve’s army, but at the last moment the Russians slipped away behind the Bug, losing many soldiers and prisoners. Auffenberg won a victory for which he later received the title of baron with the honorific “von Komarów”. It did not, however, change the fate of the whole campaign, because in eastern Galicia the Russians were at the same time pushing the weaker Austro-Hungarian armies back towards Lviv.
The fighting took place on Polish soil, and Poles served in both armies. Six years later, in 1920, another Battle of Komarów was fought in the same area, this time between Polish cavalry and Budyonny’s Cavalry Army.
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Related events
(04)The same battle, people or subject.
- 2 September 1914 · Eastern FrontBattle of Komarów endsOn 2 September 1914 Plehve's Russian Fifth Army slipped out of encirclement towards the Bug. The Battle of Komarów ended in an Austro-Hungarian victory.
- 25 August 1914 · Eastern FrontEnd of the Battle of KraśnikOn 25 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian First Army took Kraśnik and the Russian Fourth Army fell back towards Lublin. It was Austria-Hungary's first victory.
- 23 August 1914 · Eastern FrontThe Battle of Kraśnik beginsOn 23 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian First Army and the Russian Fourth Army clashed in the Lublin region. The great Battle of Galicia had begun.
- 7 September 1914 · Eastern FrontBattle of Tarnawka beginsOn 7 September 1914 the Battle of Tarnawka broke out south of Lublin. The reinforced Russians struck Dankl's Austro-Hungarian army and forced it to retreat.