Kauno tvirtovės žlugimas : Vilkmergės pėstininkų pulkas 1914-1915 metais

Abstract

At the end of the 19th century one of the biggest fortresses in the Russian Empire was constructed in Kaunas. In 1913 a second ring of the forts was added. Lithuanians constructing the forts were called up for military service in the Russian army. Together with other conscripts from Kaunas prov- ince they made up the majority of the garrison of the fortress. In July 1915, when the German army attacked the Kaunas fortress, military labour units were reformed into new units of the regular army. In the newly formed 124th infantry division there were two Lithuanian regiments, i.e. Kaunas 495th regiment and Vilkmergė 496th regiment. The article describes Vilkmergė 496th infantry regiment that participated in the battles at Kaunas fortress. This is a brief overview of the history of one of many Lithuanian infantry regiments that foughrin the battles of World War I.