Battle of Bolimów

Battle of Bolimov
Part of the Eastern Front during World War I

Eastern Front, 1915.
DateJanuary 31, 1915
Locationnear Bolimów, Poland
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 German Empire  Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
August von Mackensen Vladimir Smirnov
Vasily Gurko, VI Corps
Units involved
German Ninth Army Russian Second Army
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
20,000 casualties 40,000 casualties

The Battle of Bolimów was an inconclusive battle of World War I fought on January 31, 1915 between Germany and Russia and considered a preliminary to the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes.

Battle

The German Ninth Army led by August von Mackensen attacked the Russian Second Army, under General Smirnov, near the Polish village of Bolimów, lying on the railway line connecting Łódź and Warsaw.

The Battle of Bolimów was the first attempt by the Germans at a large-scale use of poison gas; the eighteen thousand gas shells they fired proved unsuccessful when the xylyl bromidea type of tear gaswas blown back at their own lines.[1] The gas caused few, if any, casualties, however, since the cold weather caused it to freeze, rendering it ineffective.[1]

The failure of the xylyl bromide caused the German commanders to call off their attack. In response, the Russians sent 11 divisions, led by Vasily Gurko to launch a counterattack; German artillery repelled the Russian troops, who suffered 40,000 casualties.[1]

References

Coordinates: 52°04′35″N 20°09′47″E / 52.076389°N 20.163056°E / 52.076389; 20.163056

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