The military structure of the K.u.k. Infanterieregiment Nr.97

 

The Austro-Hungarian Infantry Regiments were organized in a quaternary system.
Articulated on four Battalions everyone of them was formed of four Companies, which were made of four platoons. Each platoon had four squads.

The hierarchical Officer’s pyramid beginning from the lowest rank was as follows: Lieutenants, Captains, Majors and Colonels.

 In time of peace the effective power of every Regiment was 1200 men (100 in each Company); in time of war the number could also increase five times. With the recall of the reserve the number of the Officers  (until the rank of Captain) increased proportionally.

The K.u.k. infanterieregiment Nr.97 was constituted in 1883 and its " holder of Regiment " was the Baron von Waldstätten (Freiherr von Waldstätten). It had its Headquarter in Bjelovar (Croatia) where were stationed also the 1st  and the 2nd  Battalion. The 3rd Battalion was stationed in Trieste and the 4th in Carlstadt (today called Karlovac, Croatia); During the war the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalion were incorporated in the 13th Corps 36th Infantry Division, 72nd brigade while the 3rd Battalion was incorporated in the 3rd Corps 28th Infantry Division, 55th brigade. During the war new Infantry Regiments were formed from the assignment of some Battalions of pre existing Infantry Regiments to other newly formed Regiments.  Due to this the 4th  Battalion of the K.u.k. I.R. Nr.97 together with the 4th  Battalion of the IR17 and to the 3rd  Battalion of the IR87 formed the new K.u.k. I.R. Nr.117. Analogous the 5th Battalion of the 97th IR formed the K.u.k I.R. Nr.122 together with the 2nd and the 3rd Battalion of the 22nd IR.
 
 


 

The Commanders of 97th Infantry Regiment:
 

ca. 1890                         Colonel Gerba 
1899-1902                      Colonel Bernath von Bosutpolje
1902-1906                      Colonel Wagner
1906-1910                      Colonel Count Stürgh
1910-1911                      Colonel Thaler 
1911- sept. 1914            Colonel Baron Knopp von Kirchwald
sept 1914-nov. 1914       ColonelAdamovich 
nov. 1914-jan. 1916        Colonel Gheri
jan.1916-4th jan. 1916   Major Peter Giraldi (seniority)
aim gen. 1916-ott. 1917   Colonel Hostach 
oct. 1917-mar.1918          Lieutenant Colonel Peter Giraldi

Some soldiers of Slovenian nationalities who belonged to the 2nd  Ersatz Kompanie; as shown by the stamp on the back of the postcard.