THE MARCH OF 1916

In support of the Allies (England and France) the
Russian 12th army got ready for the offensive in March
of 1916. Latvian battalions joined forces with the Russians
units in a battle on an open field near Iecava village.



It is the March of 1916
To the positions near Iecava, where Riga–Bauska road
Through the paths full of snow and mud
The battalions of Latvian Riflemen wade
A fierce battle is waiting for them now
And many will go through fire for the first time
But urchins from Riga rush forward in fight themselves
For they safely believe that the enemy will be put to flight

By the high generals of Czar is decided
In the main assault group shall go
Latvian battalions of Riga and Daugavgrīva
Together with Siberian regiments
Yet in the night of 20th March
They take their places in the first trenches
Time passes in excitementful expectations
Standing in mud or sleeping in wet grenade pits

Till in the half past five of morning
First Russian cannons start to roar
And hurricane fire sets in
92 gun tubes are shooting and German positions
Are boiling like a cauldron
Then Siberians rise for the battle
And order is heard: "Latvians, forward!"

The enemy front is broken already
And many yells loudly "hurrah!"
But Riflemen farther can't reach
German machine-guns start to break their ranks
And there is no way back either
The wall of fire by artillery is built
The Siberians cannot endure – they flee
And Germans then sweep them in piles of corpses
But Latvians still stand!

And only with the dark of night survivors crawl back
The wounded ones moan on the field for a long
From high generals was destined thus
For many to stay in the grenadestorm of March