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General Ignaz Verdross von Drossberg

General Ignaz Verdroß Edler von Droßberg was born on 16 December 1851 in Mals, Tirol.  In 1915, he was ranked Generalmajor, and was in command of the 180. infantry brigade, part of Feldmarschalleutnat von Können-Horak's Rayon III in the Trentino.  In August 1916, Verdross took command of the 8. Infantry Division in place of FML Ludwig Fabini.  Then in January 1918, GdI Verdross was succeeded by GM Felix Prinz zu Schwarzenberg.  Verdross meanwhile took over the XIV. (Edelweiss) Corps.  He succeeded GdI Hugo Martiny and led this force until wars' end.  When the armistice was signed on 3 November, Verdross's troops stacked their weapons as befits an army at peace, but the Italias surged forward and began imprisoning the Austrians as enemies at war, for the armistice was still not in effect on the other side of the trenches.  Unable to contact his superiors, Verdross surrendered and was taken into capitivity along with the rest of his men for the next few months.  Christian Frech summarizes his life: 1871   Tiroler Jägerregiment 1.5.1876 Lieutenant 1.5.1903 Colonel 29.4.1908 Commander 3rd Tiroler Kaiserjägerregiment 29.4.1911 Commander 14. Mountain Brigade 1.11.1911 Major General 1913  retired 1.8.1914 re-activated, Commander of Gruppe Nordtirol 24.5.1915 Commander 180. InfBrig 1.11.1915 Feldmarschalleutnant 9.8.1916 Commander 8th ITD (Kaiserjäger-Division) 3.2.1918 Commander XIV. Corps (Edelweiss Korps) 1.5.1918 General der Infanterie November 1918 Prisoner of war General Verdross died in Innsbruck on 16 June 1931. GWS, 11/01 [rev. 5/03]

Orders of Battle:  Italian Front, May 1915 Immediately following Italy’s declaration of war against the Empire Southwestern Front, GO Erzherzog Eugen Tirol Defense Command, GdK Dankl      Rayon III (Südtirol)          91. inf. div., FML v. Können-Horak                   50. hus. brig., Oberst Spiegel                  detachment Riva. fortress detachment command, GM Schiesser                   181. inf. brig., GM Englert                   180. inf. brig., GM Edler v. Verdross                   52. hus. brig., Oberst Edl. v. Kreschel

Orders of Battle:  Tirol Front, 15 May 1916 Immediately preceding the Offensive aganst Italy Army Group Archduke Eugen, GO Archduke Eugen      Chief of Staff, Feldmlt. Alfred Krauss XI. Army, GO Viktor Dankl      XX. Korps, Feldmlt. Archduke Karl Franz Josef           Chief of Staff, Obst. Alfred Frh. v. Waldstätten           8. Inf. Div., Feldmlt. Fabini                58. Mtn. Brig., Obst. v. Merten                180. Inf. Brig., Feldmlt. Edler v.Verdross

Orders of Battle:  Tirol Front, November 1917 Immediately preceding the Caporetto Offensive Conrad Group, Feldmarschal Conrad von Hötzendorf Erzherzog Peter Ferdinand Group, Gen. d. Inf. Erzherzog Peter Ferdinand XI. Army, Generaloberst Scheuchenstüel      Rayon III, Südtirol, Feldmlt. von Kletter      Edelweiss, XIV. Korps,  Gen. d. Inf. von Martiny           Kaiserjäger, VIII. inf. div., Feldmlt. Verdross von Drossberg

Orders of Battle:  Tirol Front, June 1918 Immediately preceding the Battle of the Piave Army Group Conrad, Feldmarchal Conrad von Hötzendorf X. Armee, Feldmarchal von Krobatin XIV. Edelweiss Korps, Gen. d. Inf. von Verdross von Drossberg   Kaiser Jäger div., GM Felix Prinz zu Schwarzenburg

Orders of Battle:  Tirol Front, October 1918 Immediately preceding the Battle of Vittorio Veneto Army Group Erzherzog Josef, Generaloberst Erzherzog Josef X. Armee, Feldmarschal von Krobatin      XIV. Edelweiss Korps, Gen. d. Inf. Verdross von Drossberg           Kaiser Jäger div., GM Felix Prinz zu Schwarzenberg           XIX. inf. div., Feldmlt. Elmar           res., III. Edelweiss inf. div., Feldmlt. von Alpenbach