The Lost Battalion

The Lost Battalion (2001)

The Lost Battalion is a 2001 made-for-television movie by the A&E Network. It chronicled the plight of an American World War I battalion, the 308th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Infantry Division, who were trapped behind German lines in the Argonne Forest, France over six days in October of 1918.

The following firearms were used in The Lost Battalion:

Note

Note: There are two famous instances of 'Lost battalions' and people tend to get them confused. One is the World War I event portrayed in this movie, and the second is the World War II event, when 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry, 36th I.D. (Texas) became trapped behind German lines in France. In the World War II incident, the Japanese-American 442 Regimental combat team fought through to save them and this battle became particularly famous due to the massive losses incurred by the "Nisei". (442 RCT) I Company went in with 185 men only eight walked out. K Company began with 186 men and ended up with 17 men. As for the Lost Battalion, 230 men were rescued. The 442nd were all named 'honorary' Texans by the Texas state legislature for their actions.

In the World War One Incident, United States 77th Division (with 554 men) were surrounded by German forces. Of the total force, 197 were KIA, 150 were either MIA or POWs, and only 194 were rescued.

Handguns

Colt M1911

The Colt M1911 is the main handgun carried by American officers in the film. The hammer spur is small enough to indicate that they got the weapons right for the period by using an M1911 pistol rather than a M1911A1. It is used By Major Charles Whittlesey (Rick Schroder), Captain George McMurtry (Phil McKee) and Captain Nelson Holderman (Adam James).

Original Colt M1911 (dated 1913) - .45 ACP

Major Charles Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) checks the time, Colt M1911 in hand.

Major Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) with the M1911 as he leads the charge.

Major Whittlesey with his M1911.

Captain Nelson Holderman (Adam James) fires a Colt M1911.

Captain George McMurtry (Phil McKee) opens up with an M1911.

A high amount of muzzle flash is visible as Captain Holderman fires.

Major Whittlesey draws his M1911.

Major Whittlesey slides a new magazine into his M1911.

Boom! Headshot.

The hammer of McMurtry's M1911 draws back as he runs out of ammo.

M1917 Revolver

The M1917 Revolver is seen used by Lt. Leak (Jay Rodan). Since Lt. Leak is a Texan officer whom somehow ended up with a New York unit, it could be his personal sidearm of choice.

Colt M1917 Revolver (Military issue with lanyard ring) - .45 ACP

Lt. Leak (Jay Rodan) fires his Colt M1917 revolver.

Lt. Leak advances at German soldiers, revolver in hand. He manages to overextend himself and his welcome.

Luger P08

The Luger P08 can be seen used by German soldiers on two occasions.

Luger P08 9x19mm. This is a 1917 dated handgun, thus it is a World War I firearm.

A German soldier fires his Luger P08 at a carrier pidgeon. Said pidgeon was Cher Ami, who, despite being wounded, managed to return to H.Q. and inform them that US Artillery Batteries were firing on the 308th.

A Luger P08 carried by a German soldier as he shakes hands with Private Lowell R. Hollingshead (George Calil). Notice the black plastic grips.

Rifles

M1917 Enfield

M1917 Enfields are used by the American troops. It is evident from the bolt handle which projects back and then down rather than out and down that it is a M1917 rather than a M1903. It's correct to see them carrying M1917s as M1903s were shorted in numbers so the M1917 was manufactured and massively produced in World War I. (Real life U.S. Soldiers in World War I were armed with either the M1917 Enfield or the Springfield M1903.) Major Charles Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) notably uses one during the final battle.

M1917 Enfield - .30-06

Soldiers from the 308th lay down covering fire with their M1917 Enfield's.

Pvt. Lipasti (André Vippolis) cleans his M1917.

American soldiers from K Company, 307th Infantry aim their Enfield's.

The M1917 Enfield as carried by Pvt. Phillip Cepeglia (Daniel Caltagirone) and Pvt. Jacob Rosen (Michael Goldstrom).

The shape of the bolt handle on Pvt. Jacob Rosen's (Michael Goldstrom) Enfield is obvious here, distinguishing it from the M1903.

Pvt. Abraham Krotoshinsky (Arthur Kremer) struggles to load a 5-round stripper clip into the chamber of his rifle. This scene, including Major Charles Whittlesey's (Rick Schroder) encouragement, is reminiscent of Episode 3, Carentan, in Band of Brothers, when Captain Winters (Damien Lewis) trys to help Pvt. Albert Blythe (Mark Warren) fire his M1 Garand during the Battle of Bloody Gulch.

Pvt. Krotoshinsky succeeds in firing. Close inspection shows that the rifle has not yet been rechambered for another round.

Sharpshooter Pvt. Bob Yoder (Rhys Miles Thomas) takes aim at a nuisance German sniper. Note the rear sights have been flipped up.

Satisfied with a successful kill, Yoder works the bolt on his Enfield.

Major Charles Whittlesey (Rick Schroder) fires an M1917 Enfield at German Sturmtruppen.

An over-the-shoulder view of Major Whittlesey as he works his Enfield.

Pvt. Lipasti fires at German Sturmtruppen with his M1917.

Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I*

Several soldiers use Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I*. Although some AEF troops assigned to Commonwealth forces carried the Lee-Enfield, the No.4 seen in the film is anachronistic, as any WW1 Enfields would have been the No.1 Mk.III*

Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I* - .303 British

A Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I* carried by an American soldier. Notice the hole in bolt handle and length of hand guard. Also you can just see the mag behind the sling by his hand.

VZ-98/22 Czech Mauser

The VZ-98/22 Czech Mauser is used by the German troops. These have long hand guards and flat tangent sights, different to the Mauser Gewehr 1898. However, appearance wise, they make a better substitute then the 1903 Turkish Mauser used in many World War I films.

BRNO VZ98/22 Czech Mauser - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A German soldier works the bolt on his VZ-98/22 Czech Mauser at advancing American doughboys during the first assault.

A German soldier guns down an American counterpart. Note the straight bolt handle.

German soldiers climb out of their trenches with VZ-98/22 Czech Mauser rifles. The straight bolt handle is visible on the rifle on the right.

A line of German troops firing their VZ-98/22 rifles with fixed bayonets.

German soldiers fire on an American reconaissance airplane.

A German soldier checks a dead American. Note the long hand guard and flat tangent sights, identifying the rifle as a Czech Mauser as opposed to a Mauser Gewehr 1898.

A German soldier aims his VZ-98/22, giving us a good look at the bolt-action mechanism and the rear sight.

The aforementioned German soldier holds his Czech Mauser on Pvt. Lowell R. Hollingshead (George Calil).

Mauser Gewehr 1898

An apparently authentic Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle, fitted with a telescopic sight, is used by a German sniper in the Argonne Forest.

Post WW1 weimar reissue Scharfschutzengewehr98 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A German sniper aims his Mauser Gewehr 1898. The prominent tangent sights suggest an authentic Gewehr 1898 rather then a Czech Mauser.

The sniper presents the rest of his rifle and himself, presenting a nice target for sharpshooter Pvt. Bob Yoder (Rhys Thomas Miles).

Machine Guns

Chauchat

The Chauchat is first seen when Pvt. Phillip Cepeglia (Daniel Caltagirone) and Pvt. Jacob Rosen (Michael Goldstrom) show it to the new arrivals in the trenches, declaring it to be 'a piece of garbage' (a sentiment felt by those unfortunate enough to use it in combat). Pvt. Lowell R. Hollingshead (George Calil) carries it in the Argonne Forest, although Pvt. Abraham Krotoshinsky (Arthur Kremer) can be seen with it at one point. It is never seen fired, perhaps due to a lack of blank ammunition. Hollingshead uses an M1917 Enfield instead.

Chauchat Light Machine Gun - 8x50mmR Lebel

Pvt. Phillip Cepeglia (Daniel Caltagirone) shows the Chauchat to the new arrivals.

Pvt. Lowell R. Hollingshead (George Calil) with the Chauchat.

Hollingshead advances, Chauchat slung.

Hollingshead with the Chauchat. You can see the bullets in the magazine. When the gun was fired, the proximity of the magazine to the ground caused a problem with jamming.

Pvt. Abraham Krotoshinsky (Arthur Kremer) replaces the "banana-clip" magazine in the Chauchat.

Krotoshinsky picks up the Chauchat.

M1914 Hotchkiss Machine Gun

Pvt. Nat Henchman (Anthony Azizi) uses an M1914 Hotchkiss Machine Gun in the Argonne Forest, with Pvt. Lowell R. Hollingshead as his assistant gunner.

M1914 Hotchkiss Machine Gun with Tripod - 8 x 50mmR Lebel

Pvt. Nat Henchman (Anthony Azizi) and Pvt. Lowell R. Hollingshead (George Calil) firing an M1914 Hotchkiss Machine Gun at charging German soldiers.

Henchman and Hollingshead rest by their Hotchkiss during a lull in the fighting.

A good look at the stripper-clip feed of the Hotchkiss. Hollingshead is holding a Chauchat light machine gun.

The barrel of the Hotchkiss can be seen behind Pvt. Henchman.

Maxim MG08

German Machine Gunners use the Maxim MG08 when the 308th goes "over the top".

Maxim MG08 on 'sledge' mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser

German soldiers fire the Maxim MG08.

An abandoned Maxim, crew K.I.A, in a machine gun nest.

Grenades

Mills Bomb

Sgt. Gaedeke (Jamie Harris) and other US troops use the Mills Bomb when they go "over the top".

Mills Bomb - High-Explosive Fragmentation Hand Grenade

Sgt. Gaedeke (Jamie Harris) pulls the pin on a Mills Bomb.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

German troops use the Model 24 Stielhandgranate in combat.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" - High-Explosive Fragmentation Hand Grenade

A German soldier arms the Model 24 Stielhandgranate.

The same grenade, sailing towards some unfortunately doughboys.

Other

Flammenwerfer M.16

German Sturmtruppen are also seen using the Flammenwerfer M.16, the first ever version of the flamethrower.

File:M.16.JPG

Flammenwerfer M.16. This was the first flamethrower used in combat.

German Sturmtruppen using the Flammenwerfer M.16 in their attack.

A Sturmtruppen opens up with his Flammenwerfer.

A good shot of the gas tank.

Pvt. Jacob Rosen (Michael Goldstrom) wrestles with a Sturmtruppen for control of the gas tank, managing to get the latter to burn several of his comrades alive.