Sergeant Richard Gaulke

My name is Richard Gaulke.  I was born on 23 November, 1886 in the city of Linz am Rhein (Regierungsbezirk Cöln), just south of Bonn.  My parent’s names are Peter and Ruth Gaulke.  Prior to his early retirement, due to failing eyes, my father was a civil servant (Beamter) with the Deutsche Post.

That is a fairly modest position for the father of a Küerassier.  However, I was fortunate enough to have good connections on my Mother’s side of the family—through her grandmother, Amanda Wendt.  A few distant relatives of the Wendt family have served in the 8^th Kür. Regiment, including a distant cousin, Oskar, who served for a while as Wachtmeister of the 3^rd Squadron.  With the help of these relatives, I succeeded in serving with the regiment during my three years of compulsory service period:  1906-1909.

Following my service, I attended the Universität zu Cöln, where I studied economics (Diplom Volkswirt).  In early 1913 I graduated from the University and began my career with the Rheinische Landesbank.  There, I worked in the loan department, ensuring that the bank’s deposits were being put to good work.  I was with the bank until the outbreak of the war, when I was called up for active service with the regiment.

In 1911 I met my wife, Laurence, in Strassbourg, while attending a university dance in that city.  We married in 1913, shortly after my employment.  She is from Lorraine, and she speaks more French than German.  Initially, this was very difficult, as my French is very poor, but she has mastered German beautifully.

After we married, we relocated to the city of Cöln, where we live in a small flat in a quite part of town.

I have one son, Gerhard, who was born in February 1917.  He is now a little more than one year old, but I have not seen him since birth.  He appears to be healthy, in spite of the deprivation on the home front.

There is not much to say about my war experiences.  The war has been hard on my physically, because of my poor constitution and my tendency for bronchitis.  There was one strong gas attack, in particular, that incapacitated me for more than a month in late 1915.  While I could probably get a job at home because of these afflictions, it is not so bad serving in the Kürassiere.  Everybody is making sacrifices in this war, so I will continue to fight for the Fatherland.

For a brief time, I followed in my cousin’s footsteps, as I became acting Wachtmeister of the 3^rd Squadron in March 1918.  From mid 1915 until August 1917 I served as a simple Unteroffizier.  Then on 20 August 1917 I was unexpectedly promoted to Sergeant of the 3. Eskadron after Sgt. Henkel was transferred to Depot duty.

The Gaulke family has experienced many hardships as a result of the war.  Among my closest relatives was my cousin, Rolf Gaulke, who died in the Champagne in 1917.  He lived in Baden, and served with the 111^th Infantry Regiment.  We wrote often, and we had always hoped that we would get leave at the same time.  However, that never happened.  C’est la guerre!

[Historical notes:  1) My grandmother’s maiden name really was Wendt, but I have no proof of relationship to Wachtmeister Wendt photographed in the regimental history.  2) The reference to Rolf Gaulke is to my earlier reenacting persona in the 111^th Inf. Regt.  3) There is a German named Richard Gaulke buried in the German cemetery at Belleau.  He died in July 1918, fighting the Americans.  I do not have additional details about his life.]