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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

8th German Army (formerly I Army Inspectorate)



 German Army - ORBAT  Eastern Front - Eighth Army

8th Army was commanded by Generaloberst Maximilian von Prittwitz.

I Corps (Generalleutnant Hermann von François)

  • 1st Infantry Division
  • 2nd Infantry Division

XVII Corps (General der Kavallerie August von Mackensen)

  • 35th Infantry Division
  • 36th Infantry Division

XX Corps (General der Infanterie Friedrich von Scholtz)

  • 37th Infantry Division
  • 41st Infantry Division

I Reserve Corps (Generalleutnant Otto von Below)

  • 1st Reserve Division
  • 36th Reserve Division
  • 3rd Reserve Division
  • 1st Cavalry Division

Landwehr Corps (General der Infanterie Remus von Woyrsch)

  • 3rd Landwehr Division (Senior Landwehr Commander 3)
  • 17th Landwehr Infantry Brigade
  • 18th Landwehr Infantry Brigade

  • 4th Landwehr Division (Senior Landwehr Commander 4)
  • 22nd Landwehr Infantry Brigade
  • 23rd Landwehr Infantry Brigade

Army Troops

  • 2nd Mixed Landwehr Brigade
  • 6th Mixed Landwehr Brigade
  • 70th Mixed Landwehr Brigade



 Corps structure  1st German Army Corps part of 8th Army - Eastern Front

Divisions

  • 1st Infantry Division
  • 2nd Infantry Division


 Corps structure  17th German Army Corps part of 8th Army

Divisions

  • 35th Infantry Division
  • 36th Infantry Division


 Corps structure  20th German Army Corps part of 8th Army

Divisions

  • 37th Infantry Division
  • 41st Infantry Division


 Corps structure  1st German Army Reserve Corps part of 8th Army

Divisions

  • 1st Reserve Infantry Division
  • 3rd Reserve Infantry Division
  • 1st Cavalry Division


 Divisional Structure 1914  1st German Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1914

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Grenadiers Regiment
    • 41st Regiment
  • 2nd Infantry Brigade
    • 3rd Grenadiers Regiment
    • 43rd Regiment

Cavalry

8th Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

1st Artillery Brigade

  • 16th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 52nd Field Artillery Regiment



 Divisional Structure 1915  1st German Division was part of 1st Army Corps and 9th Army of the North

Divisional Order of Battle 1915

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Grenadiers Regiment
    • 41st Regiment
  • 2nd Infantry Brigade
    • 3rd Grenadiers Regiment
    • 43rd Regiment

Cavalry

8th Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

1st Artillery Brigade

  • 16th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 52nd Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Engineers Battalion (1st Command District)
  • 1st Pioneers Field Company
  • 1st Pontoon Engineers
  • 1st Telephone Detachment



 Divisional Structure 1917  1st German Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1917

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Grenadiers Regiment
    • 3rd Grenadiers Regiment
    • 43rd Regiment

Cavalry

3rd Squadron 8th Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

1st Artillery Command (z)

  • 16th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 52nd Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 112th Engineers Battalion
  • 1st Pioneers 3rd Field Company (z)
  • 1st Telephone Detachment
  • 1st Trench Mortar Company
  • 271st Pioneer Company
  • 305th Searchlight Section
  • 311th Searchlight Section
  • 312th Searchlight Section
  • 392nd Searchlight Section

Medical and Veterinary

  • 4th Ambulance Company
  • Field Hospital
  • 1st Veterinary Hospital

Transport

534th Motor Transport Column

Attached units

  • 66th Machine Gun Sharpshooting Detachment
  • 54th Light Machine Gun Section
  • 55th Light Machine Gun Section
  • 56th Light Machine Gun Section
  • 57th Light Machine Gun Section



 Divisional Structure 1918  1st German Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1918

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Grenadiers Regiment
    • 3rd Grenadiers Regiment
    • 43rd Regiment

Cavalry

3rd Squadron 8th Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

1st Artillery Command

  • 16th Field Artillery Regiment
  • 10th Field Artillery Regiment - 1st Abteilung (Staff, 1, 3 and 4 Batteries)
  • 1083 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1095 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1096 Light Ammunition Column

Engineers and Liaison

  • 110th Pioneer Battalion
  • 1st Pioneers 3rd Field Company (z)
  • 1st Trench Mortar Company
  • 271st Pioneer Company
  • 108th Searchlight Section
  • 1st Signal Command
  • 1st Telephone Detachment
  • 43rd Wireless Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 4th Ambulance Company
  • 13th Field Hospital
  • 16th Field Hospital
  • 1st Veterinary Hospital

Transport

534th Motor Transport Column



 Divisional Structure 1914  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1914

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Reserve Brigade
    • 1st Reserve Regiment
    • 3rd Reserve Regiment
  • 72nd Reserve Brigade
    • 18th Reserve Regiment
    • 59th Reserve Regiment
  • 1st Jäger Battalion

Cavalry

  • 1st Reserve Uhlan Regiment (3 Squadrons)
  • 1st Reserve Ersatz Cavalry Regiment (3 Squadrons)

Artillery

1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (6 Batteries)



 Divisional Structure 1915  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1915

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Reserve Brigade
    • 1st Reserve Regiment
    • 3rd Reserve Regiment
  • 72nd Reserve Brigade
    • 18th Reserve Regiment
    • 59th Reserve Regiment
  • 1st Jäger Battalion

Cavalry

  • 1st Reserve Uhlan Regiment (3 Squadrons)
  • 1st Reserve Ersatz Cavalry Regiment (3 Squadrons)

Artillery

1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (6 Batteries)

Engineering and Liaison

  • 2nd Engineers Battalion No. 1
  • 1st Reserve Company Pioneers Battalion
  • 1st Reserve Pontoon Engineers
  • 1st Reserve Telephone Detachment



 Divisional Structure 1916  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1916

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Reserve Brigade
    • 1st Reserve Regiment
    • 3rd Reserve Regiment
  • 72nd Reserve Brigade
    • 18th Reserve Regiment
    • 59th Reserve Regiment
  • 1st Jäger Battalion

Cavalry

  • 1st Reserve Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (6 Batteries)

Engineering and Liaison

  • 4th Field Company, 2nd Pioneers Battalion.
  • 204th Trench Mortar Company
  • 1st Reserve Pontoon Engineers
  • 1st Reserve Telephone Detachment



 Divisional Structure 1917  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1917

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Reserve Brigade
    • 1st Reserve Regiment
    • 3rd Reserve Regiment
    • 59th Reserve Regiment
  • 1st Jäger Battalion

Cavalry

  • 1st Reserve Uhlan Regiment (3 Squadrons)

Artillery

1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (9 Batteries)

Engineering and Liaison

  • 4th Field Company, 2nd Pioneers Battalion.
  • 1st Field Company, 2nd Pioneers Battalion.
  • 301st Engineering Battalion
  • 201st Trench Mortar Company
  • 348 Searchlight Section
  • 1st Reserve Telephone Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 501st Ambulance Company
  • 399th Field Hospital
  • 9th Reserve Field Hospital
  • Veterinary Hospital

Transport

Motor Transport Column



 Divisional Structure 1918  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Order of Battle 1918

Infantry Brigades

  • 1st Reserve Brigade
    • 1st Reserve Regiment
    • 3rd Reserve Regiment
    • 59th Reserve Regiment

Cavalry

  • 4th Squadron, 2nd Guards Uhlan Regiment

Artillery

  • 1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment (9 Batteries)
  • 2nd Abteilung 1st Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment
  • 1363 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1390 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1393 Light Ammunition Column

Engineering and Liaison

  • 4th Field Company, 2nd Pioneers Battalion.
  • 1st Field Company, 34th Reserve Pioneers Battalion.
  • 301st Engineering Battalion
  • 201st Trench Mortar Company
  • 31st Searchlight Section
  • 401st Signals Command
  • 401st Telephone Detachment
  • 158th Wireless Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 501st Ambulance Company
  • 399th Field Hospital
  • 9th Reserve Field Hospital
  • 137th Veterinary Hospital



 Divisional History  1st Reserve Division part of 1st German Army Reserve Corps and 8th German Army

The 1st Reserve Division (1. Reserve-Division) was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial German Army in World War I. It was formed, on mobilization in August 1914, from reserve infantry units, primarily from East Prussia and was part of I Reserve Corps. The division served on the Eastern Front from the beginning of the war until October 1917, after which it was transferred to the Western Front for the wars final campaigns. It was rated a third class division by Allied intelligence, mainly due to its losses in heavy fighting and reduced quality of replacement troops.

1st Reserve Division (1. Reserve-Division)

Active from 1914 to 1919

Division Size Approx. 15,000

World War I - Main activities: Gumbinnen, Tannenberg, 1st Masurian Lakes, Lodz, Spring Offensive, Hundred Days Offensive.

Late World War I organization

German Divisions underwent many changes during the war, with regiments moving from division to division, and some being destroyed and rebuilt. During the war, most divisions became triangular - one infantry brigade with three infantry regiments rather than two infantry brigades of two regiments (a square division). The 1st Reserve Division triangulated in June 1917. An artillery commander replaced the artillery brigade headquarters, the cavalry was further reduced, the engineer contingent was increased and a divisional signals command was created.



 Divisional Structure 1914  1st German Cavalry Division part of 1st Reserve Cavalry Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Structure in 1914

  • 1st Cavalry Brigade (from 1st Corps District)
    • 3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers (Count Wrangel)
    • 1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons (Prince Albrecht of Prussia)
  • 2nd Cavalry Brigade (from 1st Corps District)
    • 12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans
    • 9th Jäger zu Pferde
  • 41st Cavalry Brigade (from 20th Corps District)
    • 5th (West Prussian) Cuirassiers (Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg)
    • 4th (1st Pommeranian) Uhlans (von Schmidt)

Horse Artillery

Abteilung of the 1st (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery (Prince August of Prussia)

Engineers and Liaison

  • 5th Machine Gun Detachment
  • Pioneer Detachment
  • Signals Detachment
  • 17th Heavy Wireless Station
  • 7th Light Wireless Station
  • 14th Light Wireless Station

Transport

Cavalry Motorised Vehicle Column



 Divisional Structure 1918  1st German Cavalry Division part of 1st Reserve Cavalry Corps and 8th German Army

Divisional Structure in 1918

  • 2nd Cavalry Brigade (from 1st Corps District)
    • 3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers (Count Wrangel)
    • 1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons (Prince Albrecht of Prussia)
    • 12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans

Horse Artillery

  • Abteilung of the 1st (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery (Prince August of Prussia)
  • Abteilung of the 35th (1st West Prussian) Field Artillery

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Pioneer Detachment
  • 347th Searchlight Section

Medical and Veterinary

    70th Ambulance Company 66th Veterinary Hospital 142nd Veterinary Hospital

Other Units

  • 152nd Cyclist Company
  • 153rd Cyclist Company
  • 159th Cyclist Company



 Divisional Structure 1914  2nd German Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Structure in 1914

Infantry

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 4th Grenadier Regiment
    • 44th Infantry Regiment
  • 4th Infantry Brigade
    • 33rd Fusilier Regiment
    • 45th Infantry Regiment

Cavalry

10th Horse Jäger Regiment

Artillery

2nd Artillery Brigade

  • 1st Field Artillery Regiment
  • 37th Field Artillery Regiment



 Divisional Structure 1915  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Structure in 1915

Infantry

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 4th Grenadier Regiment
    • 44th Infantry Regiment
  • 4th Infantry Brigade
    • 33rd Fusilier Regiment
    • 45th Infantry Regiment

Cavalry

10th Horse Jäger Regiment

Artillery

2nd Artillery Brigade

  • 1st Field Artillery Regiment
  • 37th Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Pioneer Battalion
  • 1st Field Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Pontoon Engineers
  • 2nd Telephone Detachment



 Divisional Structure 1916  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Structure in 1916

Infantry

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 4th Grenadier Regiment
    • 44th Infantry Regiment
    • 33rd Fusilier Regiment
    • 3rd Landsturm Regiment

Cavalry

10th Horse Jäger Regiment

Artillery

2nd Artillery Brigade

  • 1st Field Artillery Regiment
  • 37th Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Field Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Trench Mortar Company
  • 2nd Pontoon Engineers
  • 2nd Telephone Detachment



 Divisional Structure 1916  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Structure in 1917

Infantry

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 4th Grenadier Regiment
    • 44th Infantry Regiment
    • 33rd Fusilier Regiment

Cavalry

10th Horse Jäger Regiment, 2nd Squadron

Artillery

2nd Artillery Command

  • 1st Field Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 4th Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Trench Mortar Company
  • 2nd Searchlight Section
  • 2nd Telephone Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 5th Ambulance Company
  • 11th Field Hospital
  • 12th Field Hospital
  • 195th Veterinary Hospital

Transport

535 Motor Transport Column

Attached

  • 150th Bavarian Anti-Aircraft Section
  • Cyclist Detachment - 2nd Landsturm Battalion.



 Divisional Structure 1918  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Structure in 1918

Infantry

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 4th Grenadier Regiment
    • 44th Infantry Regiment
    • 33rd Fusilier Regiment

Cavalry

10th Horse Jäger Regiment, 2nd Squadron

Artillery

2nd Artillery Command

  • 1st Field Artillery Regiment
  • 4th Abteilung 6th Reserve Foot Artillery Regiment
  • 872 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1364 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1392 Light Ammunition Column

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 4th Company Pioneer Battalion
  • 2nd Trench Mortar Company
  • 4th Searchlight Section
  • 2nd Telephone Detachment
  • 159th Wireless Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 5th Ambulance Company
  • 11th Field Hospital
  • 12th Field Hospital
  • 195th Veterinary Hospital

Transport

535 Motor Transport Column

Attached



 Divisional Structure 1917  2nd Bavarian Landwehr Division part of 8th Army

Divisional Structure 1917

Infantry

9th Bavarian Landwehr Brigade

  • 2nd Landwehr Bavarian Regiment
  • 5th Landwehr Bavarian Regiment
  • 10th Landwehr Bavarian Regiment

Cavalry

5th Squadron, 4th Bavarian Light Cavalry

Artillery Command

  • 2nd Bavarian Landwehr Field Artillery Regiment
  • 811 Field Artillery Battery
  • 905 Field Artillery Battery

Engineers and Liaisons

  • 25th Bavarian Engineers Battalion
  • 2nd Bavarian Landwehr Pioneer Company
  • 3rd Bavarian Landwehr Pioneer Company
  • 502 Bavarian Trench Mortar Company
  • 502 Telephone Detachment

Medical and Veterinary

  • 24th Bavarian Ambulance Company
  • 17th Bavarian Field Hospital
  • 63rd Bavarian Field Hospital
  • 32nd Veterinary Hospital

Transport

Motor Transport Column

Attached

156th Labour Battalion.

1st August 1914 Early actions 1914  1st German Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army then with 9th and 10th Armies

1914-1915

Along with the 2nd Division, the 1st Division formed the 1st Army Corps (Koenigsberg).

Russia

The 1st Army Corps was engaged on the Russian Front at the very beginning of the war.

Up until November, the 1st Division participated in the operations of East Prussia and notably in the battle of Tannenberg (Aug. 27-29).

In December the two division of the 1st Corps separated. The 2nd Division remained in the north and the 1st Division went to the 9th Army, from December, 1914, to January, 1915 (Bzura-Rawka), then to the Army of the South, operating in the Carpathians and on the Dniester, from February, 1915, to February, 1916.

1st August 1914 Actions during 1914  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional activity during 1914

The first and second divisions formed the 1st Army Corps.

Russia. At the beginning of the war the 2nd Division was sent to the Russian front. Up to the month of November it participated in the operations in Oriental Prussia (Tannenberg, Aug. 27-29). In November 1914, the 2nd Division, minus one brigade, which continued to hold its old sector, was withdrawn and included in the group which attacked in the direction of Lodz and operated between the Vistula and the Warta continuing its activities, it attempted to cross the Bzura-Rawka opposite Warsaw in the district of Lowicz.

1st February 1915 Actions during 1915  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Activity in 1915

At the beginning of February 1915, it reappeared in Oriental Prussia and participated in the offensive which ejected the Russians from this Province. It was engaged in its entirety in the district of Lyck and marched upon Augustowo and Grodno.

The Russian counter attack launched in the vicinity of Prasnysz toward the end of March drew the 2nd Division to this sector.

In July during the development of the Hindenburg offensive, it emerged from the Ostrolenka-Pultusk line and proceeded in a northerly direction.

Upon the stabilization of the front the 2nd Division held a sector between Illukst and Lake Drisviaty (Dwinsk District).

1st March 1916 Further moves  1st German Division part of 1st Army Corps 10th and 8th Army

1916

France.

The division went to France in March 1916. The 41st Infantry Regiment detrained on the 13th March near Metz and the 48th Infantry Regiment at Hagondange on the 5th March 1916.

Verdun.

The division was put into the line near Vaux on the 20th April 1916, fought in the Bois de la Caillette in May, in the Bois de Vaux Chapitre and the Bois Fumin in June and July. It suffered enormous losses there. In the 1st Company of the 41st Infantry Regiment, the numbers on the pay books passed from 1,359 (10th Apr) to 1,674 (19th July), indicating the arrival of at least 316 reinforcements. From the beginning of the war until July, 1916, the regiment had received an average of 1,360 men per company.

Russia.

At the end of July, 1916, the 1st Division, leaving behind the 41st Infantry Regiment, which fought before Verdun in August, was once more taken to the eastern front, where it formed part of the Carpathian Corps.



1st July 1916 Actions during 1916  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Actions during 1916

At the end of July 1916, portions of the 2nd Division were assigned to duty in Galicia to oppose the Russian advance.

1st January 1917 Actions during 1917  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Actions during 1917

The reconstituted 2nd Division was engaged in the Mitau sector up to the end of January 1917. All its units were identified in the vicinity of Kalnzen. On February 8th it entrained at Mitau for the western front. (Itinerary: Chavli, Kovno, Insterburg, Konigsberg, Stettin, Hamburg, Munster, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Louvain, Bruxelles, Audenarde.)

Belgium.

Detrained on February 13th and remained at rest up to the end of March. It received reinforcements of various classes of men (wounded, convalescents and class 1917 reservists). The division occupied the Wytschaete sector from the 25th of March to the beginning of June. (On April 15th and May 10th and 15th it received the first reinforcements from the class of 1918, the last having had only three months instruction. In all, 4,460 men between 1st January 1 and 1st June). On the 7th June, it left 2,825 men in the hands of British troops. On June 10th the 2nd Division retired from the Belgian front. It was placed at rest in the district of Audenarde in June and then entrained for the eastern front(end of June).

Russia.

It arrived in Russia at the beginning of July and was put at rest in the district of Vilna. On July 14th it was identified in the Illukst District.

France.

It returned to France on the 25th of November. It entrained on this date at Kovno and was transported over the following itinerary: Insterburg, Thorn, Posen, Frankfort-sur-Oder, Berlin, Paderborn, Crefeld, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Namur and Vouziers (Nov. 30).

On December 27th it relieved the 1st Bavarian Division in the Souain-Somme-Py sector.

Allied Intelligence 1917 Value Estimate.

Except during the period March-June 1917, when the 2nd Division was fighting in Belgium, it continuously occupied the Russian front from the beginning of the war till December, 1917.

1st January 1917 Actions 1917 to 1918  2nd Bavarian Landwehr Division part of 8th Army. Later part of 66th Corps(zbV) and 19th Army (zbV = zur besonderen Vervendung) (for special use)

Divisional Actions and review.

The 2nd Bavarian Landwehr Division was formed in Lorraine at the end of December 1916 and the beginning of January 1917. Two of its regiments, the 5th Bavarian Landwehr and the 10th Bavarian Landwehr, were assigned respectively to the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division and the 33rd Reserve Division at that time on the Lorraine front. The 2nd Bavarian Landwehr was ceded by the 6th Bavarian Landwehr Division, which held a Vosges sector.

Russia.

As soon as it was constituted the 2nd Bavarian Landwehr Division was transported to the Eastern front via Frankfort and Leipzig.

Courlande.

Directed to Courlande and attached to the 8th Army it entered the line in the vicinity of Friedrichstadt (middle of January, 1917) and remained in this district up till February, 1918. In September it participated in the operations against Riga. In December a number of men were detached in order to reinforce the 10th Bavarian Division.

1917 Allied Intelligence Value Estimate.

It remained on the Russian front from the time of its formation (January, 1917). It held the calm sector of Courlande in 1917; it occupied Livonia in 1918 (May). Men under 35 years of age were withdrawn from the 5th Bavarian Landwehr in December 1917. It is rated as a 4th class division.

The 2nd Bavarian Landwehr Division initially served on the Eastern Front, entering the line in the Baltic region near Riga. In September 1917, it participated in the Battle of Riga. The division then remained on the line on the Duna River until the armistice on the Eastern Front in December 1917. For most of 1918, it served in Livonia and Estonia as part of the German occupation forces. In October 1918, it was transferred to the Western Front, and occupied a portion of the trench line in Lorraine until the end of World War I. Allied intelligence rated the division as fourth class.

1st July 1917  Actions in 1917

1st Jan 1918  Actions during 1918

1st January 1918 Actions during 1918  German 2nd Division part of 1st Army Corps and 8th Army

Divisional Actions during 1918.

Champagne.

The 2nd Division remained in line in the Souaine-Somme-Py region until relieved by the 87th Division about April 2nd. It went back to the Army depot at Semide, where it stayed about a week drilling and maneuvering. On April 10th, it entrained at Machault and went via Rethel, Liart, Marle, then detrained at La Ferte-Chevresis, encamping in the vicinity. It traveled by St. Simon (Apr. 11), Ham, Solente (5 km. east of Roye), and Laboissiere, where it stayed until April 30th.

Montdidier.

On May 1st the division relieved the 51st Reserve Division at Monchel, south of Montdidier until relieved on the 31st August.

St. Quentin.

The division was identified in line near Essigny-le-Grand, south of St. Quentin on September 5th. It was relieved about the 15th by the extension of the fronts of the neighboring divisions. During the night of September 20-21 it went back into line north of St. Quentin, in the Bellenglise sector. It was withdrawn about the 10th. The division rested for a fortnight in the Avesnes area, then came into the line on October 24th, relieving the 19th Reserve Division east of Ribeinont (southeast of St. Quentin). It was withdrawn from line early in November and did not return.

1918 Allied Intelligence Value Estimate.

The 2nd is rated as a third-class division. It was used in a great deal of heavy fighting and suffered severe losses (July 23 it lost 54 officers and 1,800 men in prisoners alone) west of the Avre; the 9th and 10th of August it lost 443 prisoners; in its engagements between August and October it lost over 1,500 prisoners). Nevertheless, it was never used as an attacking division, but confined itself to holding the sectors allotted it; on account of its weakened condition and lowered morale (there are several cases of insubordination on record), it did not acquit itself any too well.

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        Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.






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