14th Army (German Empire)

*14. Armee*
14th Army
14. Armee; 14th Army
	Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
Active	9 September 1917 – 22 January 1918
Country	German Empire
Type	Field army
Engagements	World War I Battle of Caporetto ;
Insignia
Abbreviation	A.O.K. 14

Last updated August 28, 2024

The 14th Army (German : 14. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 14 / A.O.K. 14) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I formed in September 1917 in Krainburg for use against Italy. Its headquarters was located at Vittorio Veneto from 10 November 1917 until the army was disbanded on 22 January 1918.^[1] The 14th Army served on the Italian Front throughout its existence.

History

After the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo, the Austro-Hungarians were exhausted and could not have withstood another attack. They appealed to the Germans for help and the Germans, fearing a collapse on the Italian Front, sent 7 divisions, 540 guns, 216 mortars and about 100 aircraft from the Western and Eastern Fronts. To control these troops, a new 14th Army under General der Infanterie Otto von Below was concentrated between Tolmin and Bovec. For the Battle of Caporetto a number of Austro-Hungarian divisions were added.

Following the successful offensive, the front soon froze again in trench warfare. The German High Command decided to withdraw its forces again to use on other fronts. On 23 January 1918 the Army Command was recalled (to form a new 17th Army on the Western Front). The German troops remaining on the Italian front came under the command of 51st Corps until it was withdrawn in February 1918.

Outline Order of Battle, Battle of Caporetto

Units are German unless designated as Austria-Hungary.

Organization of the 14th Army on 24 October 1917
Army	Corps	Division
14th Army	I Corps (Austria-Hungary)	3rd "Edelweiss" Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
		22nd Schützen Division (Austria-Hungary)^[2]
		55th Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
		Jäger Division^[3]
	III Bavarian Corps	50th Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
		12th Division
		117th Division
		Alpenkorps ^[4]
	51st Corps	26th Division (1st Württemberg)
	51st Corps	200th Division ^[5]
	XV Corps (Austria-Hungary)	1st Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
	XV Corps (Austria-Hungary)	5th Division
	Army Reserve	4th Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
		13th Schützen Division (Austria-Hungary)
		33rd Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
	Later reinforcements	35th Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)
	Later reinforcements	94th Infantry Division (Austria-Hungary)

Commanders

The 14th Army was commanded throughout its existence by General der Infanterie Otto von Below, former commander of 6th Army. On dissolution of 14th Army, von Below was transferred to command of the newly raised 17th Army on the Western Front.^[6]

Related Research Articles

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References

↑ Cron 2002 , p. 82
↑ In this context, Schützen designates units drawn from the Austrian k.k. Landwehr
↑ Formed of elite Jäger Regiments.
↑ A division sized formation, despite its name, formed predominantly of elite Jäger Regiments.
↑ Another division formed of elite Jäger Regiments.
↑ Cron 2002 , p. 398

Bibliography

Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.

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[1] Cron 2002 , p. 82

[2] In this context, Schützen designates units drawn from the Austrian k.k. Landwehr

[3] Formed of elite Jäger Regiments.

[4] A division sized formation, despite its name, formed predominantly of elite Jäger Regiments.

[5] Another division formed of elite Jäger Regiments.

[6] Cron 2002 , p. 398

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