| 17th Reserve Division (17. Reserve-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1914–1919 |
| Country | Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Approx. 15,000 |
| Engagements | World War I |
The 17th Reserve Division (17. Reserve-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. [1] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. At the beginning of the war, it formed the IX Reserve Corps with the 18th Reserve Division.
The division was composed primarily of troops from the Free and Hanseatic Cities and from Schleswig-Holstein. The division included one regular infantry brigade, the 81st, raised in Schleswig-Holstein and Lübeck, and one reserve infantry brigade, the 33rd, raised primarily in Hamburg and Bremen. Besides these regions, other troops of the division came from parts of the Province of Hanover adjoining Bremen and Hamburg.
The 17th Reserve Division fought on the Western Front. It fought across Belgium in August 1914 and then occupied the line on the Aisne until September 1915. It then went to Flanders and the Artois, where it remained engaged in positional warfare until June 1916. From mid-July to late October 1916, it fought in the Battle of the Somme with only one interlude away from the front. The division then remained in the trenchlines along the Yser until May 1917. In May, it fought in the Battle of Arras. It remained in the Flanders region for the rest of the year and into 1918 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, it occupied various parts of the line and fought against several Allied offensives, including in the second Battle of Cambrai. In 1918, Allied intelligence rated the division as first class. [1] [2]
The order of battle of the 17th Reserve Division on mobilization was as follows: [3]
The 17th Reserve Division was triangularized in October 1916. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and a pioneer battalion. The order of battle on March 28, 1918, was as follows: [5]
The 54th Infantry Division (54.Infanterie-Division) was a division of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The division was formed on March 3, 1915, from units taken from other divisions or newly raised. Its infantry core was from different parts of the German Empire: the 27th Reserve Infantry Regiment from Prussian Saxony, taken from the 7th Reserve Division, the 84th Infantry Regiment from Schleswig-Holstein, taken from the 18th Infantry Division, and the 90th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, taken from the 18th Reserve Division. Divisional cavalry was a squadron of Brunswick's Death's Head Hussars.
The 17th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and initially headquartered in Kiel. It moved its headquarters to Schwerin in 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IX Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after the First World War.
The 18th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Flensburg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IX Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in Schleswig-Holstein.
The 20th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Hannover. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 30th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1887, as the 33rd Division and became the 30th Division on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Straßburg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XV Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Rhineland and Westphalia, with the 105th Infantry Regiment recruited in the Kingdom of Saxony.
The 32nd Division, formally the 3rd Division No. 32 was a unit of the Saxon Army, a component of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on April 1, 1887, and was headquartered in Bautzen. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Saxony.
The 34th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Metz. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited heavily in the densely populated Rhine Province and in the Province of Westphalia, as its primary recruiting and garrison area was Lorraine, whose German population was insufficient to support the divisions of the XVI Army Corps.
The 36th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Danzig. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in West Prussia.
The 39th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Colmar. The division was subordinated in peacetime initially to the XIV Army Corps and then to the XV Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 36th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army, in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 and was disbanded during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was a reserve division of the I Reserve Corps and was raised primarily in Pomerania Province and West Prussia Province.
12th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 as part of VI Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited in the Province of Silesia, mainly Upper Silesia.
The 13th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was a reserve division of the VII Reserve Corps and was recruited primarily in the Province of Westphalia.
The 14th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was a reserve division of the VII Reserve Corps and was recruited primarily in the Province of Westphalia and the Rhine Province. The division included an active infantry brigade from the 14th Division.
The 18th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. At the beginning of the war, it formed the IX Reserve Corps with the 17th Reserve Division.
The 43rd Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in August 1914 and organized over the next two months. It was part of the first wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 43rd through 54th Reserve Divisions. The division was disbanded in 1918 and its assets redistributed to other divisions. The division was part of the XXII Reserve Corps and was raised through the depots of the elite Prussian Guard, and thus recruited throughout Prussia.
The 77th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915. It was part of the second large wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was initially part of XXXIX Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets were distributed to other units. When originally formed, the division had two reserve infantry regiments from the Province of Westphalia and one from the Rhine Province (257th). The two Westphalian regiments were replaced late in the war by the 332nd Infantry Regiment, a garrison regiment from Posen with two Rhineland battalions and one Posen battalion, and the 419th Infantry Regiment, a thoroughly mixed unit made of companies taken from different regiments.
The 78th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915. It was part of the second large wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was initially part of XXXIX Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units. The division was relatively mixed. The 258th Reserve Infantry Regiment was from the Prussian Rhine Province, the 259th Reserve Infantry Regiment was from the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, and the 260th Reserve Infantry Regiment was mainly from the Prussian Province of Hanover, with troops from the Duchy of Brunswick as well.
The 79th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915. It was part of the second large wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was initially part of XXXX Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. Two regiments of the division were raised through Prussian Guard recruit depots throughout the kingdom, while the third was raised in Prussian Saxony.
The 80th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915. It was part of the second large wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was initially part of XXXX Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was mixed in recruitment. The 264th Reserve Infantry Regiment was from Thuringia, and was described as a Saxe-Altenburg regiment. The 265th Reserve Infantry Regiment was from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The 266th was also formed in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, but reportedly included recruits from Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Pomerania and other areas. The 34th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which replaced the 265th in 1915, was from West Prussia.
The 4th Ersatz Division was a unit of the German Army, in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.