| 2nd Guards Reserve Division (2. Garde-Reserve-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1914-1919 |
| Country | Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Approx. 15,000 |
| Engagements | World War I: Great Retreat, First Battle of the Marne, Race to the Sea, Battle of the Somme, Battle of Arras (1917), Battle of Passchendaele, German spring offensive |
The 2nd Guards Reserve Division (2. Garde-Reserve-Division) was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial German Army in World War I. Despite its name, it was not a reserve formation of the Prussian Guards like the 1st Guards Reserve Division. Instead, other than the 55th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which was raised by the 4th Guards Grenadiers, it was primarily made up of non-Guards reservists from Westphalia and Hanover. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 as part of X Reserve Corps and dissolved in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after the Armistice. [1]
The division spent the entire war on the Western Front. It fought in the First Battle of the Marne in 1914, the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Battles of Arras and Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, and occupied various parts of the front throughout the war. It participated in the 1918 German spring offensive. It was rated by American Army intelligence in 1918 as a second class division. [1] [2]
On mobilization in August 1914, reserve infantry regiments from Westphalia and Hannover, as well as smaller German states adjoining these Prussian provinces, were called up and formed the core of the 2nd Guards Reserve Division. They were joined by artillery, cavalry, and engineer units also from various parts of Germany. The 2nd Guards Reserve Division's initial wartime organization was as follows: [3]
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"). 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. The 2nd Guards Reserve Division's order of battle on February 26, 1918, was as follows: [4]
The 7th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Magdeburg in November 1816 as a brigade and became a division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IV 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 Province of Saxony, also known as Prussian Saxony.
The 50th Infantry Division was a formation of the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The division was formed on March 10, 1915 from units taken from other divisions or newly raised. Its infantry core was from Westphalia: the 39th Lower Rhine Fusilier Regiment, taken from the 14th Reserve Division, the 53rd Westphalian Infantry Regiment, taken from the 14th Infantry Division, and the 158th Lorraine Infantry Regiment, taken from the 13th Infantry Division.
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 1st Guards Reserve Division was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial German Army in World War I. It was a reserve formation of the Prussian Guards, the elite regiments raised throughout the Kingdom of Prussia. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 as part of the Guards Reserve Corps and dissolved in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after the Armistice.
The 14th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in November 1816 in Trier as a troop brigade and became the 14th Division on September 5, 1818, also relocating its headquarters to Düsseldorf. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VII 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 Prussian Province of Westphalia and the Rhine Province, primarily in the densely populated Lower Rhine region.
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 19th 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 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 33rd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1871, as the 30th Division and became the 33rd Division 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 densely populated Westphalia, as its primary recruiting and garrison area was Lorraine, whose German population was insufficient to support the division.
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 42nd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 1, 1912, and was the last regular division created in the Imperial German Army. It was headquartered in Saarburg in Lothringen. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XXI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was primarily recruited in the Rhine Province and the Province of Westphalia, as the German population in Alsace-Lorraine was insufficient to fill the division.
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.
The 33rd 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 August 1918. The division began the war as part of the central reserve of Fortress Metz.
The 28th 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 as part of the XIV Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was raised primarily in the Grand Duchy of Baden.
The 19th 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 X Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was raised in the Prussian Province of Hanover, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, and the Duchy of Brunswick.
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 111th Infantry Division was a formation of the Prussian Army and part of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on March 25, 1915, near Brussels, Belgium, and organized over the next several weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 109th Infantry Division was a formation of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in November 1915. It was the last of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in 1915. The division was disbanded in August 1918 and its assets distributed to other units.
The 84th Infantry Division was a formation of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in November 1914 as the "Division Posen 2", part of the Posen Corps, and became the 84th Infantry Division in June 1915. It was initially formed from the garrison infantry regiments of Fortress Posen. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.