Part 7

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │2 Bav. │3 Bav. │2 Bav. │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │12 Bav. │ │12 Bav. │ │ │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │1 Bav. Res. Eng. │2d and 4th Bav. Liaisons. │ │ Btn. │ Res. Pion. Cos. │ │1 Bav. Res. Pont. │201 Bav. T. M. Co. │ │ Eng. │ │ │1 Bav. Res. Tel. │1 Bav. Res. Pont. │ │ Detch. │ Engs. │ │ │1 Bav. Res. Tel. │ │ │ Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │3 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light │ Rgt. (3d Sqn.). │ Cav. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │13 Bav. Art. │13 Bav. Art. │ Command: │ Command: │ 1 Bav. Res. F. A. │ 1 Bav. Res. F. A. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ │ 1 Abt. 1 Bav. Ft. │ │ A. Rgt. │ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and │ │ 4 Btries.) │ │ 101 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 145 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 147 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│17 Bav. Eng. Btn.: │17 Bav. Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 1 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 1 Bav. Res. Pion. │ Co. │ Co. │ 3 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 17 Bav. Res. Pion │ Co. │ Co. │ 17 Bav. Res. Pion.│ 201 Bav. T. M. Co. │ Co. │ │ 201 T. M. Co. │ 18 Bav. │ │ Searchlight │ │ Section. │1 Bav. Res. │401 Bav. Signals │ Searchlight │ Command: │ Section. │ │401 Bav. Tel. │ 401 Bav. Tel. │ Detch. │ Detch. │ │ 106 Bav. Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │15 Bav. Ambulance │15 Bav. Ambulance Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. │45 Bav. Field │45 Bav. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │48 Bav. Field │48 Bav. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │49 Bav. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │750 M. T. Col. │750 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

1914.

LORRAINE.

1. The Bavarian Reserve Division (1st Bavarian Reserve Corps, with the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division) was at the beginning of the war part of the 6th Army (Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria), and detrained in Lorraine August 13–14. After having helped to check the French offensive in Lorraine, participated in the battle of August 20, entered Luneville, and after having fought at Einville, early in September, it went to rest in the vicinity of the Paris-Avricourt railroad, and later march to Metz by stages.

ARRAS.

2. September 27–28 the division entrained at Metz and was carried to Cambrai. Entering line between Douai and Arras, it fought at Izel, Gavrelle, Rouvroy (Oct. 2–3). On the 5th its right wing was at Souchez, the whole 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps being then in line north of Arras. October 23 the two divisions of the corps attacked violently along the Carency-Roclincourt front; they remained in line until June, 1915, the 1st Bavarian Division being between Roclincourt and Écurie.

1915.

NEUVILLE-ST. VAAST.

1. In May, 1915, the 1st Bavarian Reserve Division was engaged at Neuville-St. Vaast, when it was reinforced by two battalions of the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 2d Bavarian Reserve Regiment suffered casualties of 14 officers and 1,413 men (casualty list).

LE LABYRINTHE.

2. In June the division fought at the Labyrinth.

3. It continued to hold the sector north of the Scarpe, but moved toward the south in December, the front of the 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps extending as far as Blaireville.

1916.

1. The division remained in line east of Arras, straddling the Scarpe until August, 1916. From May to August, it comprised the 12th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, instead of the 3d Bavarian Reserve Regiment, loaned temporarily by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division.

SOMME.

2. Withdrawn August 8, it went to the Somme. It was engaged the 12th in the Clery sector, and was relieved as early as the 15th by the 1st Guard Division after having suffered heavily.

3. The second fortnight in August the division was at rest near Cambrai. The end of that month and early in September, some elements of the division were engaged near Clery and Martinpuich in order to facilitate reliefs.

AISNE.

4. About the middle of September the 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps was withdrawn from the region of the Somme and sent to the Aisne, where the 1st Bavarian Reserve Division occupied a sector to the west of Craonne until the beginning of December.

5. Brought back north of the Somme, it sent some elements into line in the Beaumont-Hamel sector (north of the Ancre, December-January).

1917.

ARTOIS.

1. After sometime at rest, the division went back into line February 27 to the north of Arras (Roclincourt-Neuville-St. Vaast). April 9 it received the full shock of the British attack—lost the villages of Thelus and Bailleul and 1,500 prisoners.

LA BASSÉE.

2. Relieved about the 15th of April, the division rested, and then entered line north of the La Bassée Canal (east of Festubert). It remained here five months, taking no part in any important engagements but suffering losses as a result of gas attacks.

FLANDERS.

3. It left for Belgium October 6–7, and took over the Zandvoorde sector (southeast of Ypres) on the 8th.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division is a good division, but its combatant value can not be compared to that of the active Bavarian divisions.

1918.

1. Here it remained in line until February 11, when it was relieved by the 239th Division and withdrawn to rest in the Menin area, before it had suffered many casualties.

DIXMUDE.

2. March 9 it relieved the 54th Reserve Division in the Dixmude sector. It was relieved on the 22d by the extension of the fronts of the neighboring divisions.

3. It marched to Zedelghem the same day, and reached Seclin on the 23d. The 28th it came into reserve near Douai. It was undoubtedly intended to reinforce the German attack on the Arras front on the 28th, but as this was a complete failure, it returned to the Carvin area.

LYS.

4. April 9 the division reinforced the front near Richebourg-St. Vaast, and took part in the initial attack on the Lys battle front the same day. It advanced through Lacouture, Vieille-Chapelle, and had reached Zelobes April 10. After the first day’s fighting it met with a strong resistance and suffered heavily. It was relieved near Robecq by the 239th Division, April 18.

LOOS.

5. April 27 the division relieved elements of the 207th Division east of Loos (south of the La Bassee Canal).

YPRES.

6. It was relieved by the 16th Division about September 27, marched to Carvin, which it left September 29, and entrained at Seclin for Heule, whence it marched into line via Moorseele. It was identified near Roulers October 4. It was relieved by the 6th Cavalry Division October 16.

7. After a rest of only a few days the division came back into line on the 23d to the south of Deynze, whence it was withdrawn about October 31. It did not return to line.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division took part in no real fighting with the exception of the Lys offensive, in which it did nothing to distinguish itself. It would seem that the division does not deserve to be rated higher than third in a scale of four classes.

1st Bavarian Landwehr Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ │10 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │14 Bav. │15 Bav. │14 Bav. │15 Bav. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ Ldw. │ │ │122 Ldw. │ │122 Ldw. │ │7 Bav. │ │ │ │ │ │ Ldw. │60 Mixed │60 Ldw. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ │71 Ldw. │ │10 Bav. │ │10 Bav. │ │ │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │60 Res. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │1st Sqn. 2d Bav. │1st Sqn. 2d Bav. │ │ Corps Dist. Ldw. │ Corps Dist. Ldw. │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │2 Ldst. F. A. Abtl.│2 Ldst. F. A. Abtl.│1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. │ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. │18 Bav. Res. Pion. Liaisons. │ │ │ Co. │ │(2d Bav. Corps │3 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │ │ Dist.). │ Co. │ │ │301 Bav. T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │38 Railway Const. │ │ │ Co. │ │ │Ldst. Inf. Btn., │ │ │ Rosenheim (3d │ │ │ Btn. 1 Bav. Corps │ │ │ Dist.). │ │ │Ldst. Inf. Btn., 2d │ │ │ Augsburg (10th │ │ │ Btn. 1 Bav. Corps │ │ │ Dist.). ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │9 Bav. │4 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. │ Ers. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ │6 Bav. │ │6 Bav. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │7 Bav. │ │7 Bav. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │1st Sqn. 8 Bav. │1 sq. 8 Bav. Light │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │Art. Command: │1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. │ │ Rgt. │1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. │ │ Rgt. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│(24 Bav.) Eng. Btn.│24 Bav. Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │18 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 18 Bav. Res. Pion. │ Co. │ Co. │1 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │ 1 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │ Co. │ Co. │301 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 24 Bav. │ │ Searchlight │ │ Section. │501 Bav. Tel. │ 4 Bav. Res. │ Detch. │ Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │501 Bav. Signals │ │ Command: │ │ 501 Bav. Tel. │ │ Detch. │ │ 191 Bav. Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │21 Bav. Ambulance │21 Bav. Ambulance Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. │62 Bav. Field │61 Bav. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │62 Bav. Field │ │ Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │325 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │154 Labor Btn. │ │ │ │168 Labor Btn. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

1914.

LORRAINE.

1. The origin of the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division dates from the stabilization of the Lorraine front after the check of the Germans before Grand-Couronne in September, 1914.

2. At the beginning of the war the different elements which were to enter into the composition of the division were employed in Lorraine in rear of the combatant troops. The 71st Landwehr Regiment came from the war garrison of Strasburg.

3. These elements grouped in three brigades forming the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division, were brought up to the front early in September and put into line in the Château-Salins sector (from Jallaucourt to the Rhine-Marne Canal).

1915.

LORRAINE.

1. From that time on the division occupied the same front in Lorraine, on each side of the Rhine-Marne Canal, broadening or narrowing its front according to the number of troops in line in the region.

2. During the summer of 1915 its limit was carried to the southeast gradually as far as the Luneville-Avricourt railway, next to the region south of Leintrey; to the northeast as far as the western ledge of the Foret de Bezange.

3. In May, 1915, the 60th Landwehr Bde. was detached from the division, and replaced by the 5th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. (4th and 5th Bavarian Landwehr Regiments) coming from the 10th Ersatz Division.

1916.

LORRAINE.

1. South of Leintrey—western edge of the Foret de Bezange. In January, 1916, the 14th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. was detached from the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division; the 122d Landwehr Regiment (Wurttemburg) passed to the 2d Landwehr Division; the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment to the 39th Bavarian Landwehr Division. The brigade was replaced by the 9th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. (6th and 7th Bavarian Landwehr Regiments). The division thus became entirely Bavarian; it was increased, shortly after, by the addition of the 60th Reserve Regiment, which was later (September) attached to the 221st Division.

2. In July, 1916, the 13th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. was withdrawn from the division and replaced by battalions of Landsturm.

1917.

LORRAINE.

1. In January, 1917, the division’s sector was shortened—it was limited on the southeast by the western edge of the Foret de Paroy. In March it ended northwest of Juvrecourt. In June it extended itself once more to the southeast, fixing itself finally in July between Juvrecourt and the eastern edge of the Foret de Paroy; the limits have not varied since then.

2. About the first of the year the 5th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment passed to the 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division (new formation—Russian front).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division established itself on the Lorraine front in September, 1914, after the hard fighting in that region had ceased. It executed some important raids with its assault company, notably in June, 1917 (Foret de Paroy), and November (Arracourt region). In general, however, it remained exclusively on the defensive. It is made up of men whose physical value is often diminished; who have, consequently, waged only position warfare, and that upon a defensive front.

1918.

LORRAINE.

1. The division remained in the Parroy sector in Lorraine throughout 1918, and, with the exception of a very few raids executed by the divisional Stosstrupp, did nothing.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

Losses and reinforcements have been few. The strength of the companies appears to be about 80 men, of an average age of 35–40 years. The 1st Bavarian Landwehr is rated as a fourth-class division.

1st Cavalry Division.

COMPOSITION.