40th Division (German Empire)

40th Division (German Empire)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=40th Division ("40. Division")
dates=1899-1919
country=Saxony/Germany
branch=Army
type=Infantry (in peacetime included cavalry)
size=Approx. 15,000
command_structure=XIX. (2nd Royal Saxon) Army Corps ("XIX. (2. Königl. Sächs.) Armeekorps")
garrison=Chemnitz
battles=World War I: Great Retreat, Battle of the Marne, Race to the Sea, Battle of the Somme, Passchendaele

The 40th Division ("40. Division"), formally the 4th Division No. 40 ("4. Division Nr. 40") was a unit of the Saxon Army, a component of the Imperial German Army. [From 1867, the Saxon Army was integrated into the Prussian Army's organizational structure (hence the dual numbering) in what was effectively the German Army. During the period of German unification (1866-1871), Saxony, along with the other states of the German Empire, entered into conventions with Prussia regarding their armies and only the Bavarian Army remained fully autonomous.] The division was formed on April 1 1899 and was headquartered in Chemnitz. [Günter Wegner, "Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815-1939." (Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993), Bd. 1, p.134; Claus von Bredow, bearb., "Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres" (1905), p.1392.] The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIX (2nd Royal Saxon) Army Corps ("XIX. (2. Königlich Sächsisches) Armeekorps"). [Bredow, p. 1390.] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited in the western part of the Kingdom of Saxony.

Combat chronicle

During World War I, the division fought on the Western Front, seeing action in the Allied Great Retreat which culminated in the First Battle of the Marne and the Race to the Sea. It then spent the next several years in the trenches. In 1916, it fought in the Battle of the Somme. In 1917, it fought in the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, it fought against the various Allied offensives and counteroffensives. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class until 1918, but downgraded it to third class that year. [ [http://www.1914-18.info/erster-weltkrieg.php?u=420 40. Infanterie-Division (Chronik 1914/1918)] ] ["Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919" (1920), pp. 442-445.]

Pre-World War I organization

The organization of the 40th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows: ["Rangliste der Königlich Sächsischen Armee für das Jahr 1914" (1914), pp.15-16]

*7. Infanterie-Brigade Nr. 88 (88. Infanterie-Brigade)
**5. Infanterie-Regiment Kronprinz Nr. 104
**15. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 181
*8. Infanterie-Brigade Nr. 89 (89. Infanterie-Brigade)
**9. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 133
**10. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 134
*4. Kavallerie-Brigade Nr. 40 (40. Kavallerie-Brigade)
**Karabinier-Regiment
**3. Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm II., König von Preußen Nr. 21
*4. Feldartillerie-Brigade Nr. 40 (40. Feldartillerie-Brigade)
**3. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 32
**6. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 68

Order of battle on mobilization

On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War I, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units. Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from their higher headquarters. The 40th Division was redesignated the 40th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization was as follows: [Cron et al., "Ruhmeshalle"]

*7. Infanterie-Brigade Nr. 88 (88. Infanterie-Brigade)
**5. Infanterie-Regiment Kronprinz Nr. 104
**15. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 181
*8. Infanterie-Brigade Nr. 89 (89. Infanterie-Brigade)
**9. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 133
**10. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 134
*2. Husaren-Regiment Nr. 19
*4. Feldartillerie-Brigade Nr. 40 (40. Feldartillerie-Brigade)
**3. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 32
**6. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 68
*2.Kompanie/2. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 22
*3.Kompanie/2. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 22

Late World War I organization

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 40th Infantry Division's order of battle on January 1 1918 was as follows: [Cron et al., "Ruhmeshalle"]

*7. Infanterie-Brigade Nr. 88 (88. Infanterie-Brigade)
**5. Infanterie-Regiment Kronprinz Nr. 104
**10. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 134
**15. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 181
*2. Eskadron/Kgl. Sächs. 2. Husaren-Regiment Nr. 19
*Artillerie-Kommandeur 40:
**3. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 32
**Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 403 (from July 5 1918)
*Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 141:
**3.Kompanie/2. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 22
**Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 54
**Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 40
*Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 40

References

* [http://www.1914-18.info/erster-weltkrieg.php?u=420 40. Infanterie-Division (Chronik 1914/1918) - Der erste Weltkrieg]
* Claus von Bredow, bearb., "Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres" (1905)
* Hermann Cron et al., "Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee" (Berlin, 1935)
* Hermann Cron, "Geschichte des deutschen Heeres im Weltkriege 1914-1918" (Berlin, 1937)
* Günter Wegner, "Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815-1939." (Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993), Bd. 1
* "Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919" (1920)

Notes


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 28th Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=28th Division ( 28. Division ); from August 2 1914, 28th Infantry Division ( 28. Infanterie Division ) dates=1871 1919 (but see text) country=Prussia/Germany branch=Army type=Infantry (in peacetime included… …   Wikipedia

  • 40th Division — In military terms, 40th Division or 40th Infantry Division may refer to:Infantry Divisions* 40th Division (German Empire) * 40th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) * 40th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) * 40th Infantry Division (United States)… …   Wikipedia

  • German Army (German Empire) — German Army Deutsches Heer Kaiserstandarte Active 1871 1919 Country …   Wikipedia

  • 115th Infantry Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=115th Infantry Division ( 115. Infanterie Division ) dates=1915 1919 country=Germany branch=Army type=Infantry size=Approx. 12,500 battles=World War I: Second Battle of Artois, Gorlice Tarnów Offensive, Romanian… …   Wikipedia

  • 28th Reserve Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=28th Reserve Division ( 28. Reserve Division ) dates=1914 1919 country=Germany branch=Army type=Infantry size=Approx. 15,000 battles=World War I: Battle of the Frontiers, Race to the Sea, Battle of the Somme,… …   Wikipedia

  • Alpenkorps (German Empire) — Alpenkorps ( Alpine Corps ) Active 1915 1919 Country Germany Branch Army Type Mountain infantry Size Approx. 15,000 …   Wikipedia

  • Division (military) — Chain of Command of the British Army Unit Soldiers Commander Fireteam 4 NCO Squad …   Wikipedia

  • List of military divisions by number — This is a list of military divisions of all nationalities organised by number. Divisions may be infantry, airborne, cavalry, mechanized, armoured or aviation. See also: List of military divisions by name 1st to 5th ; 1st Division : * Australian… …   Wikipedia

  • Geostrategy — The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is a geostrategic military alliance concerned with most of Europe and North America Geostrategy, a subfield of geopolitics, is a type of foreign policy guided principally by geographical factors as they… …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Cambrai (1917) — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Cambrai caption= British soldiers in trenches with tank in background. Down in a Shell crater, We Fought Like Kilkenny Cats partof=the Western Front of World War I date=20 November ndash;6 December… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”