117th Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 117th Infantry Division (117. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed on April 2, 1915 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 division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of regular infantry divisions which were being triangularized
. The division's 233rd Infantry Brigade staff was formerly the staff of the 23rd Infantry Brigade of the 12th Reserve Division
, which came to the new division along with the 22nd Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 11th Reserve Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 11th Reserve Division
. The 157th Infantry Regiment came from the 12th Infantry Division
. The division was recruited in Silesia.
in World War I, entering the line in the Champagne region. It then fought in the Second Battle of Artois
and the Autumn Battle by La Bassée and Arras, which included the Battle of Loos
. It remained in the trenches in Flanders and the Artois until February 1916, and then was in the line on the Yser until July. It then fought in the Battle of the Somme. In August 1916, the division was transferred to the Eastern Front, arriving in Carpathia later in the month. It faced the Russians in Carpathia until late 1917, when it went into combat against the Romanians. In October 1917, the division was transferred to Italy, and went into the line on the Isonzo Front. It fought in the Battle of Caporetto
and the follow-on offensive to the Piave River. The division remained in Italy until March 1918, when it returned to the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of the Lys, also known at the Fourth Battle of Ypres. It remained in the line, and fought against several Allied offensives, including the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
. It was facing the Allies between the Meuse and Beaumont when the Armistice came into effect. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
. The order of battle of the division on April 5, 1915 was as follows:
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The division was formed on April 2, 1915 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 division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of regular infantry divisions which were being triangularized
Triangular division
A triangular division is a designation given to the way divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade headquarters or directly subordinated to the division commander...
. The division's 233rd Infantry Brigade staff was formerly the staff of the 23rd Infantry Brigade of the 12th Reserve Division
12th Reserve Division (German Empire)
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. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
, which came to the new division along with the 22nd Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 11th Reserve Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 11th Reserve Division
11th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 11th 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...
. The 157th Infantry Regiment came from the 12th Infantry Division
12th Division (German Empire)
The 12th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Neiße on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VI Army Corps . The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
. The division was recruited in Silesia.
Combat chronicle
The 117th Infantry Division initially fought on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in World War I, entering the line in the Champagne region. It then fought in the Second Battle of Artois
Second Battle of Artois
The Second Battle of Artois, of which the British contribution was the Battle of Aubers Ridge, was a battle on the Western Front of the First World War, it was fought at the same time as the Second Battle of Ypres. Even though the French under General Philippe Pétain gained some initial victories,...
and the Autumn Battle by La Bassée and Arras, which included the Battle of Loos
Battle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
. It remained in the trenches in Flanders and the Artois until February 1916, and then was in the line on the Yser until July. It then fought in the Battle of the Somme. In August 1916, the division was transferred to the Eastern Front, arriving in Carpathia later in the month. It faced the Russians in Carpathia until late 1917, when it went into combat against the Romanians. In October 1917, the division was transferred to Italy, and went into the line on the Isonzo Front. It fought in the Battle of Caporetto
Battle of Caporetto
The Battle of Caporetto , took place from 24 October to 19 November 1917, near the town of Kobarid , on the Austro-Italian front of World War I...
and the follow-on offensive to the Piave River. The division remained in Italy until March 1918, when it returned to the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of the Lys, also known at the Fourth Battle of Ypres. It remained in the line, and fought against several Allied offensives, including the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
. It was facing the Allies between the Meuse and Beaumont when the Armistice came into effect. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
Order of battle on formation
The 117th Infantry Division was formed as a triangular divisionTriangular division
A triangular division is a designation given to the way divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade headquarters or directly subordinated to the division commander...
. The order of battle of the division on April 5, 1915 was as follows:
- 233. Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 11
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 22
- 4. Schlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 157
- 1.Eskadron/Kürassier-Regiment Graf Geßler (Rheinisches) Nr. 8
- 2.Eskadron/Kürassier-Regiment Graf Geßler (Rheinisches) Nr. 8
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 233
- Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 117
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 233
Late-war order of battle
The division underwent relatively few organizational changes over the course of the war. Cavalry was reduced, artillery and signals commands were formed, and combat engineer support was expanded to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on May 16, 1918 was as follows:- 233. Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 11
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 22
- 4. Schlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 157
- 1.Eskadron/Kürassier-Regiment Graf Geßler (Rheinisches) Nr. 8
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 117
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 233
- Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 88
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 117
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 233
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 263
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 117
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 117