119th Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 119th Infantry Division (119. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed on March 25, 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 237th Infantry Brigade staff was formerly the staff of the 19th Infantry Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division
, which came to the new division along with the 46th Infantry Regiment. The 46th Reserve Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 10th Reserve Division
. The 58th Infantry Regiment came from the 9th Infantry Division
. The division was primarily recruited in the V Army Corps area (Posen and Lower Silesia).
in World War I, entering the line in April and then fighting in the battle of Gorlice-Tarnów and the ensuing Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
. In August 1915, it participated in the attack on Brest-Litovsk. From September 1915 to March 1916, the division occupied the line between the Servech and Shchara Rivers, near Baranovichi
. It remained in the line in Russia until May 1917, when it was transferred to the Western Front
, where it was initially stationed on the Belgian/Dutch border. It went into the line in Flanders in May and fought in the Battle of Messines
and the Battle of Passchendaele. It was removed from the line to rest in October and returned to line to face the Allied attack in the Battle of Cambrai. In 1918, the division participated in the German Spring Offensive
, fighting in the First Battle of the Somme (1918), also known as the Second Battle of the Somme (to distinguish it from the 1916 battle), and the Battle of the Lys, also known as the Fourth Battle of Ypres. It later fought in the Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
, also known as the Third Battle of the Somme. It remained in the line until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
. The order of battle of the division on March 25, 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 March 25, 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 237th Infantry Brigade staff was formerly the staff of the 19th Infantry Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division
10th Division (German Empire)
The 10th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Posen in November 1816 as a brigade, became the 9th Division on September 5, 1818, and was renumbered the 10th Division on February 28, 1820. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the V Army Corps...
, which came to the new division along with the 46th Infantry Regiment. The 46th Reserve Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 10th Reserve Division
10th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 10th 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 58th Infantry Regiment came from the 9th Infantry Division
9th Division (German Empire)
The 9th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Glogau in November 1816 as a brigade, became the 10th Division on September 5, 1818, and was renumbered the 9th Division on February 28, 1820. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the V Army Corps...
. The division was primarily recruited in the V Army Corps area (Posen and Lower Silesia).
Combat chronicle
The 119th Infantry Division initially fought on the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
in World War I, entering the line in April and then fighting in the battle of Gorlice-Tarnów and the ensuing Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive during World War I started as a minor German offensive to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front, but resulted in the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia...
. In August 1915, it participated in the attack on Brest-Litovsk. From September 1915 to March 1916, the division occupied the line between the Servech and Shchara Rivers, near Baranovichi
Baranovichi
Baranovichi , is a city in the Brest Province of western Belarus with a population of 173,000. It is a significant railway junction and home to a state university.-Overview:...
. It remained in the line in Russia until May 1917, when it was transferred to the Western Front
Western 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...
, where it was initially stationed on the Belgian/Dutch border. It went into the line in Flanders in May and fought in the Battle of Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
and the Battle of Passchendaele. It was removed from the line to rest in October and returned to line to face the Allied attack in the Battle of Cambrai. In 1918, the division participated in the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
, fighting in the First Battle of the Somme (1918), also known as the Second Battle of the Somme (to distinguish it from the 1916 battle), and the Battle of the Lys, also known as the Fourth Battle of Ypres. It later fought in the Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
, also known as the Third Battle of the Somme. It remained in the line until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
Order of battle on formation
The 119th 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 March 25, 1915 was as follows:
- 237. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Kirchbach (1. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 46
- 3. Posensches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.58
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 46
- 3.Eskadron/Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Alexander III von Rußland (Westpreußisches ) Nr. 1
- 4.Eskadron/Regiment Königs-Jäger zu Pferde Nr. 1
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 237
- Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 119
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 237
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 March 10, 1918 was as follows:- 237.Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Kirchbach (1. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 46
- 3. Posensches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.58
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 46
- Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 15
- 4.Eskadron/Regiment Königs-Jäger zu Pferde Nr. 11st King's Mounted RiflesThe 1st King's Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army from 1901 to 1918. When the Imperial German Army was reorganized as the Reichsheer, A Squadron/10th Horse became bearer of the regiment's tradition....
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 119
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 237
- I.Bataillon/Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 27
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 119
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 237
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 273
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 119
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 119