11th Bavarian Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 11th Bavarian Infantry Division (11. Bayerische Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the Imperial German
Army
, in World War I
. The division was formed on March 24, 1915 and organized over the next few 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 existing divisions which were being triangularized
. The division's 21st Bavarian Infantry Brigade was formerly the 4th Bavarian Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Bavarian Infantry Division
. The 3rd Bavarian Infantry Regiment also came from the 2nd Bavarian Infantry Division
; the 22nd Bavarian Infantry Regiment came from the 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division
; and the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 13 came from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division
.
, where it fought in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
, seeing action at Przemyśl
, Lviv
(Lemberg), and Chełm (Cholm) and advancing to the Pripyat Marshes by August. The division was then transferred south and participated in the Serbian Campaign
. It was in reserve in Syrmia
from November 1915 to February 1916, and was then transferred to the Western Front
. From March to May 1916, it fought in the Battle of Verdun
, and then returned to the Eastern Front to help stopping the Brusilov Offensive
. After fighting in the Battle of Kovel
, the division went to the Romanian front
, where it remained until January 1917. Again it was transferred to the Western Front, initially serving in Upper Alsace. It then fought in the Second Battle of the Aisne
, also known as the Third Battle of Champagne (and to the Germans as the Double Battle on the Aisne and in the Champagne). It also saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele. It remained in the line on various parts of the Western Front until the end of April 1918, when it went to the Belgian/Dutch border. The division then fought in the Third Battle of the Aisne
and remained in the line near Soissons, seeing action in the Second Battle of the Marne
. It then went to Flanders, where it remained until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as first class.
. The order of battle of the division on April 1, 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 24, 1915 and organized over the next few 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 existing 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 21st Bavarian Infantry Brigade was formerly the 4th Bavarian Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Bavarian Infantry Division
2nd Royal Bavarian Division
The 2nd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as the Infantry Division of the Munich General Command...
. The 3rd Bavarian Infantry Regiment also came from the 2nd Bavarian Infantry Division
2nd Royal Bavarian Division
The 2nd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as the Infantry Division of the Munich General Command...
; the 22nd Bavarian Infantry Regiment came from the 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division
3rd Royal Bavarian Division
The 3rd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as an Infantry Division of the Würzburg General Command...
; and the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 13 came from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division
5th Bavarian Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 5th Bavarian Reserve Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the 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...
.
Combat chronicle
The 11th Bavarian Infantry Division initially served 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...
, where it fought in the 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...
, seeing action at Przemyśl
Przemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
, Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
(Lemberg), and Chełm (Cholm) and advancing to the Pripyat Marshes by August. The division was then transferred south and participated in the Serbian Campaign
Serbian Campaign (World War I)
The Serbian Campaign was fought from late July 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of the First World War, until late 1915, when the Macedonian Front was formed...
. It was in reserve in Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
from November 1915 to February 1916, and was then 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...
. From March to May 1916, it fought in the Battle of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
, and then returned to the Eastern Front to help stopping the Brusilov Offensive
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...
. After fighting in the Battle of Kovel
Kovel
Kovel is a city located in the Volyn Oblast , in northwestern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Kovelskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. The current estimated population is around 65,777.Kovel gives its name to one of the...
, the division went to the Romanian front
Romanian Campaign (World War I)
The Romanian Campaign was part of the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central Powers. Fighting took place from August 1916 to December 1917, across most of present-day Romania, including Transylvania, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian...
, where it remained until January 1917. Again it was transferred to the Western Front, initially serving in Upper Alsace. It then fought in the Second Battle of the Aisne
Second Battle of the Aisne
The Second Battle of the Aisne , was the massive main assault of the French military's Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive in 1917 during World War I....
, also known as the Third Battle of Champagne (and to the Germans as the Double Battle on the Aisne and in the Champagne). It also saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele. It remained in the line on various parts of the Western Front until the end of April 1918, when it went to the Belgian/Dutch border. The division then fought in the Third Battle of the Aisne
Third Battle of the Aisne
The Third Battle of the Aisne was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive completely in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht,...
and remained in the line near Soissons, seeing action in the Second Battle of the Marne
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
. It then went to Flanders, where it remained until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as first class.
Order of battle on formation
The 11th Bavarian 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 1, 1915 was as follows:
- Kgl. Bayerische 21. Infanterie-Brigade
- Kgl. Bayerisches 3. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern
- Kgl. Bayerisches 22. Infanterie-Regiment Fürst Wilhelm von Hohenzollern
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13
- 1.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 2. Chevaulegers-Regiment Taxis
- 2.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 7. Chevaulegers-Regiment Prinz Alfons
- Kgl. Bayerisches 21. Feldartillerie-Regiment
- 5.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 2
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 21
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 January 4, 1918 was as follows:- Kgl. Bayerische 21. Infanterie-Brigade
- Kgl. Bayerisches 3. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern
- Kgl. Bayerisches 22. Infanterie-Regiment Fürst Wilhelm von Hohenzollern
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13
- 2.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 7. Chevaulegers-Regiment Prinz Alfons
- Kgl. Bayerischer Artillerie-Kommandeur 11
- Kgl. Bayerisches 21. Feldartillerie-Regiment
- Kgl. Bayerisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11 (from June 12, 1918)
- Kgl. Bayerisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 11
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 19
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 21
- Kgl. Bayerische Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 11
- Kgl. Bayerischer Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 11