The 3rd Reserve Division (3. Reserve-Division) was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial 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...

. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from reserve infantry units primarily from Pomerania

Pomerania

Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...

. The division served from the beginning of the war until early 1917 on the Eastern Front

Eastern 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...

, after which 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...

. It was rated a third class division by Allied intelligence.

August 1914 organization

The 3rd Reserve Division's initial wartime organization was as follows:

• 5.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade:
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 2
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 9
• 6.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade:
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 34
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
• Reserve-Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 5
• Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 3
• 2.Reserve-Kompanie/Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2

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

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...

 - one infantry brigade with three infantry regiments rather than two infantry brigades of two regiments (a "square division

Square division

A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a division...

"). The 3rd Reserve Division triangularized in November 1915. 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 3rd Reserve Division's order of battle on March 1, 1918 was as follows:

• 5.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade:
  • Füsilier-Regiment Königin Viktoria von Schweden (1. Pommersches) Nr. 34
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
  • Pommersches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 2
• 1.Eskadron/3. Badisches Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Karl Nr. 22
• Artillerie-Kommandeur 73:
  • Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 3
  • IV.Bataillon/Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 14 (from 23.06.1918)
• Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 303:
  • 2. Reserve-Kompanie/Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2
  • 2. Reserve-Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 34
  • Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 203
• Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 403