46th Reserve Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 46th Reserve Division (46. Reserve-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed in August 1914 and organized over the next two months. It was part of the first wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 43rd through 54th Reserve Divisions. The division was disbanded in August 1918.
. The 214th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, but included some troops from Lübeck
and Schleswig-Holstein. The 215th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised in the Prussian Province of Hanover
. The 216th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised primarily in Hamburg
. The 18th Reserve Jäger Battalion was raised in Schleswig-Holstein and included many students from Kiel.
, entering the line in October along the Yser and remaining there until April 1915, when it went into the fight for Ypres. The division remained in the Yser region until September 1916. In September, the division fought in the Battle of the Somme. Thereafter, it remained in the trenchlines in the Champagne until late December 1916, when it went to Lorraine. In April and May 1917, it 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). The division fought in the Lorraine and Vosges region from December 1917 to April 1918. It then fought in the Montdidier-Noyon region including the German Montdidier-Noyon Offensive in June. It later saw action in the Second Battle of the Marne
. The division was disbanded in August 1918. In 1917, Allied intelligence rated the division as a good division and in 1918 it was rated second class, but it was noted that its strength had been allowed to diminish without replenishment, leading to its dissolution.
, with essentially the same organization as the reserve divisions formed on mobilization. The order of battle of the 46th Reserve Division on September 10, 1914 was as follows:
in September 1916. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and a pioneer battalion. The order of battle on February 8, 1918 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 in August 1914 and organized over the next two months. It was part of the first wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World War I, which were numbered the 43rd through 54th Reserve Divisions. The division was disbanded in August 1918.
Recruitment
The 213th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised in the Prussian Province of Schleswig-HolsteinProvince of Schleswig-Holstein
The Province of Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946. It was created from the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, which had been conquered by Prussia and the Austrian Empire from Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig in 1864...
. The 214th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
, but included some troops from Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
and Schleswig-Holstein. The 215th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised in the Prussian Province of Hanover
Province of Hanover
The Province of Hanover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946.During the Austro-Prussian War, the Kingdom of Hanover had attempted to maintain a neutral position, along with some other member states of the German Confederation...
. The 216th Reserve Infantry Regiment was raised primarily in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. The 18th Reserve Jäger Battalion was raised in Schleswig-Holstein and included many students from Kiel.
Combat chronicle
The 46th Reserve Division 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...
, entering the line in October along the Yser and remaining there until April 1915, when it went into the fight for Ypres. The division remained in the Yser region until September 1916. In September, the division fought in the Battle of the Somme. Thereafter, it remained in the trenchlines in the Champagne until late December 1916, when it went to Lorraine. In April and May 1917, it 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). The division fought in the Lorraine and Vosges region from December 1917 to April 1918. It then fought in the Montdidier-Noyon region including the German Montdidier-Noyon Offensive in June. It later saw 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...
. The division was disbanded in August 1918. In 1917, Allied intelligence rated the division as a good division and in 1918 it was rated second class, but it was noted that its strength had been allowed to diminish without replenishment, leading to its dissolution.
Order of battle on formation
The 46th Reserve Division was initially organized as a square divisionSquare 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...
, with essentially the same organization as the reserve divisions formed on mobilization. The order of battle of the 46th Reserve Division on September 10, 1914 was as follows:
- 91. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 213Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 213Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 213 was a reserve infantry regiment in the German Imperial Army organized shortly after mobilization in August 1914. It was assigned to the 91. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade of the 46. Reserve-Division until September 1916, when it was transferred to the 89....
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 215
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 213
- 92. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 214
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 216
- Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 18
- Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 46
- Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 46
- Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 46
Order of battle on February 8, 1918
The 46th Reserve Division was triangularizedTriangular 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...
in September 1916. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and a pioneer battalion. The order of battle on February 8, 1918 was as follows:
- 92. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 214
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 215
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 216
- Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 46
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 46
- Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 46
- III.Bataillon/Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 24
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 346
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 446