54th Reserve Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 54th Reserve Division (54. Reserve-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed in September 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in October. 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 September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units. The division was primarily raised in the Kingdom of Württemberg
, but the division's 245th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 26th Reserve Jäger Battalion, and several support units were from the Kingdom of Saxony
. These non-Württemberg elements were all transferred out of the division at various points, making the division all-Württemberg by early 1917.
, entering the line in mid-October, participating in the so-called Race to the Sea
and fighting in the Battle of the Yser
. The division then remained in the trenchlines along the Yser until April 1915, when it entered the Second Battle of Ypres
. After the battle the division remained in the line along the Yser into 1916. After two months in aremy reserve in the winter of 1916, the division returned to the trenchlines in the Flanders and Artois regions. It was engaged heavily in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and returned to the line in Flanders and the Artois until the end of the year. In December 1916 and January 1917, it saw action at Verdun, and then went to the line in the Champagne region. In May 1917, it fought in the Second Battle of the Aisne
, also called the Third Battle of Champagne. The division went back to Verdun in August 1917 in response to the French offensive there. In late October, it went to Flanders and saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele, also called the Third Battle of Ypres. It remained in Flanders until March 1918, and then 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). The division remained in the region and fought against the Allied offensive known as the Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
, also known as the Third Battle of the Somme. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
, with essentially the same organization as the reserve divisions formed on mobilization. The order of battle of the 54th Reserve Division on September 10, 1914 was as follows:
in January 1917, dissolving the 108th Reserve Infantry Brigade headquarters and sending the 245th Royal Saxon Reserve Infantry Regiment to the Saxon 192nd Infantry Division. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and the enlargement of combat engineer support to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on March 14, 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 September 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in October. 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 September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units. The division was primarily raised in the Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
, but the division's 245th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 26th Reserve Jäger Battalion, and several support units were from the Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
. These non-Württemberg elements were all transferred out of the division at various points, making the division all-Württemberg by early 1917.
Combat chronicle
The 54th 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 mid-October, participating in the so-called Race to the Sea
Race to the Sea
The Race to the Sea is a name given to the period early in the First World War when the two sides were still engaged in mobile warfare on the Western Front. With the German advance stalled at the First Battle of the Marne, the opponents continually attempted to outflank each other through...
and fighting in the Battle of the Yser
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser secured part of the coastline of Belgium for the allies in the "Race to the Sea" after the first three months of World War I.-Strategic Context:As part of the execution of the Schlieffen Plan, Belgium had been invaded by Germany...
. The division then remained in the trenchlines along the Yser until April 1915, when it entered the Second Battle of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
. After the battle the division remained in the line along the Yser into 1916. After two months in aremy reserve in the winter of 1916, the division returned to the trenchlines in the Flanders and Artois regions. It was engaged heavily in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and returned to the line in Flanders and the Artois until the end of the year. In December 1916 and January 1917, it saw action at Verdun, and then went to the line in the Champagne region. In 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 called the Third Battle of Champagne. The division went back to Verdun in August 1917 in response to the French offensive there. In late October, it went to Flanders and saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele, also called the Third Battle of Ypres. It remained in Flanders until March 1918, and then 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). The division remained in the region and fought against the Allied offensive known as 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. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
Order of battle on formation
The 54th 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 54th Reserve Division on September 10, 1914 was as follows:
- 107.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Königlich Sächsisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 245
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 246
- Königlich Sächsisches Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 26
- 108.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 247
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 248
- Königlich Württembergische Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 54
- Königlich Württembergisches und Königlich Sächsisches Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 54 (the I. Abteilung was Saxon; the II. and III. Abteilungen were from Württemberg)
- Königlich Sächsische Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 54
Order of battle on March 14, 1918
The 54th 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 January 1917, dissolving the 108th Reserve Infantry Brigade headquarters and sending the 245th Royal Saxon Reserve Infantry Regiment to the Saxon 192nd Infantry Division. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and the enlargement of combat engineer support to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on March 14, 1918 was as follows:
- 107.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 246
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 247
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 248
- Königlich Württembergische Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 54
- Königlich Württembergischer Artillerie-Kommandeur 70:
- Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 54
- II.Bataillon/Königlich Württembergisches Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 24
- Königlich Württembergisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 354
- 1.Reserve-Kompanie/Königlich Württembergisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 13
- 2.Reserve-Kompanie/Königlich Württembergisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 13
- Königlich Württembergische Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 254
- Königlich Württembergischer Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 454