Russian First Army
Encyclopedia
The Russian First Army was a World War I
Russian field army that fought on the Eastern Front
for two years.
The First Army, commanded by General Paul Rennenkampf, invaded East Prussia
at the outbreak of war in 1914 along with the Second Army commanded by General Alexander Samsonov
. After declaring war on the German Empire
, the Russian Empire
had been able to mobilize very quickly. All Russian forces were put under the command of Grand Duke Nikolai and his Quartermaster General Yuri Danilov
.
The invading forces made a determined and speedy attack on East Prussia. However, the First and Second Armies were stopped by the German Eighth Army
, led by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg
and his Chief of Staff, General Erich Ludendorff
. The German and Russian armies met at Tannenberg
, where the Second Army was encircled and suffered complete destruction. Both the First and Second Armies suffered terrible casualties in one of the most comprehensive German victories of World War I
.
The First Army also suffered defeat at the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes in September 1914, which led to Rennenkampf's dismissal and replacement by Litvinov. First Army served under Northwestern front for the remainder of the war. Litvinov was replaced by Sokovnin in April 1917. Vannovski replaced Sokovnin in July and the army's final commander, von Notbek, took over in September 1917.
At the Battle of Tannenburg (1914), the First Army consisted of the following units:
II Corps (transferred from the Second Army, 22 August)
26th Infantry Division (101st «Permskii» Infantry Regiment, 102nd «Viatskii» Infantry Regiment, 103rd «Petrozavodskii» Infantry Regiment, and 104th «Ustiuzhskii» Infantry Regiment of General Prince Bagrat)
43rd Infantry Division (169th «Novo-Trokskii» Infantry Regiment, 170th, 171st, and 172nd Regiments)
III Corps
25th Infantry Division (97th «Lifliandskii» Infantry Regiment of General-Field Marshal Count Sheremetev, 98th «Iurevskii» Infantry Regiment, 99th and 100th Regiments)
27th Infantry Division (105th, 106th «Ufimskii» Infantry Regiment, 107th «Troitskii» Infantry Regiment, and 108th «Saratovskii» Infantry Regiment)
IV Corps
30th Infantry Division (117th «Iaroslavskii» Infantry Regiment, 118th «Shuiskii» Infantry Regiment, 119th «Kolomenskii» Infantry Regiment, and 120th «Serpukhovskii» Infantry Regiment)
40th Infantry Division (157th «Imeretinski!» Infantry Regiment, 158th «Kutaisskii» Infantry Regiment, 159th «Guriiskii» Infantry Regiment, and 160th «Abkhazskii» Infantry Regiment)
XX Corps
28th Infantry Division (109th «Volzhskii» Infantry Regiment, 110th «Kamskii» Infantry Regiment, 111th «Donskoi» Infantry Regiment, 112th «Ural'skii» Infantry Regiment)
29th Infantry Division (113th «Starorusskii» Infantry Regiment, 114th «Novotorzhskii» Infantry Regiment, 115th «Viazemskii» Infantry Regiment, and 116th «Maloiaroslavskii» Infantry Regiment)
Unattached units included:
56th Infantry Division (221st, 222nd, 223rd, and 224th Regiments)
1st Guard Cavalry Division (His Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kirasirskii Ego Velichestva Polk), Her Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kirasirskii Eia Velichestva Polk), His Majesty's Cossack Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kazachii Ego Velichestva Polk), and Ataman Cossack Guards Regiment of H. I. H. the Tsesarevich (Leib-Gvardii Atamanskii Ego Imperatorskago Vysochestva Naslednika TSesarevicha Polk)
2nd Guard Cavalry Division (Horse-Grenadier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Konno-Grenaderskii Polk), Her Majesty's Lancer Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Ulanskii Eia Velichestva Gosudaryni Imperatritsy Aleksandry Feodorovny Polk), Dragoon Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Dragunskii Polk), His Majesty's Hussar Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Gusarskii Ego Velichestva Polk), His Majesty's Lancer Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Ulanskii Ego Velichestva Polk), Grodno Hussar Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Grodnenskii Gusarskii Polk).
1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Cavalry Division, 3rd Cavalry Division, 5th Rifle Brigade, 1st Independent Cavalry Brigade, and 1st Heavy Artillery Brigade
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...
Russian field army that fought 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...
for two years.
The First Army, commanded by General Paul Rennenkampf, invaded East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
at the outbreak of war in 1914 along with the Second Army commanded by General Alexander Samsonov
Alexander Samsonov
Aleksandr Vassilievich Samsonov was a career officer in the cavalry of the Imperial Russian Army and a general served during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I.-Biography:...
. After declaring war on the German Empire
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...
, the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
had been able to mobilize very quickly. All Russian forces were put under the command of Grand Duke Nikolai and his Quartermaster General Yuri Danilov
Yuri Danilov
Yuri Danilov served as a general in the Russian army during World War I.From 1907 to 1914 Danilov was in charge of the Intelligence Section of Russian Main Staff of the Imperial Russian Army...
.
The invading forces made a determined and speedy attack on East Prussia. However, the First and Second Armies were stopped by the German Eighth Army
German Eighth Army
The 8th Army was a World War I and World War II field army.-World War I:At the outbreak of World War I, the 8. Armee was stationed in East Prussia to defend against the expected Russian attack, Plan XIX. After the scrappy Battle of Gumbinnen, 8. Armee commander Generaloberst Maximilian von...
, led by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg
Paul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
and his Chief of Staff, General Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
. The German and Russian armies met at Tannenberg
Battle of Tannenberg (1914)
The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I. It was fought by the Russian First and Second Armies against the German Eighth Army between 23 August and 30 August 1914. The battle resulted in the almost complete...
, where the Second Army was encircled and suffered complete destruction. Both the First and Second Armies suffered terrible casualties in one of the most comprehensive German victories of 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 First Army also suffered defeat at the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes in September 1914, which led to Rennenkampf's dismissal and replacement by Litvinov. First Army served under Northwestern front for the remainder of the war. Litvinov was replaced by Sokovnin in April 1917. Vannovski replaced Sokovnin in July and the army's final commander, von Notbek, took over in September 1917.
At the Battle of Tannenburg (1914), the First Army consisted of the following units:
II Corps (transferred from the Second Army, 22 August)
26th Infantry Division (101st «Permskii» Infantry Regiment, 102nd «Viatskii» Infantry Regiment, 103rd «Petrozavodskii» Infantry Regiment, and 104th «Ustiuzhskii» Infantry Regiment of General Prince Bagrat)
43rd Infantry Division (169th «Novo-Trokskii» Infantry Regiment, 170th, 171st, and 172nd Regiments)
III Corps
25th Infantry Division (97th «Lifliandskii» Infantry Regiment of General-Field Marshal Count Sheremetev, 98th «Iurevskii» Infantry Regiment, 99th and 100th Regiments)
27th Infantry Division (105th, 106th «Ufimskii» Infantry Regiment, 107th «Troitskii» Infantry Regiment, and 108th «Saratovskii» Infantry Regiment)
IV Corps
30th Infantry Division (117th «Iaroslavskii» Infantry Regiment, 118th «Shuiskii» Infantry Regiment, 119th «Kolomenskii» Infantry Regiment, and 120th «Serpukhovskii» Infantry Regiment)
40th Infantry Division (157th «Imeretinski!» Infantry Regiment, 158th «Kutaisskii» Infantry Regiment, 159th «Guriiskii» Infantry Regiment, and 160th «Abkhazskii» Infantry Regiment)
XX Corps
28th Infantry Division (109th «Volzhskii» Infantry Regiment, 110th «Kamskii» Infantry Regiment, 111th «Donskoi» Infantry Regiment, 112th «Ural'skii» Infantry Regiment)
29th Infantry Division (113th «Starorusskii» Infantry Regiment, 114th «Novotorzhskii» Infantry Regiment, 115th «Viazemskii» Infantry Regiment, and 116th «Maloiaroslavskii» Infantry Regiment)
Unattached units included:
56th Infantry Division (221st, 222nd, 223rd, and 224th Regiments)
1st Guard Cavalry Division (His Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kirasirskii Ego Velichestva Polk), Her Majesty's Cuirassier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kirasirskii Eia Velichestva Polk), His Majesty's Cossack Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Kazachii Ego Velichestva Polk), and Ataman Cossack Guards Regiment of H. I. H. the Tsesarevich (Leib-Gvardii Atamanskii Ego Imperatorskago Vysochestva Naslednika TSesarevicha Polk)
2nd Guard Cavalry Division (Horse-Grenadier Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Konno-Grenaderskii Polk), Her Majesty's Lancer Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Ulanskii Eia Velichestva Gosudaryni Imperatritsy Aleksandry Feodorovny Polk), Dragoon Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Dragunskii Polk), His Majesty's Hussar Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Gusarskii Ego Velichestva Polk), His Majesty's Lancer Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Ulanskii Ego Velichestva Polk), Grodno Hussar Guards Regiment (Leib-Gvardii Grodnenskii Gusarskii Polk).
1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Cavalry Division, 3rd Cavalry Division, 5th Rifle Brigade, 1st Independent Cavalry Brigade, and 1st Heavy Artillery Brigade
Military Fronts in which the 1st Army participated
- Northwestern FrontNorthwestern Front (Russian Empire)The Northwestern Front was a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.It was established in August 1914. In August 1915 it was split into Northern Front and Western Front....
(July 1914 - August 1915) - Western FrontWestern Front (Russian Empire)The Western Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War. It was formed on the base of the Northwestern Front and disbanded in 1918.-Composition:Field Office * 1st Army...
(August 1915 - April 1916) - Northern FrontNorthern Front (Russian Empire)The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army *5th Army *6th Army The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army (April 1916 - July 1917, Sept. 1917 - early...
(April 1916 - July 1917) - Southwestern FrontSouthwestern Front (Russian Empire)The Southwestern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War. It was established on 19 August 1914.- Commanders of the Southwestern Front :* 19.07.1914-17.03.1916 — General of Infantry Nikolai Ivanov...
(July - September 1917) - Northern FrontNorthern Front (Russian Empire)The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army *5th Army *6th Army The Northern Front was a major unit of the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War.-Composition:*1st Army (April 1916 - July 1917, Sept. 1917 - early...
(September 1917 - the beginning of 1918)
Engagements
- Battle of StallupönenBattle of StalluponenThe Battle of Stallupönen, fought between Russian and German armies on August 17, 1914, was the opening battle of World War I on the Eastern Front...
(17 August 1914) - Battle of GumbinnenBattle of GumbinnenThe Battle of Gumbinnen, initiated by forces of the German Empire on August 20, 1914, was the first major German offensive on the Eastern Front during the First World War...
(20 August 1914) - Battle of TannenbergBattle of Tannenberg (1914)The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I. It was fought by the Russian First and Second Armies against the German Eighth Army between 23 August and 30 August 1914. The battle resulted in the almost complete...
(23–30 August 1914) - First Battle of the Masurian Lakes (8–11 September 1914)
- Battle of Łódź (11 November - 6 December 1914)
Commanders
- 19.07.1914—18.11.1914 — General Paul von RennenkampfPaul von RennenkampfPaul von Rennenkampf was a Russian general who served in the Imperial Russian Army for over 40 years, including during World War I.-Early career:...
(Russian: Павел Карлович фон Ренненкампф) - 05.12.1914—02.04.1917 — General Aleksandr Ivanovich Litvinov (Russian: Александр Иванович Литвинов)
- 12.04.1917—24.04.1917 — Lieutenant General Ilia OdishelidzeIlia OdishelidzeIlia Odishelidze ; , Ilya Zurabovich Odishelidze) was a Georgian military leader who had also served as a general of the Imperial Russian army....
(Russian: Илья Зурабович Одишелидзе) - 22.04.1917—30.07.1917 — Lieutenant General Mikhail Alekseevich Sokovnin (Russian: Михаил Алексеевич Соковнин)
- 31.07.1917—09.09.1917 — Lieutenant General Gleb Mikhailovich Vannovski (Russian: Глеб Михайлович Ванновский)
- 09.09.1917—11.1917 — Lieutenant General Vladimir Vladimirovich von Notbek (Russian: Владимир Владимирович фон Нотбек)