108th Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 108th Infantry Division (108. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed in May 1915 as "Division Beckmann" (named for its commander, Max Beckmann) and became the 108th Infantry Division on November 7, 1915. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in 1915. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units.
The division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of existing divisions which were being triangularized
. The division's 97th Infantry Regiment came from the 42nd Infantry Division
; the 137th Infantry Regiment came from the 31st Infantry Division
; and the 265th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 80th Reserve Division
.
, serving in the Baltic region until June 1916. It then went south to the front in Ukraine on the Styr River
where it faced the Brusilov Offensive
and then remained in the line until the armistice on the Eastern Front in December 1917. The division was then sent to the Western Front
, entering the line north of the Ailette
River, where it remained until April 1918. It then fought in the Somme region until it was dissolved on September 19, 1918. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
. The order of battle of the division on October 3, 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 in May 1915 as "Division Beckmann" (named for its commander, Max Beckmann) and became the 108th Infantry Division on November 7, 1915. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in 1915. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units.
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 97th Infantry Regiment came from the 42nd Infantry Division
42nd Division (German Empire)
The 42nd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 1, 1912, and was the last regular division created in the Imperial German Army. It was headquartered in Saarburg in Lothringen . The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XXI Army Corps...
; the 137th Infantry Regiment came from the 31st Infantry Division
31st Division (German Empire)
The 31st Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on March 20, 1871, and was headquartered in Straßburg until 1912, and then in Saarbrücken. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XV Army Corps until 1912, and then to the XXI Army Corps...
; and the 265th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 80th Reserve Division
80th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 80th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915. It was part of the second large wave of new divisions formed at the outset of World...
.
Combat chronicle
The 108th 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...
, serving in the Baltic region until June 1916. It then went south to the front in Ukraine on the Styr River
Styr River
The Styr River is right tributary of the Pripyat River, with a length of 494 km. Its basin area is 13,100 km².The Styr River begins near Brody, in the Ukrainian Oblast of Lviv, then flows into the Rivne Oblast, Volyn Oblast, then into the Belarusian voblast of Brest where it finally...
where it faced 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...
and then remained in the line until the armistice on the Eastern Front in December 1917. The division was then sent 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...
, entering the line north of the Ailette
Ailette (river)
The Ailette is a long river in the Aisne département, eastern France. Its source is at Sainte-Croix. It flows generally west-northwest. It is a left tributary of the Oise into which it flows between Manicamp and Quierzy, northeast of Compiègne....
River, where it remained until April 1918. It then fought in the Somme region until it was dissolved on September 19, 1918. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
Order of battle on formation
The 108th 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 October 3, 1915 was as follows:
- 5. Infanterie-Brigade
- 1. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 97
- 2. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 137
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 265
- Reserve-Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 1
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 243
- 1. Kompanie/Reserve-Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 1
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 April 26, 1918 was as follows:- 5. Infanterie-Brigade
- 1. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 97
- 2. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 137
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 265
- 6. Eskadron/Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 29
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 243
- II. Bataillon Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 4 (from May 4, 1918)
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 108
- 1. Reserve-Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 1
- 1. Reserve-Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 33
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 108
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 108