10th Bavarian Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 10th Bavarian Infantry Division (10. Bayerische Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the Imperial German
Army
, in World War I
. The division was formed on March 3, 1915 and organized over the next few weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was disbanded in August 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 20th Bavarian Infantry Brigade was formerly the 1st Bavarian Infantry Brigade of the 1st Bavarian Infantry Division
. The 16th Bavarian Infantry Regiment also came from the 1st Royal Bavarian Division
; the 6th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division
; and the 8th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 4th Bavarian Infantry Division
.
, entering the line on the Somme in March 1915. It remained on the Somme into 1916 and fought in the Battle of the Somme in June and July 1916. It was then transferred to the Eastern Front
, arriving in Galicia in August. It then fought in the Romanian campaign
, fighting in Bukovina and Transylvania. From February to May 1917, the division served on the Galician front under the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army against the Russian Army, where it engaged in several assault troop (Stoßtrupp) operations. It then returned to the Western Front, arriving in Alsace at the end of May and remaining in the line there for several weeks. It then fought in the battles in Flanders known generally as the Battle of Passchendaele. In October 1917, the division left the line and returned to the Eastern Front, deploying along the Upper Styr
and Stokhod rivers but reportedly seeing no action. In late November, it went back to the Western Front, and went into the line in Lorraine until May 1918. It then fought near Soissons for the next several months and in the Second Battle of the Marne
. On August 6, 1918, the division was dissolved, with its assets distributed to other units. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
. The order of battle of the division on March 4, 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 on March 3, 1915 and organized over the next few weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was disbanded in August 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 20th Bavarian Infantry Brigade was formerly the 1st Bavarian Infantry Brigade of the 1st Bavarian Infantry Division
1st Royal Bavarian Division
The 1st Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as the Infantry Division of the Munich General Command...
. The 16th Bavarian Infantry Regiment also came from the 1st Royal Bavarian Division
1st Royal Bavarian Division
The 1st Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as the Infantry Division of the Munich General Command...
; the 6th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division
5th Bavarian Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 5th Bavarian Reserve Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the German Army, in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
; and the 8th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 4th Bavarian Infantry Division
4th Royal Bavarian Division
The 4th Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as an Infantry Division of the Würzburg General Command...
.
Combat chronicle
The 10th Bavarian Infantry Division initially served 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 on the Somme in March 1915. It remained on the Somme into 1916 and fought in the Battle of the Somme in June and July 1916. It was then transferred to 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...
, arriving in Galicia in August. It then fought in the Romanian campaign
Romanian Campaign (World War I)
The Romanian Campaign was part of the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central Powers. Fighting took place from August 1916 to December 1917, across most of present-day Romania, including Transylvania, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian...
, fighting in Bukovina and Transylvania. From February to May 1917, the division served on the Galician front under the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army against the Russian Army, where it engaged in several assault troop (Stoßtrupp) operations. It then returned to the Western Front, arriving in Alsace at the end of May and remaining in the line there for several weeks. It then fought in the battles in Flanders known generally as the Battle of Passchendaele. In October 1917, the division left the line and returned to the Eastern Front, deploying along the Upper Styr
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...
and Stokhod rivers but reportedly seeing no action. In late November, it went back to the Western Front, and went into the line in Lorraine until May 1918. It then fought near Soissons for the next several months and 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...
. On August 6, 1918, the division was dissolved, with its assets distributed to other units. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
Order of battle on formation
The 10th Bavarian 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 March 4, 1915 was as follows:
- 20. bayerische Infanterie-Brigade
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 6
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 8
- Kgl. Bayerisches 16. Infanterie-Regiment Großherzog Ferdinand von Toskana
- Kgl. Bayerische Radfahrer-Kompanie Nr. 10
- 3.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 5. Chevaulegers-Regiment Erzherzog Friedrich von Österreich
- 10. bayerische Feldartillerie-Brigade
- Kgl. Bayerisches 19. Feldartillerie-Regiment
- Kgl. Bayerisches 20. Feldartillerie-Regiment
- Kgl. Bayerisches 10. Fußartillerie-Bataillon
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 19
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 20
Late-war order of battle
The division underwent relatively few organizational changes over the course of the war. Artillery and signals commands were formed, and combat engineer support was expanded to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on February 15, 1918 was as follows:- 20. bayerische Infanterie-Brigade
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 6
- Kgl. Bayerisches Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 8
- Kgl. Bayerisches 16. Infanterie-Regiment Großherzog Ferdinand von Toskana
- 3.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 5. Chevaulegers-Regiment Erzherzog Friedrich von Österreich
- Kgl. Bayerischer Artillerie-Kommandeur 10
- Kgl. Bayerisches 20. Feldartillerie-Regiment
- Kgl. Bayerisches 17. Fußartillerie-Bataillon
- Kgl. Bayerisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 20
- Kgl. Bayerische Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 23
- Kgl. Bayerische Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 10
- Kgl. Bayerischer Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 10