The 1st Cavalry Division (1. Kavallerie-Division) was a unit of the German

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 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.

Combat chronicle

Initially, it was the sole cavalry division on the Eastern Front, assigned to the 8th Army. It remained in the East throughout the war. 6th January 1915 to 22nd August 1917, Coastal Defence duties in northern Courland. To the Ukraine March 1918 (until 29th January 1919). From 16th January 1918 it contained just one brigade of 3 regiments.

A more detailed combat chronicle can be found at the German language version of this article.

Order of Battle on mobilisation

On formation, in August 1914, the component units of the division were:

• 1st Cavalry Brigade (from I Corps
  I Corps (German Empire)
  The I Corps was a formation of the Imperial German Army. The headquarters of the corps were located in Königsberg. At the beginning of World War I, the corps was attached to the 8th Army and transferred to the Eastern Front....
  
   District)
  • 3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"
    3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"
    The 3rd Cuirassiers “Count Wrangel” were a heavy cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. Formed in 1717 as a dragoons unit, the regiment was reorganized as cuirassiers in 1818. The regiment fought in the Silesian Wars, the War of the Sixth Coalition, the Austro-Prussian War, the...
    
    
  • 1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons "Prince Albrecht of Prussia"
• 2nd Cavalry Brigade (from I Corps
  I Corps (German Empire)
  The I Corps was a formation of the Imperial German Army. The headquarters of the corps were located in Königsberg. At the beginning of World War I, the corps was attached to the 8th Army and transferred to the Eastern Front....
  
   District)
  • 12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans
  • 9th Jäger zu Pferde
    9th Mounted Rifles
    The 9th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Insterburg....
    
    
• 41st Cavalry Brigade (from XX Corps
  XX Corps (German Empire)
  The XX Army Corps was a unit of the German Army that was stationed in Allenstein . At the beginning of World War I, the corps was transferred to the Eastern Front...
  
   District)
  • 5th (West Prussian) Cuirassiers "Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg"
    5th (West Prussian) Cuirassiers "Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg"
    The 5th Cuirassiers “Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg” were a heavy cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed in 1717. The regiment fought in the Silesian Wars, the War of the Sixth Coalition, the Austro-Prussian War, the Franco-Prussian War and World War I. It was...
    
    
  • 4th (1st Pomeranian) Uhlans "von Schmidt"
• Horse Artillery Abteilung
  Abteilung
  Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
  
   of the 1st (Prince August of Prussia) (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery Regiment
• 5th Machine Gun Detachment
• Pioneer Detachment
• Signals Detachment
  • Heavy Wireless Station 17
  • Light Wireless Station 7
  • Light Wireless Station 14
• Cavalry Motorised Vehicle Column 1

See: Table of Organisation and Equipment

TOE, German Cavalry Division, August 1914

This is a brief outline of the Table of Organisation and Equipment of the 11 German Cavalry Divisions that were established at the outbreak of the first World War.-Table of Organisation and Equipment:*Division Staff**"weaker than an infantry division"...

Late World War I organization

In the course of the War, the Division saw a number of changes to it's assigned Brigades.

• 1st Cavalry Brigade became independent on 3rd October, 1916.
• 41st Cavalry Brigade was transfered to 7th Cavalry Division
  7th Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 7th Cavalry Division was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914...
  
   on 17th October, 1916.
• 8th Cavalry Brigade joined from 2nd Cavalry Division
  2nd Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 2nd Cavalry Division was a unit 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.-Combat chronicle:Initially assigned to II Cavalry...
  
   on 25th July, 1916 before moving on to the 6th Cavalry Division
  6th Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 6th Cavalry Division was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914...
  
   on 18th October, 1916.
• 18th Cavalry Brigade joined from 4th Cavalry Division
  4th Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 4th Cavalry Division was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914...
  
   on 12th December, 1916 before moving on to the XXXXI Reserve Corps on 15th January, 1918.
• 23rd Cavalry Brigade joined from 8th Cavalry Division
  8th Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 8th Cavalry Division was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was dissolved in April 1918...
  
   on 1st February, 1916 before becoming independent on 22nd October, 1917.

Allied Intelligence did not rate the Division's fighting value. It's late war organisation was:

• 2nd Cavalry Brigade
  • 3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"
    3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"
    The 3rd Cuirassiers “Count Wrangel” were a heavy cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. Formed in 1717 as a dragoons unit, the regiment was reorganized as cuirassiers in 1818. The regiment fought in the Silesian Wars, the War of the Sixth Coalition, the Austro-Prussian War, the...
    
    
  • 1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons "Prince Albrecht of Prussia"
  • 12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans
• Horse Artillery Abteilung
  Abteilung
  Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
  
   of the 1st (Prince August of Prussia) (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery Regiment
• Horse Artillery Abteilung
  Abteilung
  Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
  
   of the 35th (1st West Prussian) Field Artillery Regiment
• 1st Pioneer Detachment
• 347th Searchlight Section
• 70th Ambulance Company
• 66th Vet. Hospital
• 142nd Vet. Hospital
• 152nd Cyclist Company
• 153rd Cyclist Company
• 159th Cyclist Company