The 2nd Cavalry Division (2. 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 assigned to II Cavalry Corps preceding 1st and 2nd Armies on the Western Front. From 12th November 1914 transfered to Russia until 25th November 1916; in Romania until December 1916; then back to the West. Frontier Guard on the Dutch border from 26th February 1917 to 10th September 1917; then again to Russia and finally in the Ukraine from March 1918.

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:

• 5th Cavalry Brigade (from III Corps
  III Corps (German Empire)
  The III Army Corps was a formation in the Imperial German Army. It was established in 1814 as the General Headquarters in Berlin and became the III Army Corps on April 3, 1820...
  
   District)
  • 2nd (1st Brandenburg) Dragoons
  • 3rd (1st Brandenburg) Uhlans "Emperor Alexander II of Russia"
• 8th Cavalry Brigade (from IV Corps
  IV Corps (German Empire)
  The IV Army Corps was a formation of the Imperial German Army. It was established on October 3, 1815 as the General Command in the Duchy of Saxony and became the IV Army Corps on August 30, 1818...
  
   District)
  • 7th (Magdeburg) Cuirassiers "von Seydlitz"
  • 12th (Thuringian) Hussars
• Leib Hussar Brigade (from XVII Corps District)
  • 1st Life Hussars "Totenkopf"
  • 2nd Life Hussars "Queen Victoria of Prussia"
• 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
• 4th Machine Gun Detachment
• Pioneer Detachment
• Signals Detachment
  • Heavy Wireless Station 1
  • Light Wireless Station 5
  • Light Wireless Station 6
• Cavalry Motorised Vehicle Column 2

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

About August 1916 the Division was significantly restructured.

• Leib Hussar Brigade became independent on 20th August 1916
• 5th Cavalry Brigade became independent on 8th August 1916
• 8th Cavalry brigade was transfered to 1st Cavalry Division
  1st Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 1st 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, it was the sole cavalry...
  
   on 25th July 1916
• 22nd Cavalry Brigade joined on 13th August 1916 from 3rd Cavalry Division
  3rd Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 3rd 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 January 1917.-Combat chronicle:...
  
  
• 25th Cavalry Brigade joined on 23rd September 1916 also from 3rd Cavalry Division
  3rd Cavalry Division (German Empire)
  The 3rd 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 January 1917.-Combat chronicle:...
  
  
• 7th Bavarian Cavalry Brigade "Siebenburgische" joined (previoulsy independent) and left again on 18th February 1918

Allied Intelligence rated the Division as 4th Class. The organisation in 1918 was:

• 22nd Cavalry Brigade
  • 5th (Rhenish) Dragoons "Baron Manteuffel"
  • 14th (2nd Kurhessian) Hussars "Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg"
• 25th Cavalry Brigade
  • 23rd Guards Dragoons (1st Grand Ducal Hessian)
  • 24th Life Dragoons (2nd Grand Ducal Hessian)
• 7th Bavarian Cavalry Brigade "Siebenburgische"
  • 4th Royal Bavarian Chevau-légers "King"
    4th Royal Bavarian Chevau-légers "King"
    The 4th Royal Bavarian Chevau-légers "King" was a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Bavarian Army. The regiment was formed in 1744 and fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the Austro-Prussian War, the Franco-Prussian War, and World War I. The regiment was disbanded in 1919....
    
    
  • 5th Royal Bavarian Chevau-légers "Archduke Albrecht of Austria"
• Horse Artillery Abteilung
  Abteilung
  Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
  
   of the 15th (1st Upper Alsatian) Field Artillery Regiment
• 2nd Pioneer Detachment
• 7th Pioneer Detachment
• 200th Bavarian TM Company
• 21st Ambulance Company
• 2nd MG Detachment
• 3rd MG Detachment
• Attached
  • 4th Jager Battalion
  • 1st Cyclist Company, 3rd Jager Battalion
  • 2nd Cyclist Company, 3rd Jager Battalion