The 3rd Cavalry Division (3. 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 January 1917.

Combat chronicle

Initially assigned to IV Cavalry Corps preceding 4th and 5th Armies on the Western Front until December 1914, then occupation duties in Belgium. From 6th April 1915 transfered to Russia and dissolved there on 1st September 1916. Reformed on 9th September 1916 in Hungary and after that in Transylvania. Finally dissolved on November 1916.

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:

• 16th Cavalry Brigade (from VIII Corps District)
  • 7th Jäger zu Pferde
    7th Mounted Rifles
    The 7th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Trier....
    
    
  • 8th Jäger zu Pferde
    8th Mounted Rifles
    The 8th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Trier....
    
    
• 22nd Cavalry Brigade (from XI Corps District)
  • 5th (Rhenish) Dragoons "Baron Manteuffel"
  • 14th (2nd Kurhessian) Hussars "Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg"
• 25th Cavalry Brigade (from XVIII Corps
  XVIII Corps (German Empire)
  The XVIII Army Corps was a corps of the Imperial German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1899 and was headquartered in Frankfurt am Main...
  
   District)
  • 23rd Guards Dragoons (1st Grand Ducal Hessian)
  • 24th Life Dragoons (2nd Grand Ducal Hessian)
• Horse Artillery Abteilung
  Abteilung
  Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
  
   of the 11th (1st Kurhessian) Field Artillery Regiment
• 2nd Machine Gun Detachment
• Pioneer Detachment
• Signals Detachment
  • Heavy Wireless Station 11
  • Light Wireless Station 18
  • Light Wireless Station 19
• Cavalry Motorised Vehicle Column 3

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"...

Changes in organization

• 16th Cavalry Brigade became independent on 1st September 1916
• 22nd Cavalry Brigade joined 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 13th August 1916
• 25th Cavalry Brigade joined 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 23rd September 1916
• 1st Cavalry Brigade joined on 13th October 1916 from 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...
  
  (renamed Siebenburgishe Cavalry Brigade on 1st June 1917.)