77th Reserve Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 77th Reserve Division (77. 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 War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units. When originally formed, the division had two reserve infantry regiments from the Province of Westphalia
(255th and 256th) and one from the Rhine Province
(257th). The two Westphalian regiments were replaced late in the war by the 332nd Infantry Regiment, a garrison regiment from Posen with two Rhineland battalions and one Posen battalion (with a number of Poles as well as Germans), and the 419th Infantry Regiment, a thoroughly mixed unit made of companies taken from different regiments.
, seeing its first action in the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes
. It later fought in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
, including in the siege of Kovno and the battles of the Neman River
, Grodno, and Vilnius
. The division remained in the Courland region near Daugavpils
throughout 1916 and until September 1, 1917. It then fought in the Battle of Riga and afterwards remained in positional warfare north of the Daugava River. After the armistice on the Eastern Front, the division briefly served in Livonia
and Estonia
, and then was transferred to the Western Front
. It fought in the 1918 German Spring Offensive
, seeing action in the First Battle of the Somme (1918), also called the Second Battle of the Somme (to distinguish it from the 1916 battle). After more fighting in the Somme region, the division went to the Woëvre
region, between the Meuse and Moselle Rivers. The division was hit hard by the American attack on St. Mihiel
, losing a large number of prisoners, and was dissolved shortly thereafter, with the remnants being distributed to other units. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
. The order of battle of the division on December 29, 1914 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 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 War I, which were numbered the 75th through 82nd Reserve Divisions. The division was disbanded in September 1918 and its assets distributed to other units. When originally formed, the division had two reserve infantry regiments from the Province of Westphalia
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Kingdom of Westphalia, which was a client state of the First French Empire from 1807 to 1813...
(255th and 256th) and one from the Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
(257th). The two Westphalian regiments were replaced late in the war by the 332nd Infantry Regiment, a garrison regiment from Posen with two Rhineland battalions and one Posen battalion (with a number of Poles as well as Germans), and the 419th Infantry Regiment, a thoroughly mixed unit made of companies taken from different regiments.
Combat chronicle
The 77th Reserve Division initially fought 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...
, seeing its first action in the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes
Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes
The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, also known as the Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes, was the northern part of the Central Powers' offensive on the Eastern Front in the winter of 1915...
. It later fought in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive during World War I started as a minor German offensive to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front, but resulted in the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia...
, including in the siege of Kovno and the battles of the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
, Grodno, and Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. The division remained in the Courland region near Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
throughout 1916 and until September 1, 1917. It then fought in the Battle of Riga and afterwards remained in positional warfare north of the Daugava River. After the armistice on the Eastern Front, the division briefly served in Livonia
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, and then was transferred 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...
. It fought in the 1918 German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
, seeing action in the First Battle of the Somme (1918), also called the Second Battle of the Somme (to distinguish it from the 1916 battle). After more fighting in the Somme region, the division went to the Woëvre
Woëvre
The Woëvre is a natural region of Lorraine in northeastern France. It forms part of Lorraine plateau and lies largely in the department of Meuse....
region, between the Meuse and Moselle Rivers. The division was hit hard by the American attack on St. Mihiel
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12–15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force and 48,000 French troops under the command of U.S. general John J. Pershing against German positions...
, losing a large number of prisoners, and was dissolved shortly thereafter, with the remnants being distributed to other units. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
Order of battle on formation
The 77th Reserve Division, like the other divisions of its wave and unlike earlier German divisions, was organized from the outset 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 December 29, 1914 was as follows:
- 77.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 255
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 256
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 257
- Reserve-Radfahrer-Kompanie Nr. 77
- Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 77
- 77.Reserve-Feldartillerie-Brigade
- Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 59
- Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 60
- Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 78
- Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 79
Order of battle on February 10, 1918
The most significant wartime structural change in the divisions of this wave was the reduction from two field artillery regiments to one. Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and the enlargement of combat engineer support to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on February 10, 1918 was as follows:- 77.Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 257
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 332
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 419
- Reserve-Radfahrer-Abteilung Nr. 77
- 1.Eskadron/Husaren-Regiment Kaiser Franz Josef von Österreich, König von Ungarn (Schleswig-Holsteinisches) Nr. 16
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 77
- Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 59
- III.Bataillon/1. Westpreußisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11 (from April 23, 1918)
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 403
- 1.Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Fürst Radziwill (Ostpreußisches) Nr. 1
- 1.Landwehr-Pionier-Kompanie/VII. Armeekorps
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 277
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 477