85th Landwehr Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 85th Landwehr Division (85. Landwehr-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed in November 1914 as the Breugel Division (Division Breugel), named after its commander, Generalleutnant Willem Hendrick Clifford Kocq von Breugel, and became the 85th Landwehr Division on September 13, 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The Landwehr
was the third category of the German Army, after the regular Army and the reserves. Thus Landwehr divisions were generally made up of older soldiers who had passed from the reserves, and were intended primarily for occupation and security duties rather than heavy combat.
. It occupied the line by Mława from November 1914 to July 1915 and then participated in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
, breaking through at Przasnysz
and fighting on the Narew, and then participating in follow-on fighting for the next several months. In September 1915, it was in the Lithuanian swamps. It was engaged in positional warfare in the Vishnev sector on the Berezina, Olshanka and Krevljanka Rivers from September 1915 to October 1917. It moved with the line northwards in a series of fights until the armistice on the Eastern Front. The division fought in Estonia in February/March 1918, and then served as occupation troops in Estonia and Russia until the end of World War I in November 1918. Elements of the division were being transferred to Belgium at the time of the Armistice on the Western Front, and other elements remained in Lithuania and White Russia as security forces for several months after the end of World War I, finally departing in February 1919. Allied intelligence rated the division as fourth class.
. The order of battle of the division on July 7, 1915 was as follows:
in March 1917, losing the 170th Landwehr Infantry Brigade headquarters and the 61st Landwehr Infantry Regiment. Cavalry was reduced, artillery and signals commands were formed, and combat engineer support was expanded to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on January 13, 1918 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 in November 1914 as the Breugel Division (Division Breugel), named after its commander, Generalleutnant Willem Hendrick Clifford Kocq von Breugel, and became the 85th Landwehr Division on September 13, 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The Landwehr
Landwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
was the third category of the German Army, after the regular Army and the reserves. Thus Landwehr divisions were generally made up of older soldiers who had passed from the reserves, and were intended primarily for occupation and security duties rather than heavy combat.
Combat chronicle
The 85th Landwehr Division served 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...
. It occupied the line by Mława from November 1914 to July 1915 and then participated 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...
, breaking through at Przasnysz
Przasnysz
Przasnysz is a town in Poland. Located in the Masovian Voivodship, about 110 km north of Warsaw and about 115 km south of Olsztyn, it's the capital of Przasnysz County. It has 18,093 inhabitants . One of the most important towns in Mazovia during the Middle Ages. City laws - 1427.-Famous...
and fighting on the Narew, and then participating in follow-on fighting for the next several months. In September 1915, it was in the Lithuanian swamps. It was engaged in positional warfare in the Vishnev sector on the Berezina, Olshanka and Krevljanka Rivers from September 1915 to October 1917. It moved with the line northwards in a series of fights until the armistice on the Eastern Front. The division fought in Estonia in February/March 1918, and then served as occupation troops in Estonia and Russia until the end of World War I in November 1918. Elements of the division were being transferred to Belgium at the time of the Armistice on the Western Front, and other elements remained in Lithuania and White Russia as security forces for several months after the end of World War I, finally departing in February 1919. Allied intelligence rated the division as fourth class.
Order of battle on formation
The 85th Landwehr Division was formed as a square divisionSquare division
A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a division...
. The order of battle of the division on July 7, 1915 was as follows:
- 169. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 61
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 99
- 170. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 17
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 21
- 1. mobil Ersatz-Eskadron/XVII. Armeekorps
- 2. mobil Ersatz-Eskadron/XVII. Armeekorps
- mobil Ersatz-Eskadron/Grenadier-zu-Pferd-Regiment Freiherr von Derfflinger (Neumärkisches) Nr. 3
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 85
- II.Bataillon/2. Pommersches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 15
- 1. Reserve-Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 26
- 2.Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 26
Late-war order of battle
The division underwent a number of organizational changes over the course of the war. It was triangularizedTriangular 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...
in March 1917, losing the 170th Landwehr Infantry Brigade headquarters and the 61st Landwehr Infantry Regiment. Cavalry was reduced, artillery and signals commands were formed, and combat engineer support was expanded to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on January 13, 1918 was as follows:
- 169. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 17
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 21
- Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 99
- Radfahrer-Kompanie Nr. 85
- 5. Eskadron/Kürassier-Regiment (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 6
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 85
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 275
- Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 485
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 385
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 585