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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

1st Guards Division, Imperial German Army



 Divisional History  1st Guards Division part of the Guards Corps and 2nd Army

Order of battle 1914

  • 1st Guards Brigade
    • 1st Foot Guards Regiment
    • 2nd Foot Guards Regiment
  • 2nd Guards Brigade
    • 3rd Foot Guards Regiment
    • 4th Foot Guards Regiment
    1st Artillery Guards Brigade
    • 1st Guards Artillery Regiment
    • 3rd Guards Artillery Regiment



 Divisional History  1st German Guards Division

Additions to Order of Battle in 1915

  • 1st Guards Engineering Battalion
  • Field Company Guards Pioneers
  • 1st Guards Pontoon Engineers
  • 4th Guards Telephone Detachment


 Divisional Structure 1916  1st German Guards Division

Revised Order of Battle 1916

1st/2nd Guards Brigade

  • 1st Foot Guards Regiment
  • 2nd Foot Guards Regiment
  • 4th Foot Guards Regiment

Cavalry

  • Guards Regiment (Massow)
  • 1st Squadron
  • 2nd Squadron
  • 3rd Squadron
  • 4th Squadron
  • Body Guard Hussars Regiment
  • 6th Dragoon Regiment
  • 2nd Squadron

Artillery

  • 1st Guards Brigade
  • 1st Guards Artillery Regiment
  • 3rd Guards Artillery Regiment

Engineers and Liaison

  • 1st Guards Engineering Battalion
  • 1st Guards Pioneer Company
  • 1st Guards Trench Mortar Company
  • 1st Guards Pontoon Engineers
  • 1st Guards Telephone Detachment


 Divisional Structure 1917  1st German Guards Division

Revisions to Divisional Order of Battle 1917

1st Guards Brigade only but no changes in the 3 divisions.

Cavalry

  • 2nd Squadron Body Guard Hussars left the Division
  • 4th Squadron Body Guard Hussars left the Division

Artillery restructured to include.

  • 1st Guards Artillery Command
  • 1st Guards Artillery Regiment

Engineering and Liaison - no changes

Medical and Veterinary

  • Field Hospital
  • 1st Ambulance Company
  • Veterinary Hospital

Transport

Divisional Motor Transport Column

Attached

    35th Machine Gun Battalion
  • Sharpshooter Company



 Order of Battle 1918  1st German Guards Division

Revised Divisional Order of Battle in 1918

Infantry

1st Guards Brigade

  • 1st Foot Guard Regiment
  • 2nd Foot Guard Regiment
  • 4th Foot Guard Regiment

Cavalry

3rd Squadron Body Guards Hussars Regiment

Artillery

1st Guards Artillery Command

  • 1st Guards Field Artillery Regiment (less 4 and 5 Abteil)
  • 1st Abteil Light Guards Foot Artillery Regiment (1, 2 and 4 Batteries)
  • 870 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1099 Light Ammunition Column
  • 1128 Light Ammunition Column

Engineering and Liaison

  • Guards Pioneer Battalion (1st and 5th Company Guards Pioneers)
  • 23 Searchlight Section

Medical and Veterinary

  • 1st Ambulance Company
  • 4th Field Hospital
  • 6th Field Hospital
  • 1st Guards Veterinary Hospital



 Allied Intelligence evaluation 1917  1st German Guards Division

Allied Intelligence Value - 1917 Estimate

The 1st Guard Division may be considered one of the very best German divisions. Excellent conduct under fire. It displayed on the Aisne as well as on the Somme, energy and determination while on the defensive. Among its heavy losses there was an exceedingly small number of prisoners. Again on the Aisne (April-May, 1917), it displayed remarkable military qualities. It received important reinforcements of the younger classes (15-16-17), 30 per cent from the class of 1917. Its normal value was reduced temporarily on account of the arrival of elements which had never been under fire (June, 1917). Prisoners taken in the Argonne (June, 1917) seemed less keen for fighting.

The above quote from a joint French and American report based on observation and prisoner interrogation which was compiled for all German Divisions active during 1914 to 1918.

  Allied Intelligence evaluation 1918

11th August 1914 Opening movements WW1  1st German Guards Division

Detrained on 11th and 12th August in Prussian Wallonia at Weimar and neighbouring stations. Entered Belgium on the 13th August via Stavelot and crossed the Meuse on the 18th August 1914.

23rd August 1914  Initial Action

5th September 1914  Marne action

1st November 1914  Flanders

1st January 1915  brigade move

1st February 1915  brigade move

1st March 1915  Division relocation

22nd April 1915  On the Move

1st September 1915  Relocation

25th September 1915  Back into action

20th October 1915  Relief and relocation

1st August 1916  Move to Somme area

15th August 1916  Somme action

19th August 1916  Somme losses

1st January 1917  Reinforcement, Training and Relocation

1st April 1917  Chemin de Dames

1st July 1917  To Russia

16th October 1917  Return to France

1st January 1918 Training and relocation  1st German Guards Division

France.

The division remained in line at the Marquise sector in Champagne from the end of October until the 21st of January 1918

It was withdrawn at that date and put through a course of training in open warfare until the 1st March, when it entered the line east of Reims (relieving the 203rd Division), remaining there until the 15th in order to become familiar with the terrain.

28th March 1918  Back into Action

29th May 1918  Ongoing Action

15th of July 1918   Slight Shelling

16th July 1918  Ongoing Action

20th September 1918  Closing actions in WW1

21st of October 1918  

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Those known to have served on

1st Guards Division, Imperial German Army

during the Great War 1914-1918.

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    Records of 1st Guards Division, Imperial German Army from other sources.


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