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1st Cavalry Division (German Empire)

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1st Cavalry Division
1. Kavallerie-Division
Flag of the Staff of a Division (1871–1918)
Active2 August 1914–1919
Disbanded1919
Country German Empire
Branch Imperial German Army
TypeCavalry
SizeApproximately 5,000 (on mobilisation)
EngagementsWorld War I
Battle of Stallupönen
Battle of Gumbinnen
Battle of Tannenberg
First Battle of the Masurian Lakes

The 1st Cavalry Division (German: 1. Kavallerie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the 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

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Initially, it was the sole cavalry division on the Eastern Front, where it was assigned to the 8th Army. It remained in the East throughout the war. From 6 January 1915 to 22 August 1917, the division was involved in coastal defence duties in northern Courland. It was transferred to the Ukraine in March 1918,[1] where it remained until 29 January 1919. From 16 January 1918, it contained just one brigade of 3 regiments.[citation needed]

Battle Calendar

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The Division was formed as part of the mobilization at the beginning of World War I and was used exclusively on the Eastern Front. Here it remained as a German Police Force after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It was first used in Livonia and Estonia and then came to Ukraine, where it remained until 16 March 1919.

1914

1915

1916

  • – Coastal Protection Northern Courland

1917

  • – Until 22 August – Coastal Protection North Courland
  • 23 January to 3 February – Winter Battle on the Lielupe
  • 1–5 September – Riga offensive (1917)
  • 6 September to 28 October – Position Battles north of the Daugava
  • From 29 October – Crew service at Budget Inspection 10

1918

  • – Until 10 March – Crew service at Budget Inspection 10
  • 11 March to 2 May – Occupation of Livonia and Estonia as a German Police force
  • 3 May to 21 June – Fighting in Ukraine
  • 22 June to 15 November – Occupation of Ukraine
  • From 16 November – Eviction of Ukraine

1919

  • – Until 16 March – Evacuation of the Ukraine

Order of Battle on mobilisation

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On formation, in August 1914, the component units of the division were:[2]

Brigade From Regiment
1st Cavalry Brigade I Corps District 3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"
1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons "Prince Albrecht of Prussia"
2nd Cavalry Brigade I Corps District 12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans
9th Mounted Rifles
41st Cavalry Brigade XX Corps District 5th (West Prussian) Cuirassiers "Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg"
4th (1st Pomeranian) Uhlans "von Schmidt"

See: Table of Organisation and Equipment

Late World War I organization

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In the course of the War, the Division saw a number of changes to its assigned Brigades.

Allied Intelligence did not rate the Division's fighting value.[4] Its late war organisation was:[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 126
  2. ^ Cron 2002, p. 324
  3. ^ "1. (kgl. sächs.) Kavallerie-Brigade Nr. 23". Militär/Formationsgeschichte/Deutschland/Erster Weltkrieg. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  4. ^ AEF GHQ 1920, p. 47
  5. ^ War Office 1918, p. 225
  6. ^ 1917 was changed into a field artillery abteilung; Cron 2002, p. 139

Bibliography

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  • Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
  • Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919. The London Stamp Exchange Ltd (1989). 1920. ISBN 0-948130-87-3.
  • The German Forces in the Field; 7th Revision, 11th November 1918; Compiled by the General Staff, War Office. Imperial War Museum, London and The Battery Press, Inc (1995). 1918. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.