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43. Reserve-Division 1914-1918

The 43rd Reserve Division was raised soon after the outbreak of war and formed part of the 22nd Reserve Corps together with the 44th Reserve Division. It was formed from guards regimental recruit depots and continued to recruit from throughout Prussia.

After training at Döberitz in September 1914, the division was transferred to Belgium in mid October and immediately saw action in Flanders. Elements of the division occupied different parts of the front between Ypres and Nieuport following the Battle of the Yser. The division was reconcentrated and sent to rest in early February 1915. Elements of the division were then sent to the Champagne and north of the Ypres salient before the division was transferred to the Eastern Front in early June 1915 and took part in the Mackensen offensive in Poland.

In late September the division was transferred to Serbia, where it took part in the campaign in October. The division returned to the West in early 1916 and fought at Verdun until the end of May. In June the division returned to the Eastern Front and took part in the German counter-offensive.

In mid November 1916 the division returned to the Western Front and the infantry elements were re-organised into a single brigade of three regiments when the 204th regiment was assigned for the formation of the new 208th Division. The division was concentrated north of Verdun, where it remained until the end of January 1917. After resting in Alsace, it re-entered the line and suffered serious losses during the French attack in mid April. It was then transferred to a relatively quiet sector in the Argonne.

After a brief period of rest, the division was transferred to the Chemin de Dames sector, where it was among the German forces attacked by the French at the end of July 1917. The division suffered heavy losses during this attack and its own counter-attacks in early August. After a period of rest, replenishment and training, the division was transferred to the Chavignon area to reinforce units anticipating a French attack. After suffering heavy losses, the division was relieved and soon after transferred to the Eastern Front. Its arrival there was followed by a brief spell of fighting before the ceasefire was agreed, and the division returned to Germany in early February 1918.

After a period of rest and training at Altengrabow near Magdeburg, the division travelled to Flanders for a brief spell before it moved to the Somme, where it lost a number of prisoners. At the beginning of September, the division was broken up, with its remaining infanty being transferred to Garde-Ersatz-Division and 2. Garde-Infanterie-Division.

The 43rd Reserve Division was considered to be a very good organisation in the allied 1917 intelligence estimate, based on information gathered by the French and British. The division was rated as third class by the Americans in 1918. Its poor performance during the attack in April 1918 and long period spent on the Somme prepared the way for its disbandment in early September.

Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 10 September 1914

85. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 201	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 202
Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 15
86. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 203	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 204
Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 43
Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43
Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie Nr. 43

Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 3 April 1918

85. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 201	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 202	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 203
2. Eskadron Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17
Artillerie-Kommandeur 43
Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43	I. Bataillon Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 16
Stab Pionier-Bataillon 343
4. Kompagnie 1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17	Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie Nr. 43	Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 243
Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 443

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