52. Reserve-Division 1914-1918
The division was one of a series of reserve divisions numbered 43 to 54 that were raised in August 1914. Together with 51. Reserve-Division, it formed XXVI. Reserve-Korps. It was first formed with three Baden regiments and one from the Rhine area.
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 237 (plus a machine gun platoon) was raised in Trier (regimental staff, 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions from the replacement battalions of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 29 and Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 69). Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 237 was sent to Galicia for the formation of 199. Infanterie-Division in August 1916.
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 238 (plus a machine gun platoon) was assembled from two replacement companies each from the replacement battalions of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 109, Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 112 and Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 142. (Regimental staff and 1st battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 109, 2nd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 112 and the 3rd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 142).
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 239 (plus a machine gun platoon) was assembled in Mannheim from the replacement battalion of Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 110 supplemented by 1532 recruits from the class of 1914: the regimental staff and 1st battalion with 422 NCOs and other ranks from the 3rd and 4th companies of the replacement battalion of Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 110, 2nd battalion with 498 NCOs and other ranks from two companies of the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 113 and the 3rd battalion with 365 NCOs and other ranks from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 170.
The regimental staff of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 240 was assembled from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 40, the 1st battalion from the 3rd and 4th companies of the same battalion, the 2nd battalion from the 3rd and 4th companies of the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 111, the 3rd battalion from the 3rd and 4th companies of the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 114. The regiment was also supplemented by assigning volunteers.
The division was considered to be a good second-class unit, but possibly not as good as other divisions similarly rated according to the Allied intelligence summary.
Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 10 September 1914
103. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade |
||
| Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 237 | Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 238 | Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 24 |
104. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade |
||
| Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 239 | Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 240 | |
| Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 52 | ||
| Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 52 | ||
| Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie 52 | ||
Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 1 January 1918
104. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade |
||
| Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 238 | Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 239 | Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 240 |
| Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 52 | ||
Artillerie-Kommandeur 69 |
||
| Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 52 | Fußartillerie-Bataillon 51 (from 08.08.1918) |
|
Stab Pionier-Bataillon 352 |
||
| 8. Kompagnie Pionier-Bataillon 28 | Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie 52 | Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 252 |
Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 452 |
||
Commanders
52. Reserve-Division 1914-1918
- From August 1914 Generalleutnant Emil Joseph Waldorf
Calendar of battles and engagements
| 52. Reserve-Division (Westfront) | |
| 18.10.-30.11.1914 | Schlacht an der Yser |
| 18.10.-19.10.1914 | Beythem-Moorslede |
| 20.10.-21.10.1914 | Keiberg-Broodseinde |
| 20.10.-22.10.1914 | Paschendaele |
| 22.10.-28.10.1914 | Gravenstafel-Kerselaerehoek-Broodseinde |
| 05.11.-03.12.1914 | Sappenangriff gegen die Höhe von Broodseinde |
| 01.12.1914-21.04.1915 | Stellungskämpfe an der Yser |
| 17.12.1914 | Französischer Durchbruchsversuch bei Kortekeer |
| 22.04.-25.05.1915 | Kämpfe um Ypern |
| 22.04.-23.04.1915 | Großer Durchbruch über Pilkem, Langemarck bis zu den Höhen nördlich Ypern (erster Gasangriff auf deutscher Seite) |
| 26.05.1915-16.09.1916 | Stellungskämpfe an der Yser |
| 19.09.-30.09.1916 | Schlacht an der Somme |
| 07.10.1916-29.04.1917 | Stellungskämpfe in der Champagne |
| 15.02.1917 | Wegnahme der Höhe 185 südlich Ripont |
| 06.05.-27.05.1917 | Schlacht in der Champagne |
| 28.05.-09.07.1917 | Stellungskämpfe bei Reims |
| 22.07.-12.08.1917 | Schlacht in Flandern |
| 15.08.-31.12.1917 | Stellungskämpfe in der Champagne |
| 01.01.-27.04.1918 | Stellungskämpfe in der Champagne |
| 05.05.-29.08.1918 | Stellungskrieg in Flandern |
| 03.09.-15.09.1918 | Kämpfe vor der Siegfriedfront |
| 28.09.-17.10.1918 | Abwehrschlacht in Flandern |
| 18.10.-24.10.1918 | Nachhutkämpfe zwischen Yser und Lys |
| 12.11.-23.12.1918 | Räumung des besetzten Gebietes und Marsch in die Heimat |
Sources
- Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee, 5th edition, Berlin
- Die Schlachten und Gefechte des Grossen Krieges 1914-1918, compiled by the Grosser Generalstab, Berlin 1919
- Histories of 251 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
- Ehrenrangliste des ehemaligen Deutschen Heeres auf Grund der Ranglisten von 1914 mit den inzwischen eingetretenen Veränderungen, Berlin, 1926
- Formationsgeschichte der deutschen Infanterie im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914-1918, Hartwig Busche, 1998
Copyright © 2006 David Gregory