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This Blog was born from a wet day in Germany, looking at one of the many war memorials in that country and further investigation which led me to notice a lack of reference material with regards to the German Army in World War One.

My work on this project has been made easier by the World Wide Web, but with the information tools at my disposal it has been a constant battle to ensure that the correct information has been included.

This Blog is intended for reference, and will hopefully enable those with an interest in the German Army of World War One to look up with confidence the various units and organisations which contributed to the German war machine.

Sunday 2 February 2014

23rd (1st Royal Saxon) Infantry Division



This peacetime Army unit was formed in April 1867, but it is worth noting that it was part of the Saxon Army prior to that date.

Its Home Station was in Saxony, part of the XII Corps District

The 23rd and 32nd Infantry Divisions combined to form the XII Army Corps

45th (Royal Saxon) Infantry Brigade

100th (1st Royal Saxon) Life Grenadier Regiment, formed on 30th April 1670, garrisoned in Dresden

101st (2nd Royal Saxon) Grenadier Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm, King of Prussia, formed on 30th April 1670, garrisoned in Dresden

46th (Royal Saxon) Infantry Brigade

108th (Royal Saxon) Schützen (Füsilier) Regiment Prinz Georg, formed on 1st October 1809, garrisoned in Dresden

182nd (16th Royal Saxon) Infantry Regiment, formed on 1st October 1912, garrisoned in Freiburg

20th Hussar Regiment
23rd Field Artillery Brigade
1st Company, 12th Pioneer Battalion
12th Field Artillery Regiment
48th Field Artillery Regiment

The Division as part of the XII Corps of the 2nd German Army, traveled through the Eiffel and entered Belgium via Luxembourg.  It then entered France and took part in the battle of the Marne.  It spent the remainder of 1914 on the Aisne sector.

 In 1915 it remained in the Aisne sector.  But in July 1916 it was sent to the Somme sector to counter the British offensive there.  From July to September 1916 the 100th Grenadier Regiment was detached.  It suffered very heavy casualties in the Somme battle.

 April 1917 saw the Division defending the Champagne sector, seeing action there and gaining a very good reputation for its combat ability.  It left in February 1918 to take part in the battle of the Somme.

 It lost 70% of its strength at the Somme  and by the begining of April 1918 it had to rest in the Champagne sector.  In July 1918 it took part in the 2nd battle of the Marne.  

 The Division ended the war in the Artois sector
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