Forward

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.

Saturday, 1 February 2014

16th (Iron) Infantry Division



This peacetime Army unit was formed in December 1818

Its home station was Trier part of the VIII Corps District

The 16th and 15th Infantry Divisions combined to form the VIII Army Corps

31st Infantry Brigade
Transferred to the 47th Landwehr Division on 10th October 1916.  Transferred to the 238th Infantry Division as the 238th Infantry Brigade on 16th January 1917.
28th Infantry Regiment von Goeben (2nd Rhine), formed on 5th December 1813, garrisoned at Koblenz

68th (6th Rhine) Infantry Regiment, formed on 5th May 1860, garrisoned in Koblenz

32nd Infantry Brigade

29th Infantry Regiment von Horn (3rd Rhine), formed on 5th December 1813, garrisoned in Trier

69th (7th Rhine) Infantry Regiment, formed on 5th May 1860, garrisoned in Trier

7th Hussar Regiment

16th Field Artillery Brigade
2nd and 3rd Companies, 8th Pioneer Battalion
23rd Field Artillery Regiment
44th Field Artillery Regiment

The Division entered the war as part of the 4th German Army.  It entered Luxembourg, and advanced through Belgium and into Alsace.  It then spent the winter in the Champagne sector.

Elements of the Division fought in Belgium and Alsace, and in April 1915 it was in action in the Artois sector, in June moving to the Aisne sector.  In October 1915 it was in Nouvron.

It remained in the Aisne sector until July 1916, it was then committed to the Somme battle. In September a much reduced Division was sent to rest in Berry Au Bac, where it was reorganised and lost its 69th Infantry Regiment.

In October 1916 it reentered the Somme battle, where it again suffered heavy losses.  

In November 1916 it was sent to the Russian front where it remained until May 1917.  It returned to France and took part in the Flanders battles and the battle of Ypres.

In April 1918 it took part in the battle of the Lys, after a brief rest at Merville it was sent to take part in the third battle of the Somme.

The remnants of the Division were still in the Ypres sector at the end of the war.






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