39th Infantry Division

This peacetime Army unit was formed in April 1899


Its home station was in Alsace, part of the XV Corps District.

The 39th and 30th Infantry Divisions combined to form the V Army Corps

61st Infantry Brigade
126th Infantry Regiment Grand Duke Friedrich von Baden (8th Württemberger) formed on 18th March 1706, garrisoned at Strasbourg
132nd  Lower Alsatian Infantry Regiment formed on 24th March 1881, garrisoned at Strasbourg
82nd Infantry Brigade	Transferred to the 115th Infantry Division on 2nd April 1915 as the 229th Infantry Brigade.
171st Upper Alsatian Infantry Regiment. Formed on 31st March 1897, garrisoned at Colmar	Transferred to the 115th Infantry Division in April 1915
172nd Upper Alsatian Infantry Regiment. Formed on 31st March 1897, garrisoned at Neubreisach
14th Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Jäger-Bataillon
14th Dragoon Regiment

Also included 39th Field Artillery Brigade, comprising the 66th and 80th Field Artillery Regiments.  The 2nd and 3rd Companies of the 15th Pioneer Battalion

On mobalisation the 39th Division was part of the 7th Army and crossed over into France, its first major engagement came at the battle of Albreschwiller on 20th August 1914.

In September it fought in Champagne, and in October it saw action with the 6th Army in Flanders.

In April 1915 the 171st Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 115th Division, a new formation.

The 39th Division remained in the line at Ypres until February 1916, when it was fed in stages to the battle of Verdun, where it suffered massive casualties.  At Verdun the Division lost 69% of its infantry strength.

In October 1916 the Division moved to the Somme, where it defended the line against a French offensive, before once again returning to Verdun.  

In January 1917, after a period of reconstruction the Division defended the Argonne, before moving to the Champagne area. It saw action in Artois and Flanders until the end of the year.

In February 1918 this resilient division saw action at La Bassee, and in March it saw action in Picardy.  By April it took part in the battle of the lys.

In August 1918 it saw action at the battle of Arras, and Cambrai, and by November it was in the line at Ypres.  It was there when the war ended.