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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.

Saturday, 9 May 2015

1st Army (19th July 1916 - 8th November 1918)


The First Army was reformed from the 2nd Army units north of the Somme river.

The new army consisted of the following units:

Group Aisne (Guard Corps)

1st Guards Division
2nd Guards Division

Group Brimont (X Reserve Corps)

2nd Guards Reserve Division
19th Reserve Division

Group Reims (VII Reserve Corps)

13th Reserve Infantry Division
14th Reserve Infantry Division

Group Prosnes (III Army Corps)

5th Infantry Division
6th Infantry Division

The 1st Army was reformed on 19th July 1916 from units of the 2nd Army, the origional 1st Army was disbanded on 17th September 1915.  It took on the right wing of the 2nd Army and the 2nd Army commander General Fritz von Below.

By October 1918 the Army had an order of battle of:

VI Reserve Corps

Guards Cavalry Division

VII Reserve Corps

1st Infantry Division
17th Infantry Division
50th Reserve Division
8th Bavarian Reserve Division

XXIV Corps

7th Infantry Division
51st Reserve Division

War Service

The 1st Army was formed for the second time as a consequence of the British Army offensive on the Somme.  By 19th July 1916 the Army had been re-organised and all units north of the Somme became the new 1st Army.

The 1st Army remained on the Somme and withdrew as part of the retraction of the German line between 9th February 1917 and the 15th March 1917.

The 1st Army was inserted between the 3rd and 7th Armies on the Aisne front in April 1917, as part of Army Group Crown Prince.

It consisted of four corps:

Group Aisne (Guards Corps)
Group Brimont (X Reserve Corps)
Group Reims (VII Reserve Corps)
Group Prosnes (III Corps)

It took part in the Kaisers Battle in May 1918, and the retreat that followed.

It was still on French soil at the end of November 1918.


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