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48. Reserve-Division 1914–1918

The 48th Reserve Division was assembled between August and October 1914 and, together with the 47th Reserve Division, formed the 24th Reserve Corps.

Western Front 1914

The division was concentrated near Metz in mid October 1914 and then transferred to Artois. Soon after the fighting near Ypres it was transferred to the Eastern Front in late November.

Eastern Front 1914–1917

It became part of the Xth Army in Poland in December 1914 and was in action near the Rawka until it was sent to Galicia and assigned to von Linsingen's army in late January 1915. The division crossed the Dniester in late June, fought at Tarnopol in September and took part in the German autumn offensive. It remained near the Stripa from September 1915 and was still there when Brussilov launched his offensive against the Central Powers in June 1916.

In autumn 1916, the division was sent to Romania and was engaged near Kalush until the end of March 1917. After six weeks in reserve, the division was transferred to the Western Front in May 1917.

Western Front 1917–1918

After a period of rest, the 48th Reserve Division was deployed in Verdun, providing some men as reinforcements and relief on Hill 304 and Morthomme when the French attacked in mid July and again in August. The division remained in the Verdun area until it was transferred slightly to the south at the end of 1917. After a spell in Upper Elsace, the division was withdrawn for a period of rest and kept in reserve until it was involved in fighting near Armentières in mid April 1918.

In August and September the 48th Reserve Division was involved in fighting in the Arras and Bapaume sectors until it was moved south to reinforce the front near Cambrai in early October. It was then involved in fighting withdrawals against British forces until the armistice.

The 48th Reserve Division was rated as second class by allied intelligence at the end of the war.

Composition

48th Reserve Division was formed in Oberhofen with a reserve Jäger battalion (mainly Westphalian), two infantry brigades, each consisting of two reserve infantry regiments, a reserve artillery regiment and support elements. Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 224, formed of men mainly recruited in Thuringia, was transferred to 215. Infanterie-Division while it was being reorganised in early 1917. After this, the division consisted of elements that were largely of Hessian origin.

Infantry

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 221 was raised in Darmstadt (regimental staff and 1st battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 115), Worms (2nd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 118) and Offenbach (3rd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 168).

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 222 was raised in Gießen (regimental staff and 1st battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 116) and Mainz (2nd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 88, 3rd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 117).

Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 20 was raised by Westphalian Jäger-Bataillon Nr.7, based in Bückeburg in the VII. Korps district.

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 223 was raised in Frankfurt am Main (regimental staff and 1st battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 81), Wiesbaden (2nd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 80) and Mainz( 3rd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 87).

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 224 was raised in Erfurt (regimental staff and 1st battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 71, 2nd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 96) and Weimar (3rd battalion from the replacement battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 94).

Artillery

Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 48 was raised in August and mobilised in September 1914 with a staff and three detachments, each with a light ammunition column (later to become leichte Munitions-Kolonne 578 and subsequently 1057, 588 and subsequently 1066, and 589 and subsequently 1067, respectively) by Stellvertretendes General-Kommando X. Korps. The I. and II. Abteilung were raised by the replacement detachments of Field Artillery Regiments 10, 46 and 62, the III. Abteilung was raised by the replacement detachment of Field Artillery Regiment 58.

At the beginning of February 1917, light ammunition columns 587, 588 and 589 left the regiment to become part of Staffelstab 318 as army-level troops. Further light ammunition columns were assigned to the regiment in February 1918: leichte Munitions-Kolonne Nr. 752 (I. Abteilung), 954 (II. Abteilung) and 358 (subsequently 1382) (III. Abteilung). Replacements were supplied by Ersatz-Feldartillerie-Regiment Altengrabow.

Pionier and support units

The engineer elements were organised under a battalion staff in 1917 and a searchlight section was added in 1918. Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 248 was raised in 1915. The signals command was establised in early 1918. Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 48 was the divisional reconnaissance element until early 1917, when it was replaced by 5. Eskadron 1. Garde-Dragoner-Regiment. 48th Reserve Division also had an ambulance company from an early date and later 1 and then 2 two field hospitals attached to it in 1917 and 1918, respectively.

Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 6 January 1915

95. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 221	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 222	Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 20
96. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 223	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 224
Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 48
Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 48	Reserve-Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 24	Reserve-Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 25
Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie 48

Kriegsgliederung/order of battle 31 March 1918

96. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade
Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 221	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 222	Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 223
5. Eskadron 1. Garde-Dragoner-Regiment
Artillerie-Kommandeur 48
Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 48	I. Bataillon Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 23
Stab Pionier-Bataillon 348
Reserve-Pionier-Kompagnie 48	1. Reserve-Kompagnie Pionier-Bataillon 26	Minenwerfer-Kompagnie 248
Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 448

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