39th Bavarian Reserve Division (German Empire)

The 39th Royal Bavarian Reserve Division (39. Kgl. Bayerische Reserve-Division) was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial German Army in World War I. It was raised to division status on October 2, 1914 from an ad hoc unit, "Brigade von Rekowski", and named "Division von Rekowski" ("Rekowski's Division"). On December 8, 1914 it was renamed the 39th Reserve Division. It was heavily made up of Bavarian units and on December 26, 1916 it was again renamed the 39th Royal Bavarian Reserve Division. It spent the war in positional warfare in the Alsace-Lorraine region. It was dissolved in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after the Armistice.

Order of Battle on November 20, 1914 (Division von Rekowski):

  • 1. bayerische Ersatz-Brigade:
    • Kgl. Bayerisches Ersatz-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 1
    • Kgl. Bayerisches Ersatz-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 3
  • 9. bayerische Ersatz-Infanterie-Brigade:
    • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 80
    • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 81
  • 3.Eskadron/Reserve-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 9
  • Kgl. Bayerische Feldartillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung Nr. 10
  • 2.Batterie/Kgl. Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung Nr. 4
  • 1.Batterie/Kgl. Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung Nr. 8
  • 2.Ersatz-Kompanie/Kgl. Bayerisches 1. Pionier-Bataillon
  • 1.Ersatz-Kompanie/Kgl. Bayerisches 3. Pionier-Bataillon

Order of Battle on February 20, 1918:

  • Kgl. Bayerische 1. Ersatz-Brigade:
    • Kgl. Bayerisches 1. Ersatz-Regiment
    • Kgl. Bayerisches 2. Ersatz-Regiment
    • Kgl. Bayerisches 3. Ersatz-Regiment
  • 1.Eskadron/Kgl. Bayerisches 2. Chevaulegers-Regiment
  • Kgl. Bayerischer Artillerie-Kommandeur 21:
    • Kgl. Bayerisches 10. Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment
  • Stab Kgl. Bayerisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 23:
    • Kgl. Bayerische 21. Reserve-Pionier-Kompanie
    • Kgl. Bayerische 239. Minenwerfer-Kompanie
    • Kgl. Bayerischer 439. Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur

Famous quotes containing the words reserve and/or division:

    We must reserve a back shop all our own, entirely free, in which to establish our real liberty and our principal retreat and solitude.
    Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)

    Affection, indulgence, and humor alike are powerless against the instinct of children to rebel. It is essential to their minds and their wills as exercise is to their bodies. If they have no reasons, they will invent them, like nations bound on war. It is hard to imagine families limp enough always to be at peace. Wherever there is character there will be conflict. The best that children and parents can hope for is that the wounds of their conflict may not be too deep or too lasting.
    —New York State Division of Youth Newsletter (20th century)