Questions on WWI

Some questions of WWI

How big was a division in WW1?

How big were the other Balkan armies on the eve of the war?
 
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Caspian

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How big was a division in WW1?

Depends on the type of division, the country, and the time of the conflict.

For instance, British infantry divisions to start the war were nine-battalion formations, and this was reduced to six battalions as the war progressed. American infantry divisions were twelve-battalion formations.
 
Some questions of WWI

How big was a division in WW1?

Is by far and away the easiest question to answer

While there are variation from army to army in the run up to World War One most major armies had settled on a pretty similar model.

The so called square division (as opposed to the triangular arrangement that became popular later) had four regiments (British Brigades) of infantry often organised as two brigades (No equivalent headquarters in the British Army). Artillery varied but typically among the major power there would be 72 tubes normally orgainsed in four battalions (British Brigades because we have to be different) under a centralised command. A lot of armies such as the Russians had somewhat less artillery attached to each division but typically this resulted in smaller batteries so expect the same number of artillery battalions.

Depending on the army a cavalry regiment (3-4 squadrons) would be attached to each infantry division for reconnaissance and flank security duties. Most armies expected their cavalry to fight dismounted though naturally many cavalry units retained sabres and maybe lances just in case they got lucky.

Add in trains (supply columns) and a typical division had about fifteen thousand men and five to six thousand horses.

Cavalry divisions had four cavalry regiments typically plus horse artillery though this was much less numerous and lighter than that attached to the infantry divisions and numbered around five to six thousand men and a similar number of horses.
 
Can you explain the triangular arrangement for me as well

Later in the war as casualties mounted in the infantry a common solution was to reduce the infantry component to three regiments (British Empire brigades) while keeping the same or adding more artillery. I think most armies kept a cavalry regiment around on a theoretical basis but they mostly just ate hay.

Essentially divisions tended to have the same overall manpower and attached horses but a smaller infantry component as the men in the artillery died less quickly and it was their firepower that was decisive in battle. The infantry also had more machine guns later in the war so a smaller number of troops could cover the same frontage effectively.
 
us_infantry.jpg


Now that's official Triangular ID TO&E

US Divisions were rarely that.

Wasn't uncommon for an Infantry Division to have as many Tanks and TDs attached to have more armor than a Panzer Division, and that's not even counting examples like the 83rd ID, nicknamed 'Ragtag Circus' as they pressed every bit of German transport that was running, into service after a liberal coating of OD painti and big, White Stars all over

Everything from Firetrucks to Panther Tanks

Back to WWI.

The US actually not too far off the above chart, but Four Infantry Regiments, with three Artillery Regiments and three Machine Gun Battalions and Mortar Battery, but no Medical Battalion, and more Quartermaster/Supply Battalions
 
How big were the other Balkan armies on the eve of the war?

Serbia: 250,000 men (operational army: 11 infantry and 1 cavalry division; plus 15 Third Levy infantry regiments)

Montenegro: 35,000 men (4 detachments)

Romania: 580,000 men (operational army: 23 infantry divisions, 2 cavalry divisions)

I saw a very detailed source for the Greek army in its 1914 reorganization somewhere on the internet, but now I can't find it.
 
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