4th Royal Bavarian Division
| 4th Royal Bavarian Division (4. Königlich Bayerische Division); from August 2, 1914, 4th Bavarian Infantry Division (4. Bayerische Infanterie-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1815–1919 |
| Country | Bavaria, German Empire |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry (in peacetime included cavalry) |
| Size | Approximately 19,500 (on mobilisation in 1914) |
| Part of |
II Royal Bavarian Corps (II. Kgl. Bayer. Armeekorps) |
| Garrison/HQ | Würzburg |
| Engagements | |
Austro-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War:
The 4th Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as an Infantry Division of the Würzburg General Command (Infanterie-Division des Generalkommandos Würzburg). It was called the 4th Army Division between 1822 and 1848, again between 1851 and 1859, and again from 1869 to 1872. It was called the 4th Infantry Division from 1848 to 1851 (as well as during wartime) and was named the Würzburg General Command from 1859 to 1869. From April 1, 1872 until mobilization for World War I, it was the 4th Division. In Bavarian sources, it was not generally referred to as a "Royal Bavarian" division, as this was considered self-evident, but outside Bavaria, this designation was used for it, and other Bavarian units, to distinguish them from similarly numbered Prussian units. The division was headquartered in Würzburg. The division was part of the II Royal Bavarian Army Corps.
The division fought against Prussia and its allies in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, seeing action at Roßdorf and Roßbrunn. In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, the division fought alongside the Prussians. It saw action in battles of Weissenburg, Wörth and Sedan, and in the Siege of Paris.
During World War I, the division served on the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of the Frontiers against French forces in the early stages, and then participated in the Race to the Sea, fighting along the Somme and in Flanders, including the First Battle of Ypres. It remained in the trenchlines in Flanders and the Artois, and fought in the Second Battle of Artois and the Battle of Loos in 1915. In 1916, the division fought in the Battle of the Somme. In 1917, the division fought in Flanders, including in the Battle of Messines and the Battle of Passchendaele. For most of 1918, the division remained in Flanders, fighting at Armentières, Kemmel, Hébuterne, and Monchy-Bapaume. Late in the year, the division went to the Champagne region, where it faced the Allied Meuse-Argonne Offensive. After more fighting along the Aisne and the Aire, the division was withdrawn from the line, and spent the last week of the war on border defense in southern Bavaria and Tyrol. Allied intelligence rated the division as first class and of the highest quality.
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