87th Infantry Division (German Empire)
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| 87th Infantry Division (87. Infanterie-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1914-1919 |
| Country | German Empire |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Approx. 12,500 |
| Engagements | World War I: Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive, Second Battle of the Marne |
The 87th Infantry Division (87. Infanterie-Division) was a formation of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in February 1915 as the provisional Dickhuth Corps (Korps Dickhuth), named after its commander, and became the 87th Infantry Division in August 1915.[1] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 87th Infantry Division initially served on the Eastern Front, fighting on the Polish frontier and in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive. It fought in the battle of Lake Njemen and the battle of Vilnius in September 1915. From October 1915 to September 1917, the division occupied the line between Lake Narač and Lake Drūkšiai. In November/December 1917, it occupied the line near Daugavpils. After the armistice on the Eastern Front, the division remained stationary on the armistice line until February and March 1918, when it was involved in fighting in the Baltic region. At the end of March 1918, the division was transferred to the Western Front, where it entered the line in the Champagne region. It later fought against the Allied counterattacks in the Second Battle of the Marne. The division remained on various parts of the front until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as fourth class.[1][2]
Order of battle on formation
On 11 November 1914, Korps Dickhuth (Thorn) consisted of[3]
- 99. Reserve Infantry Brigade des XXV Reserve Korps[4]
- 21 Landwehr Brigade[5]
- Brigade Westernhagen (Landwehr and Landsturm)
- Total 20 Btle, 7 Esk, 12 Bttrn
On 8 February 1915, Korps Dickhuth (Thorn) as organized as follows:[6]
- 75th Infantry Brigade
- Infantry Regiment 146
- Infantry Regiment 150
- II Abteilung/Field Artillery Regiment 82
- Brigade Griepenkerl
- Detachment Plantier[9]
- Field Battalions Reiser & Schwartz
- II Battalion/Landwehr Infantry Regiment 38
- cavalry foot detachment from the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Cavalry Division
- Landsturm Squadron Posen
- 2nd Battery/Field Artillery Regiment 82
- Two Horse Batteries from the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Cavalry Division
- ½ Landwehr Foot Artillery Battalion Posen II (Heavy Field Howitzers)
- 8th Battery/Foot Artillery Regiment 11 (15-Cm Cannon)
- 2nd Ersatz Battery/Foot Artillery Regiment 28 (15-Cm Cannon)
- Vistula Flotilla (2 Armored Steamers, 22 Motorboats, 3 Tenders)
The 87th Infantry Division was formed as a square division. The order of battle of the division on 20 August 1915 was as follows:[10]
- 173. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 345
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 346
- 179. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 347
- Landsturm-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 8
- Kavallerie-Regiment Nr. 87
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 87
- 4. Kompanie/Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 26
- 2. Garde-Landwehr-Pionier-Kompanie
