Armee-Abteilung C

Armee-Abteilung Strantz
Armee-Abteilung C
Army Detachment C
Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
Active18 September 1914 – post 11 November 1918
Country German Empire
TypeArmy
EngagementsWorld War I

Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C (Army Detachment C) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence.

History

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Armee-Abteilung C was formed on 18 September 1914 from the left (southern) wing of the 5th Army as Armee-Abteilung Strantz, named for the commander of V Corps. Strantz remained as commander of V Corps but was deputised in this post by a Divisional Commander. It was established on 2 February 1917 as Armee-Abteilung C. It was still in existence when the war ended,[1] serving on the Western Front as part of Heeresgruppe Gallwitz.[2]

Order of Battle on formation

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The following Orders of Battle illustrate the growth of the Armee-Abteilung during the war.

Organization of Armee-Abteilung Strantz on 15 September 1914[3]
Army Corps Division
Armee-Abteilung Strantz V Corps 9th Infantry Division
10th Infantry Division
III Bavarian Corps 5th Bavarian Division
6th Bavarian Division
Under Army command 33rd Reserve Division
Metz
Bavarian Cavalry Division

Order of Battle, 30 October 1918

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By the end of the war, the majority of the units assigned were lower quality Landwehr divisions.

Organization of Armee-Abteilung C on 30 October 1918[4]
Army Corps Division
Armee-Abteilung C XIII Corps 5th Guards Division
3rd Bavarian Division
241st Division
V Corps 13th Landwehr Division
94th Division
35th Division (Austria-Hungary)
XII Reserve Corps 5th Landwehr Division
224th Division
57th Corps (z.b.V.) 8th Landwehr Division
255th Division
Group Metz 31st Landwehr Brigade
10th Division
18th Landwehr Division
2nd Landwehr Division

Commanders

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Armee-Abteilung C had the following commanders during its existence:[5]

Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C
From Commander Previously Subsequently
18 September 1914 General der Infanterie Hermann von Strantz V Corps Active reserve status[6]
4 February 1917 General der Infanterie Max von Boehn IX Reserve Corps 7th Army
15 March 1917 Generalleutnant Georg Fuchs XIV Reserve Corps 5th Army
9 November 1918 General der Infanterie Eduard von Below V Corps Active reserve status

Glossary

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  • Armee-Abteilung or Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army.[7]
  • Armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task.
  • Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cron 2002, p. 84
  2. ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
  3. ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 176
  4. ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
  5. ^ Cron 2002, p. 400
  6. ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 10 February 2012
  7. ^ Cron 2002, p. 84

Bibliography

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  • Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.