The previous article left off by summing the all up peace time active strength of the Imperial German infantry. That total was 217 infantry regiments, 18 Jäger battalions and 11 machine gun detachments. Newly formed at mobilisation were:

 1 active infantry regiment - the Infanterie-Lehr-Bataillon (infantry instruction battalion) was increased to regimental strength as the Lehr-Infanterie-Regiment by combining the original Infanterie-Lehr-Bataillion, the Stamm Bataillon/Infanterie-Schießschule and elements from the Unteroffizierschule Potsdam, Gewehr-Prüfungskommission (weapons testing commission) and foot guards reservists. It was placed under command of the 3.Garde-Infanterie-Division.

113 reserve infantry regiments with 332 battalions:

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment (R.I.R.) Their establishment corresponded essentially with that of active infantry regiments but not all had initially a machine gun company. All had the standard three battalions with the following exceptions:

R.I.R. Nr.99, 130 and bayerische R.I.R. Nr.4 had four battalions.

R.I.R. Nr.17, 23, 30, 51, 55, 57, 69, 70, 94 and bayerische R.I.R. Nr.11 had 2 battalions.
 

About a third of the regiments had been formed through the participation of the active infantry regiment of the same number. The remainder were formed through district commands and regiments of other numbers. With one exception (R.I.R. Nr. 87), R.I.R. were commanded by an active Oberst or Oberstleutnant. Similarly, the battalions were also commanded initially by active officers. Every battalion received in addition to the commander, 4 – 6 active officers, 3 –4 active non-commissioned officers per company (Feldwebel, etc.) and some privates for special tasks (clerks etc.)

Of the initial 113 R.I.R., 2 were Prussian guard, 14 were Bavarian, 8 Saxon and 3 from Württemberg.
 

G.R.I.R.	Division	R.I.R.	Division	R.I.R.	Division	R.I.R.	Division	b.R.I.R.	Division
1.	1.G.Res.	R.I.R. Nr.1	1.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.51	12.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.101(s)	23.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.1	1.b.Res.Div.
2.	1.G.Res.	R.I.R. Nr.2	3.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.52	5.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.102(s)	23.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.2	1.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.3	1.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.53	14.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.103(s)	23.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.3	1.b.Res.Div.
						R.I.R. Nr.104(s)	24.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.4	3.b.Res.I.Brig.
		R.I.R. Nr.5	36.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.55	2.G.Res.Div.			b.R.I.R. Nr.5	4.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.6	9.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.56	13.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.106(s)	24.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.6	5.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.7	9.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.57	13.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.107(s)	24.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.7	5.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.8	5.Res.Div.					b.R.I.R. Nr.8	4.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.9	3.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.59	1.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.109	28.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.10	11.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.60	30.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.110	28.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.10	5.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.11	11.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.61	36.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.111	28.Res.Div.	b.R.I.R. Nr.11	Breuschstellung
		R.I.R. Nr.12	5.Res.Div.					b.R.I.R. Nr.12	1.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.13	13.Res.Div.					b.R.I.R. Nr.13	5.b.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.64	1.G.Res.Div.			b.R.I.R. Nr.14	Breuschstellung
		R.I.R. Nr.15	2.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.65	16.Res.Div.			b.R.I.R. Nr.15	3.b.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.16	14.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.66	7.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.116	25.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.17	15.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.67	33.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.18	1.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.68	16.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.118	25.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.19	9.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.69	15.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.119(w)	26.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.20	6.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.70		R.I.R. Nr.120(w)	26.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.21	36.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.71	2.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.121(w)	26.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.22	12.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.72	7.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.23	12.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.73	19.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.24	6.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.74	19.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.25	15.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.75	17.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.26	6.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.76	17.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.27	7.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.77	2.G.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.28	16.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.78	19.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.29	16.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.79	19.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.30	15.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.80	21.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.31	18.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.81	21.Res.Div.	R.I.R.130	33. Res. Div
		R.I.R. Nr.32	22.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.82	22.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.83	25.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.34	3.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.84	18.Res.Div.	R.I.R.133	24. Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.35	6.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.36	7.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.86	18.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.37	10.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.87	21.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.38	12.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.88	21.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.39	13.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.40	28.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.90	18.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.91	2.G.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.92	19.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.93	1.G.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.94	22.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.46	10.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.48	5.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.98	33.Res.Div.
		R.I.R. Nr.49	3.Res.Div.	R.I.R. Nr.99	30.Res.Div.
				R.I.R. Nr.100(s)	23.Res.Div.
2		97						14

 
 

Of the 96 battalions, 10 were Bavarian, 7 Saxon and 7 from the state of Württemberg. They were composed of three battalions with the following exceptions:

L.I.R. Nr.76:     5 battalions.

L.I.R. Nr. 4, 15,18, 39, 75, 87, 99, s101, 110 , w119, w121, b1, b2, b3:    4 battalions.

L.I.R. Nr. 1, 3, 8, 17, 47, 60, 61, 72, 82, b8:    2 battalions.

Initially the following battalions were immobile and used as fortress troops:

L.I.R. Nr. 1, 3, 8, 10, 21, 24, 38, 39, 47, 48, 61, 72, 85, 87, s101, w119, w120, w121, w122, w123, s133
 
 

Landwehr-Infanterie-Regimenter			b.L.I.R.
L.I.R. Nr.1	L.I.R. Nr.51	L.I.R. Nr.101(s)	L.I.R. Nr.1
L.I.R. Nr.2	L.I.R. Nr.52	L.I.R. Nr.102(s)	L.I.R. Nr.2
L.I.R. Nr.3	L.I.R. Nr.53		L.I.R. Nr.3
L.I.R. Nr.4		L.I.R. Nr.104(s)	L.I.R. Nr.4
L.I.R. Nr.5	L.I.R. Nr.55		L.I.R. Nr.5
L.I.R. Nr.6		L.I.R. Nr.106(s)	L.I.R. Nr.6
L.I.R. Nr.7		L.I.R. Nr.107(s)	L.I.R. Nr.7
L.I.R. Nr.8			L.I.R. Nr.8
L.I.R. Nr.9		L.I.R. Nr.109
L.I.R. Nr.10	L.I.R. Nr.60	L.I.R. Nr.110	L.I.R. Nr.10
L.I.R. Nr.11	L.I.R. Nr.61
L.I.R. Nr.12			L.I.R. Nr.12
L.I.R. Nr.13
L.I.R. Nr.15	L.I.R. Nr.65
L.I.R. Nr.16	L.I.R. Nr.66	L.I.R. Nr.116
L.I.R. Nr.17
L.I.R. Nr.18	L.I.R. Nr.68	L.I.R. Nr.118
L.I.R. Nr.19		L.I.R. Nr.119(w)
L.I.R. Nr.20		L.I.R. Nr.120(w)
L.I.R. Nr.21	L.I.R. Nr.71	L.I.R. Nr.121(w)
L.I.R. Nr.22	L.I.R. Nr.72	L.I.R. Nr.122(w)
L.I.R. Nr.23	L.I.R. Nr.73	L.I.R. Nr.123(w)
L.I.R. Nr.24	L.I.R. Nr.74	L.I.R. Nr.124(w)
L.I.R. Nr.25	L.I.R. Nr.75	L.I.R. Nr.125(w)
L.I.R. Nr.26	L.I.R. Nr.76
L.I.R. Nr.27	L.I.R. Nr.77
L.I.R. Nr.28	L.I.R. Nr.78
L.I.R. Nr.29
L.I.R. Nr.30	L.I.R. Nr.80
L.I.R. Nr.31	L.I.R. Nr.81
L.I.R. Nr.32	L.I.R. Nr.82
L.I.R. Nr.33	L.I.R. Nr.83	L.I.R. Nr.133(s)
L.I.R. Nr.34	L.I.R. Nr.84
L.I.R. Nr.35	L.I.R. Nr.85
L.I.R. Nr.36
L.I.R. Nr.37	L.I.R. Nr.87
L.I.R. Nr.38
L.I.R. Nr.39
L.I.R. Nr.40
L.I.R. Nr.46
L.I.R. Nr.47
L.I.R. Nr.48
L.I.R. Nr.49	L.I.R. Nr.99
	L.I.R. Nr.100
86			10

86 Brigade replacement battalions – Brigade-Ersatz-Batln. The 86 Brigade replacement battalions were formed in such a manner, that 2 companies from each of the replacement battalions of the two active regiments in a brigade were joined together in one ersatz battalion.

For example:

6 Garde-Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon: 2 coys Garde-Füsilier-Regt. and 2 coys Lehr-Infanterie-Regt.

Brig.Ersatz-Batl. 83: 2 coys each from regts 94 and 96.

Some brigade replacement battalions had 6 coys as the peacetime infantry brigade had contained 3 regiments. For example:

Brig.Ersatz-Batl. 89: 2 coys each from regts 105, 133, 134.

Brig.Ersatz-Batl. 49: 2 coys each from regts115, 116, 168.

A proportion of these replacement battalions had machine-gun platoons from which a total of 43 machine-gun replacement platoons were formed (M.G.-Ersatz-Züge).

The following battalions were formed:

Garde-Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillone:

Nr.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillone:

Nr. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21,** 22**, 23**, 24**, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57,58, 63, 64, 76, 77*, 78**, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 86, 88 & 89

* Disbanded 25 Sep 1914

** Disbanded 14 Sep 1914
 

Bayerische Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillone:

Nr.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12
 

Already by the end of August 1914, many of these battalions were incorporated in newly formed Ersatz-Divisions.

18 Reserve Jäger battalions – Reserve-Jäger-Batln were formed at mobilisation which mirrored the active organisation exactly i.e.

Garde-Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon

Garde-Reserve-Schützen-Bataillon

Reserve-Jäger-Bataillone Nr. 1 -14 (12 & 13 Saxon)

Bayerische Reserve-Jäger-Bataillone 1 & 2

This gave an all up mobilisation total of 427 regiments, 86 Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillione and 36 Jäger-Bataillone.

Most active German infantry regiments went to war under command of their normal peacetime brigade and division. There were, however in a few cases, three infantry regiments in a brigade. The surplus third regiments were soonremoved from the parent brigade and attached to a newly formed division for example:

Inf.-Regt. Von der Goltz (7.Pomm.) Nr.5436.Res.Inf.Div.

5.Großherzogl.Hess. Inf.-Regt. Nr.16825.Res.Inf.Div.
 

This article concludes at this point. Almost immediately after the initial mobilisation further expansion was implemented including units such as Reserve-Brigade-Ersatzbataillone, Landwehr-Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillone, Mobile Ersatz-Bataillone etc. These will be considered in a future article dealing with the remainder of 1914.
 
 

• Formationsgeschicte der deutschen Infanterie im ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918), Hartwig Busche, Verlag: Institut für Preußische Historiographie, Owschlag 1998.
• Deutsche Infanterie "Das Ehrenmal der Vorderstenfront". Edited by v. Eisenbart Rothe, Tschischwitz and Beckmann. Published by Verlag Berhard Sporn, Zeulenroda in Thüringen 1933.