The 39th is rated as a second-class division. With the exception of a statement in the German communique of October 2, that the 132d Regiment had displayed “unusual fighting ability” in the operations north of Menin, there is nothing to show that the division had distinguished itself in any way in the fighting during 1918.
39th Bavarian Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
| 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | |
| Infantry. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. | 1 Bav. Ers. |
| 3 Bav. Ers. | 3 Bav. Ers. | 2 Bav. Ers. | 2 Bav. Ers. | |||||
| 81 Ldw. | 9 Bav. Ers. | 5 Bav. Ers. | 5 Bav. Ers. | 5 Bav. Ers. | ||||
| 52 Ldw. | 80 Ldw. | 15 Bav. Ldw. | ||||||
| 29 Ers. | ||||||||
| 8 Jag. Btn. | ||||||||
| Cavalry. | 1 Sqn. 2 Chev. Rgt. | 1 Sqn. 2 Chev. Rgt. | 1 Sqn. 2 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. | |||||
| Artillery. | 1 Ers. Abt. 51 Rgt. | 10 Bav. Res. Rgt. | Artillery Command: | 11 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. | ||||
| 5 Mountain Gun Abt. | 10 Bav. Res. Rgt. | 111 Bav. Light Am. Col. | ||||||
| 112 Bav. Light Am. Col. | ||||||||
| 165 Bav. Light Am. Col. | ||||||||
| Engineers and Liaisons. | 2 Ers. Co. 1 Pion. | 23 Bav. Pion. Btn.: | 23 Bav. Pion. Btn.: | |||||
| 410 T. M. Co. | 20 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. | 20 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. | ||||||
| 21 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. | 21 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. | |||||||
| 410 T. M. Co. | 23 Bav. Searchlight Section. | |||||||
| 9 Bav. Searchlight Section. | 9 Bav. Searchlight Section. | |||||||
| 430 Bav. Tel. Detch. | 439 Bav. Signal Command: | |||||||
| 439 Bav. Tel. Detch. | ||||||||
| 105 Bav. Wireless Detch. | ||||||||
| Medical and Veterinary. | 524 Ambulance Co. | 20 Bav. Ambulance Co. | ||||||
| 2 Bav. Field Hospital. | 2 Bav. Field Hospital. | |||||||
| 24 Bav. Vet. Hospital. | 51 Bav. Field Hospital. | |||||||
| 227 Vet. Hospital. | ||||||||
| Transports. | 40, 41, and 49 Bav. Light Mun. Cols. | |||||||
| Attached. | 1 Ldst. Btn. Duren. | 8 Jag. Btn. (2d Cyc. Co.). | 1 Ldst. Btn. | |||||
| 8th Corps No. 18. | 1 Ldst. Btn. Rosenheim (1 Bav. Corps No. 4). | Ldst. Btn. Mosbach I (14 Corps No. 1). | ||||||
| Ldst. Btn. Landshut (1 Bav. Corps No. 7). | Ldst. Btn. Passau II (1 Bav. Corps No. 6). | |||||||
| Ldst. Btn. Esslingen (13 Corps No. 18). | ||||||||
| Ldst. Btn. Passau 2 (1 Bav. Corps No. 6). | ||||||||
HISTORY.
(Bavaria.)
1915.
Alsace.
1. The 39th Bavarian Reserve Division was formed in February, 1915, on the Alsace front in the vicinity of Ste. Marie aux Mines. (See 30th Bavarian Reserve Division.)
It then comprised the 52d Landwehr Brigade, consisting of the 80th Landwehr Regiment and 29th Ersatz Regiment (since become the 61st), and the 1st Bavarian Ersatz Brigade (81st Landwehr Regiment, 3d and 1st Bavarian Ersatz Regiments). After October, 1915, we find them officially designated “Bavarian.”