1st Infantry Division (Russian Empire)

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1st Infantry Division
1-я пехотная дивизия
Active1811 – 1918
Country Russian Empire
BranchRussian Empire Russian Imperial Army
RoleInfantry
Sizeapprox. 20,000[1]
Garrison/HQSmolensk
Engagements

The 1st Infantry Division (Russian: 1-я пехотная дивизия, 1-ya Pekhotnaya Diviziya) was an infantry formation of the Russian Imperial Army that existed in various formations from 1811 until the end of World War I and the Russian Revolution. From at least 1903 to the end of its existence the division was based in Smolensk.[2]

History[]

It was initially formed in 1811 as the 25th Infantry Division, and renumbered as the 1st in 1820.[3]: 118  The division took part in the Russo-Japanese War and was located in Manchuria during that time. In August 1914 it was part of the 2nd Army of the Northwestern Front. It was completely destroyed during the Russian invasion of East Prussia by September of that year and was reformed in December 1914. In 1915–17 it was assigned to the 12th Army, 5th Army, and later the 1st Army. It was demobilized around the time of the Russian Revolution and the subsequent unrest.[2][4][5]

Organization[]

Russian infantry divisions consisted of a staff, two infantry brigades, and one artillery brigade.[1] It was part of the 13th Army Corps as of 1914.[2][6]

Known commanders[]

Name From To
1 Lieutenant General Nikolai Bardovsky 1883 1887
2 Lieutenant General 24.08.1892 9.01.1900
3 Lieutenant General 1900 1904
4 Lieutenant General 6.12.1904 26.10.1905
5 General of Infantry Dmitry Zuyev 21.06.1907 16.06.1910
6 Lieutenant General 2.07.1910 after 1.03.1916
7 Major General 5.03.1916 after 3.01.1917
8 Major General Silvestras Žukauskas 18.05.1917 ?

Known chiefs of staff[]

Name From To
1 Colonel 17.01.1878 27.05.1879
2 Colonel 10.05.1892 4.02.1898
3 Colonel Baron Alexander von Taube 25.10.1901 4.10.1904
4 Colonel 2.08.1910 19.06.1912
5 Colonel 1913 1.07.1914

References[]

  1. ^ a b Handbook of the Russian Army, 1914. London: Imperial War Museum (originally British General Staff). 1996. p. 263. ISBN 978-1870423670.
  2. ^ a b c "1-я пехотная дивизия". Regiment.ru (in Russian). 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  3. ^ Garkusha, Irina, ed. (2006). Российский государственный военно-исторический архив. Путеводитель [Russian State Military Archive Guidebook] (in Russian). Vol. 2. Moscow: ROSSPEN. ISBN 978-5-8243-0895-2. Archived from the original on 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
  4. ^ Russian State Military History Archive. Tome 2 Archived 2014-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  5. ^ Russian Army, 4 June 1916
  6. ^ Conrad, Mark (2001). "THE RUSSIAN ARMY, 1914". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
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