The 1st Cavalry Division (1. Kavallerie-Division) was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
Initially, it was the sole cavalry division on the Eastern Front, where it was assigned to the 8th Army. It remained in the East throughout the war. From 6 January 1915 to 22 August 1917, the division was involved in coastal defence duties in northern Courland. It was transferred to the Ukraine in March 1918, where it remained until 29 January 1919. From 16 January 1918, it contained just one brigade of 3 regiments.
A more detailed combat chronicle can be found at the German-language version of this article.
On formation, in August 1914, the component units of the division were:
1st Cavalry Brigade (from I Corps District)3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons "Prince Albrecht of Prussia"2nd Cavalry Brigade (from I Corps District)12th (Lithuanian) Uhlans9th Jäger zu Pferde41st Cavalry Brigade (from XX Corps District)5th (West Prussian) Cuirassiers "Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg"4th (1st Pomeranian) Uhlans "von Schmidt"Horse Artillery Abteilung of the 1st (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery "Prince August of Prussia" Regiment5th Machine Gun DetachmentPioneer DetachmentSignals DetachmentHeavy Wireless Station 17Light Wireless Station 7Light Wireless Station 14Cavalry Motorised Vehicle Column 1See: Table of Organisation and Equipment
In the course of the War, the Division saw a number of changes to its assigned Brigades.
1st Cavalry Brigade became independent on 3 October 1916.41st Cavalry Brigade was transferred to 7th Cavalry Division on 17 October 1916.8th Cavalry Brigade joined from 2nd Cavalry Division on 25 July 1916 before moving on to the 6th Cavalry Division on 18 October 1916.18th Cavalry Brigade joined from 4th Cavalry Division on 12 December 1916 before moving on to XXXXI Reserve Corps on 15 January 1918.23rd Cavalry Brigade joined from 8th Cavalry Division on 1 February 1917 before becoming independent on 22 October 1917.Allied Intelligence did not rate the Division's fighting value. Its late war organisation was:
2nd Cavalry Brigade3rd (East Prussian) Cuirassiers "Count Wrangel"1st (Lithuanian) Dragoons "Prince Albrecht of Prussia"12th (Lithuanian) UhlansHorse Artillery Abteilung of the 1st (Prince August of Prussia) (1st Lithuanian) Field Artillery RegimentHorse Artillery Abteilung of the 35th (1st West Prussian) Field Artillery Regiment1st Pioneer Detachment347th Searchlight Section70th Ambulance Company66th Vet. Hospital142nd Vet. Hospital152nd Cyclist Company153rd Cyclist Company159th Cyclist Company
