Reichsarchiv unit abbreviations & units in Bapaume Aug. 1918

[Tony]

Hello,

Can anyone help me out with some unit abbreviations and which German units were fighting the 3rd NZRB in the area of Bapaume, Aug. 1918?

I have the medals for a Kiwi killed 26/8/18, probably during the attack on Bapaume and according to the Reichsarchiv map (attached) the NZ Division was, as far as I understand, up against the left flank of the 17th army, XIV reserve division. If this is correct, is there a way of finding out which unit or units were in the area defending the west and south west of Bapaume? RIR 76 perhaps?

I’ve also come across another map, a British one, showing XX 4 Bav. (4th Bavarian Div.?) in the Achiet le Grand area and XX 183 (183 Inf. Div.?) at Loupart Wood which I believe was taken by the Kiwis or at least the 3rd NZRB.

Any info will be much appreciated

Tony

[Jeff Noll]

Looks like the 18th Infantry Regiment and the 14th [XIV] Reserve Division. Oddly the 18th infantry regiment was not in this division.

[The Prussian]

Hello!

Latin numbers (XIV) are always corps. So we have the XIV. Res.Korps with the 18th Res.Div.

The battel was caled "The battle of Monchy-Bapaume" (21.8.-2.9.1918)

The problem is: The 18th Res.Div. was not involved in that battle...

I have checked the map of the Reichsarchiv vol.14. (the map from 9.-15.august 1918)

17.Army:

XIV.Army corps with:

183.ID west of Puisieux

16.Res.Div. west of Grandcourt

3.Marine Div. near Ovillers

233.ID north of Albert

From which volume did you take your map?

Edited December 8, 2014 by The Prussian

[Tony]

Hello!

Latin numbers (XIV) are always corps. So we have the XIV. Res.Korps with the 18th Res.Div.

The battel was caled "The battle of Monchy-Bapaume" (21.8.-2.9.1918)

The problem is: The 18th Res.Div. was not involved in that battle...

I have checked the map of the Reichsarchiv vol.14. (the map from 9.-15.august 1918)

17.Army:

XIV.Army corps with:

183.ID west of Puisieux

16.Res.Div. west of Grandcourt

3.Marine Div. near Ovillers

233.ID north of Albert

From which volume did you take your map?

Thanks for the replies.

Andy, I got the map from vol. 14, this link should take you to the maps http://digi.landesbibliothek.at/viewer/image/AC03617635/42/LOG_0042/

A British map is attached.

battle-of-bapaume.pdf

[The Prussian]

Ah, ok.But the map shows the battles until november!

The 18.Res.Div. was participated in:

5.8.-6.9. Ypern-La Bassée (6th army)

3.9.-26.9. Siegfriedfront (17th army)

8.9.-8.10. Cambrai-St.Quentin (17th army)

9.10.-23.10. Hermannstallung (17th army)

23.10.-4.11. Hermannstellung (2nd army)

5.-11.11. Antwerpen-Maas (2nd army)

So the map shows for the 18th division the time of 8.9.-8.10.

[Tony]

Ah right.

Take a look at the Brit map for the same area, it shows the 183 Div. and 4 Bavarian Div. either side of the New Zealand Division's advance. Were either of those German divisions in the area as suggested by the map?

[The Prussian]

I have an ordre of battle for the Battle of Monchy-Bapaume

The 183rd ID (only fighting troops)

33.Res.Inf.Brig.(Inf.Rgt.184 ; Inf.Rgt.418 ; Res.Rgt.440), 4./Hus.Rgt.10, Arko 183 (Feldart.Rgt.183 and Fußart.Btl.150)

4.bav.Inf.Div. (only fighting troops)

7.bav.Inf.Brig. (5.bav. and 9.bav.Inf.Rgt, bav.Res.Rgt.5), 5./3.bav.Chev.Rgt., Inf.Gesch.Bttr.33, bav.Arko 4 (2.bav.Feldart.Rgt. and II./4.bav.Fußart.Rgt.)

Edited December 9, 2014 by The Prussian

[Tony]

Good on ya Andy, I'll start digging online. Someone is going to check the 3 NZRB war diary for me if he gets the chance so hopefully I'll find out exactly which German unit was defending.

[The Prussian]

Sory, that i couldn´t help better, but the german recordings started i 1914 on regimental level, and ended in 1918 on army-corps level. The only chance would be to check the regimental histories.

Maybe this one could help you:

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-NZRi-t1-body-d14-d4.html

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_bapaumeII.html

Edited December 9, 2014 by The Prussian

[Tony]

Andy mate you've helped loads.

It's the C Coy position which is of interest, they were SW of Bapaume so it'll be troops of the German 183rd ID they were fighting against. I probably have books with trench maps somewhere but still packed in boxes.

[The Prussian]

Hi Tony. I have found infos, that the bavarians were engaged in Bapaume. I will check it after work

[The Prussian]

The Bavarians were at Bapaume, but I thinbkj they were north of the town. I couldn´t find furhter infos, b ut because of the maps I aasume the 183rd ID could be "your" unit.

33.Res.Inf.Brig.(Inf.Rgt.184 ; Inf.Rgt.418 ; Res.Rgt.440), 4./Hus.Rgt.10, Arko 183 (Feldart.Rgt.183 and Fußart.Btl.150)

[Tony]

Thanks again Andy, with a bit of luck the diary will shed more light on their position, you've been a great help.

Tony