The best Regiment in the Imperial Army

[ccj]

What's your opinion on the "Best" Regiment in the Imperial German Army in WW1?

This is a bit subjective but I think many of you have a favorite Regiment with reason.

[Ulsterman]

IR 76 of course- and some of the Guards regiments.

Maybe IR 116?

[KIR]

Hi,

here you will find a "ranking" of the german divisions: Formationsgeschichte - Divisionen

Best regards,

Jens

... via google-translate: Google Übersetzer

Edited May 8, 2012 by KIR

[Deruelle]

GR 100

Christophe

[Dave Danner]

This would be really subjective. Even the rankings are suspect: both the Americans in the source KIR cites and the British in Histories of 251 Divisions of German Armies evaluate units at particular points in time. A unit which fought well for almost the entire war until it was battered down, which then went to the Argonne Forest in 1918, might be treated by the Americans as lower quality, despite its long-term record.

But just to play the game, I would add GR 110 to the list. Of Baden regiments, it had the most knights of the Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order and recipients of the Military Karl Friedrich Merit Medal. Still, LGR 109 was a close second with one more knight and three fewer medals. Three GR 110 MKFVO knights also had the Pour le Mérite, but I'm not sure of the total.number of plMs for the regiment.

[KIR]

This would be really subjective. Even the rankings are suspect: both the Americans in the source KIR cites and the British in Histories of 251 Divisions of German Armies evaluate units at particular points in time. A unit which fought well for almost the entire war until it was battered down, which then went to the Argonne Forest in 1918, might be treated by the Americans as lower quality, despite its long-term record. ...

Hi Dave,

that's right - I agree!

Best regards,

Jens

[ccj]

Great, I'm glad you participated. As I said... subjective but I'm sure may have their favorite Regiment and most of those have their reason. Some base by awards, others by battles, and still others by reasons of their own. It's hard for me but so far I like the LGR100 and Bavarian LR

But just to play the game, I would add GR 110 to the list. Of Baden regiments, it had the most knights of the Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order and recipients of the Military Karl Friedrich Merit Medal. Still, LGR 109 was a close second with one more knight and three fewer medals. Three GR 110 MKFVO knights also had the Pour le Mérite, but I'm not sure of the total.number of plMs for the regiment.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think it has to be subjective...

Mybe even related to your favourite sector, or a Regt that you happen to have good stuff to...

I have a weekness for Bavarian Jäger and Leib Regt (Alpenkorps) and 37RIR and 37 Füs (10 RD) and 12 Bavarian IR.... and...and..and...

The British would not rate the Germans in French sectors, and vice versa... and by the time the Americans could rate units facing them they were often just shells of what they had been 2 years before....

[ccj]

LGR100 and IR116 and GR119

[PrussianMauser]

Thanks for the link, that's going to make some interesting reading.

As for this game, that's a damn hard question. I'd have to think on it some.

Hi,

here you will find a "ranking" of the german divisions: Formationsgeschichte - Divisionen

Best regards,

Jens

[IrishGunner]

After reading Rommel's "Infantrie Greift An" I am partial to the Württembergisches Gebirgsbataillon. The mystique was enhanced when I had the chance to walk the ground in Slovenia where the fighting on the Isonzo Front occured. Also, while a modest item, I was happy to obtain a post card sent home from a soldier in the unit.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Funny, but two guys have IR116.... I am curious as to why? Not saying they are not, but that 2 guys say the same unit is against the odds with such a big choice...

I would imagine this has to sart by picking out the Hard Rocker divisions, those used as spearheaders in offensive fighting?

[The Prussian]

Can one rank a unit? I don´t think, it´s that easy. Mountain units are specialists. Are they better than a unit, who fought in the heat of Macedonia or in Asia? It also depends on the enemy. The stronger the enemy, the stronger the own forces...

I don´t like the american ranks in the history of the 251 divisions, becaus the americans came too late into the theatre to have a good overview of the german forces.

To say, which one was the best unit, we might know the casualty lists, the number of decorations, and the number of successfully battles.

I recommend a brilliant book about these theme (but it´s about 39-45):

Martin van Creveld "Fighting power - German and U.S. army perormance 1939-1945" (Greenwood press, 1982 ; in german language Ares Verlag 2005 und 2009)

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

I think the Americans for the 251 Divs took most of the info from the Fench.

I think it is probably all very subjective for us. I like the 12th Bavarian infantry, as I have a lot from this fine unit... but they are probably not better than ny other regt in the division.

Prefer 2nd Bavarian Jäger to 1st, because they are a local unit... but there is little diference between the two.

Like 37th RIR and 37 FR as I have lots of docs,but ignore the est of the units in the DIV.

Best Regiment can be synonammous with "My favorite regiment..." :-)

[IrishGunner]

I don´t like the american ranks in the history of the 251 divisions, becaus the americans came too late into the theatre to have a good overview of the german forces.

As Dave and others have already said, this task is very subjective in time and space. But I'll add my voice. Ranking of units is only a snapshot in a particular moment in time. How good a German Div was in 1915 or 1916 before the Yanks arrived on the battlefield has absolutely nothing to do with how good a German Div was in 1917. So, coming "too late into the theatre" has no real bearing on the ranking. And as Chris suggested, most of the data came from the French.

For that matter, a Div could be "good" one day - and "less than good" the next day due to changes in command, attached/assigned units, casualties etc. Everything is very subjective during the fight itself. Historically, however, we should be able to go back and look over time, as you suggest, and come up with a good overview. Assuming the study agrees upon specific criteria. Another study might consider other criteria. Again, very subjective results.

It does make for good discussion over Scotch and cigars though, does't it?

Edited December 8, 2012 by IrishGunner

[The Prussian]

Well, friends, I think, we put it on the point, when Chris said, "

Best Regiment can be synonammous with "My favorite regiment..." :-)

and Irish Gunner said:

It does make for good discussion over Scotch and cigars though, does't it?

At last, none of us was participated in the battles.

Unfortunately I can´t discuss about Scotch and cigars, but wine and cheese that is ok for me...

Edited December 8, 2012 by The Prussian

[ccj]

I'm all in for scotch and a cigar or wine and cheese.

I guess my favorite are LGR100 and IR116. I think best may have been the wrong word. Actually, I wondered if the German high command had certain regiments considered as elite or most reliable.

[Dave Danner]

I'm all in for scotch and a cigar or wine and cheese.

I guess my favorite are LGR100 and IR116. I think best may have been the wrong word. Actually, I wondered if the German high command had certain regiments considered as elite or most reliable.

I think by definition the Guard units were considered the elite. Certainly what was considered an elite quality in the peacetime army might be re-evaluated in the crucible of war, but I think the Prussian Guards were considered elite throughout the war and repeatedly relied on as assault or shock troops. The same for the ILR and LGR 100.

Among the other states, given their smaller recruiting areas, maybe "Guard" didn't have the same elite status, but still meant something. From Baden, I mentioned GR 110 as maybe better than LGR 109, for example, though they spent the war in the same division and had pretty similar experiences. You mention IR 116 as a favorite, so perhaps you have a reason to prefer it to LGIR 115?

[Chip]

I know why ccj likes the LGR100.

I think my favorite regiment is known to most (see my avatar).

Chip

[ccj]

????

[ccj]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-2230-0-50509600-1356382525.jpgI think many are correct by assuming most will prefer a certain regiment because of a connection they have, be it photos, Militaria, or reading history's.

Hesse-IR116 FeldwebelLeutnant

Edited December 24, 2012 by ccj

[Chris Boonzaier]

Agreed... 37th Reserve, 37th Füsiliers and 155th Inf are big favourites of mine (Am a bit of a 10th Res. Div. fan)... I like them because I have a bunch of documents to each of the regt... but the rest of the units in the div are not "as good"... because I have none of their docs ;-)

[ccj]

Having read a lot lately it appears most of the units that are considered elite appear to be infantry and engineer/sapper units. I guess once the warefare became static in nature the cavalry didnt really produce any (may?) elite units.

Now if I'm wrong, please tell me... I'd enjoy learning more of the cavalry.

I have several cavalry items but not muct at all gained from researching these units.

- Baden 22 Dragoon

- Thuringian 12 Hussar (Prussian I suppose)

- Prussian 3 Guard Ulan

- Wurttemburg 20 Ulan

You dont read much of artillery units being thought of as the best. I know there must have been great artillery units. If the size of the unit being considered is brigade or division level then all branches may be included.

[IrishGunner]

You dont read much of artillery units being thought of as the best. I know there must have been great artillery units. If the size of the unit being considered is brigade or division level then all branches may be included.

If I ever bet off my lazy butt and start putting together the website I've considered dedicated to the German artillery, I might be able to answer this one... I've recently added a lot of new regiments, need to get more organized.

[ccj]

Yeah, you really ought to ;-)