6th Army (German Empire)
| 6. Armee 6th Army | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918) | |
| Active | 2 August 1914 – 29 January 1919 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Branch |  Imperial German Army |
| Type | Army |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | A.O.K. 6 |
The 6th Army (German: 6. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 6 / A.O.K. 6) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate.[1] The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.[2]
History
[edit]At the outbreak of World War I, command of the army was given to Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria (Kronprinz Rupprecht von Bayern). The 6th Army initially consisted of the units of the Bavarian Army (which had retained military sovereignty after the unification of Germany), with some additional Prussian units. During the execution of Plan XVII, the 6th Army was stationed in the Central sector, covering Lorraine.
In August 1914, in the Battle of Lorraine, Rupprecht's 6th Army managed to hold against the French offensive, using a feigned withdrawal to lure the advancing armies onto prepared defensive positions.
After the Western Front turned to stalemate and the opposing forces formed lines of trenches, the 6th Army was based in Northern France. Most of the Bavarian units were gradually dispersed to other commands, with units from outside Bavaria joining the 6th Army. Nevertheless, command of the 6th Army remained with the Bavarian Crown Prince, who would eventually come to be regarded as one of Germany's most able generals.
On 24 September 1915 the 6th Army was the target for the British Army's first chlorine gas attack of the war. Despite the horrific casualties inflicted, the British offensive became bogged down after several days.
Rupprecht was promoted to the rank of field marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) in July 1916 and assumed command of Army Group Rupprecht on 28 August that year, consisting of the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th Armies. Following Rupprecht's promotion, command of the 6th Army was given to General Ludwig von Falkenhausen.
In March 1917 the 6th Army was the target for the assault of the Canadian and British forces at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The 6th Army under von Falkenhausen suffered over 20,000 casualties in the ensuing fighting and were pushed back from the ridge by the Canadian Corps.
At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht.[3]
Order of Battle, August 1914, Lorraine
[edit]For the Battle of Lorraine in August 1914, the 6th Army had the following composition:[4]
| Organization of the 6th Army – August 1914, Lorraine | ||
|---|---|---|
| Army | Corps | Division |
| 6th Army | XXI Corps | 31st Division |
| 42nd Division | ||
| I Bavarian Corps | 1st Bavarian Division | |
| 2nd Bavarian Division | ||
| II Bavarian Corps | 3rd Bavarian Division | |
| 4th Bavarian Division | ||
| III Bavarian Corps | 5th Bavarian Division | |
| 6th Bavarian Division | ||
| I Bavarian Reserve Corps | 1st Bavarian Reserve Division | |
| 5th Bavarian Reserve Division | ||
| Under direct Army command | 1st Bavarian Foot Artillery Brigade | |
| 6th Pioneer General | ||
| 5th Bavarian Mixed Landwehr Brigade | ||
Order of Battle, 30 October 1918
[edit]By the end of the war, the 6th Army was organised as:
| Organization of 6th Army on 30 October 1918[5] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Army | Corps | Division |
| 6th Army | 55th Corps (z.b.V.) | 38th Division |
| 12th Bavarian Division | ||
| 5th Bavarian Division | ||
| two thirds 4th Ersatz Division | ||
| 9th Reserve Division | ||
| IV Corps | 2nd Guards Reserve Division | |
| one third 4th Ersatz Division | ||
| 36th Division | ||
| XXXX Reserve Corps | 16th Division | |
| 8th Division | ||
| XI Corps | No units assigned | |
Commanders
[edit]The 6th Army had the following commanders during its existence.[6]
| From | Commander | Previously | Subsequently |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | Generaloberst Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria | IV Army Inspectorate (IV. Armee-Inspektion) | Heeresgruppe Rupprecht |
| 23 July 1916 | Generalfeldmarschall Rupprecht of Bavaria | ||
| 28 August 1916 | Generaloberst Ludwig von Falkenhausen | High Command of Coastal Defence | Governor General of Belgium |
| 23 April 1917 | General der Infanterie Otto von Below | Heeresgruppe Below | 14th Army |
| 9 September 1917 | General der Infanterie Ferdinand von Quast | Guards Corps |
Glossary
[edit]- Armee-Abteilung or Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army.[7]
- Armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task.
- Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.
See also
[edit]
- 6th Army (Wehrmacht) for the equivalent formation in World War II
- German Army order of battle (1914)
- German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)
- Schlieffen Plan
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
- Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.