The 1st Guards Infantry Division () was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

formation of the

Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

which was part of the

Imperial Guard An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the emperor and/or empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial force ...

. It was headquartered in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

and was part of the Guards Corps. It took part in fighting against Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1811 shortly after its formation. It was expanded in July 1914 upon the mobilization of the

, and took part in fighting on the Eastern Front of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The division was demobilized in 1918 after the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

History

The unit was initially formed on 15 June 1807 as the 1st Infantry Division. It was renamed "Guards" Infantry Division on 11 November 1811. For most of its history it was stationed in

St Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

and was part of the

Petersburg Military District The Order of Lenin Leningrad Military District () is a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The district was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1968. In 2010, it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fl ...

upon its creation.

Order of battle upon formation

When it was founded in 1807 the unit consisted of the following: *

Preobrazhensky Regiment The Preobrazhensky Lifeguard (military), Life-Guards Regiment (, ''Preobrazhensky leyb-gvardii polk'') was a regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard of the Imperial Russian Army from 1683 to 1917. The Preobrazhensky Regiment was ...

Semyonovsky Regiment The Semyonovsky Lifeguard Regiment (, ) was one of the two oldest guard regiments of the Imperial Russian Army. The other one was the Preobrazhensky Regiment. In 2013, it was recreated for the Russian Armed Forces as a rifle regiment, its name ...

Izmaylovsky Regiment The Izmaylovsky Regiment (), also Izmailovsky, was one of the oldest regiments of the Imperial Russian Army, a subdivision of the 1st Guards Infantry Division of the Imperial Russian Guard. It was formed in Moscow on 22 September 1730 as Empres ...

Egersky Regiment His Majesty Lifeguard Jaeger Regiment (), short also Lifeguard Jaeger Regiment (or: ''LG Jaeger Regiment''), was a Jäger regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard from 1796 to 1917. History The history of the LG Jaeger Regiment began in the ye ...

In 1811 it was expanded and grew to include: *1st Brigade **Preobrazhensky Leib Guard Regiment **Semyonovsky Leib Guard Regiment *2nd Brigade **Izmaylovsky Leib Guard Regiment **Lithuanian Leib Guard Regiment *3rd Brigade **Egersky Leib Guard Regiment **Finnish Leib Guard Regiment

Order of battle in 1914

From the early 1900s to 1917 the division consisted of the following: *1st Brigade **Preobrazhensky Leib Guard Regiment **Semyonovsky Leib Guard Regiment *2nd Brigade **Izmaylovsky Leib Guard Regiment **Egersky Leib Guard Regiment *1st Life Guards Artillery Brigade

Known officer staff

Commanders

The list is incomplete.

Chiefs of staff

This list is incomplete.

References

Books

* {{Russian Empire Divisions Guards infantry divisions of the Russian Empire Military units and formations established in 1807 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 Divisions of World War I Military units and formations of Russia in World War I Saint Petersburg Governorate