The North Army () was an
army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
level command of the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
that existed briefly at the outbreak 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 ...
.
History
The North Army was formed (on the outbreak of the war) in
Schleswig
The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been di ...
to defend the German North Sea Coast in case of British landings. It was dissolved by the end of August 1914 as its major units had been transferred away.
Structure
On formation, North Army consisted of
*
IX Reserve Corps
::with 25 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns), 4 heavy batteries (16 guns), a Field Airship Detachment and 7 pioneer companies. It was transferred to the
Western Front, joining
1st Army First Army may refer to:
China
* New 1st Army, Republic of China
* First Field Army, a Chinese Communist Party unit in the Chinese Civil War
* 1st Group Army, People's Republic of China
Germany
* 1st Army (German Empire), a World War I field Army
...
in late August.
* "Higher ''Landwehr'' Commander 1" (''Höherer Landwehr-Kommandeur 1'')
::with 24 infantry battalions, 6 cavalry squadrons and 4 field artillery batteries (24 guns). Initially referred to as the ''Landwehr'' Division Goltz, after its commander; later renamed
1st ''Landwehr'' Division. By 27 August, it had joined the
8th Army on the
Eastern Front and participated in the battles of
Tannenberg and
2nd Masurian Lakes.
* Coastal Protection
** IV Battalion, 75th ''Landwehr'' Infantry Regiment
** IV Battalion, 76th ''Landwehr'' Infantry Regiment
** V Battalion, 76th ''Landwehr'' Infantry Regiment
*North Sea Islands (5 infantry battalions, 9 heavy batteries (36 heavy howitzers), 2 pioneer companies)
**
Borkum
Borkum (; ) is an island and a municipality in the Leer District in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany. It is situated east of Rottumeroog and west of Juist.
Geography
Borkum is bordered to the west by the Westerems strait (which forms the ...
***I and II Battalions, 79th Reserve Infantry Regiment
***2nd ''
Abteilung
(; abbrv. ''Abt.'') is a German word that is often used for German or Swiss military formations and depending on its usage could mean detachment, department or battalion; it can also refer to a military division. In German, it is used both ...
'', 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
***1st Reserve Battery, 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
***1st ''Landwehr'' Pioneer Company of
X Corps District
**
Sylt
Sylt (; ; Söl'ring North Frisian: ) is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, with a distinctively shaped shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Fris ...
***I and II Battalions, 85th ''Landwehr'' Infantry Regiment
***a Battery of 1st ''Abteilung'', 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
***2nd Reserve Battery, 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
***1st ''Landwehr'' Pioneer Company of
IX Corps District
**
Pellworm
Pellworm (; ; North Frisian ''Polweerm'') is a municipality in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
The municipality is located on the island of Pellworm – one of the North Frisian Islands on the North Sea coast of G ...
***III Battalion, 85th ''Landwehr'' Infantry Regiment
***a Battery of 1st ''Abteilung'', 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
***3rd Reserve Battery, 2nd Foot Artillery Regiment
Glossary
*''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.
*''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
An army group is a military organization consisting of several field army, field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods. It is usually responsible for a particular geographic area. An army group is the largest field organizatio ...
, in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.
See also
*
Order of battle at Tannenberg
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
{{German Empire Armies
N
Military units and formations established in 1914
Military units and formations disestablished in 1914