THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARMY 1914-18

FOR COLLECTORS OF ITS POSTAL ITEMS

by JOHN DIXON-NUTTALL
CHAPTER 6 - THE DISPOSITION OF THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARMY 1914-1918

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App. A: Superior Headquarters and miscellaneous formations6-A-1 to 12
App. B: Armeen6-B-1 to 9
App. C: Korps6-C-1 to 17
App. D: ID, SchD, HID, Poln Legion, KD, rtSchD and HKD6-D-1 to 40
App. E: IBrig, SchBrig , HIBrig, LstIBrig; HaBrig; GbBrig; KBrig, LstHusBrig; other Lst formations6-E-1 to 78
App. F: Artillery Brigades6-F-1 to 23
App. G: Infantry units6-G-1 to 54
App. H: Cavalry units6-H-1 to 12
App. J: Artillery units6-J-1 to 58
App. K: StSch, FrwSch etc6-K-1 to 4

Introduction to chapter 6

Earlier chapters have given an insight into the background and history of the war, and have explained the organization, both of the Austro-Hungarian Army as a whole and of elements of that Army, as the war progressed. This chapter aims to show how that Army was disposed throughout the war, by means of Appendices, each dealing with a part of the Army or its command structure. Taken together, and used properly, these should enable the reader to locate virtually any part of the Army at any date.

The Appendices are listed in the Contents of this book. They are based on the Order of Battle of the Army in the field as it was given in the Austrian history of the war; see the Bibilography at the back of this book. Since no continuous order of battle was published, but lists for various dates, there is no precise record showing where each unit or part of the Army was at a certain date. The date against each entry is that on which the detail following was correct. Hence some interpolation is necessary. However, careful use of the various Appendices, coupled with reference to the dates in Appendix B to Chapter 1, will allow the reader to identify the detail sought. The Examples given on pages v to xiii show what can be done and how it is done.

Not every unit is listed. The number and title of armies, corps, divisions and brigades is frequently part of a unit title; see Chapter 4. Thus, for a unit that was part of an army or corps etc Train, the number of that formation appears in the title in many cases, and the unit may be located by reference to the Appendix dealing with the army, corps etc in question.

The Appendices reflect the changes that took place, particularly when GO von Arz replaced GO von Hötzendorf as Generalstabschef after Kaiser u. König Karl came to the throne. Von Arz planned an Army that, while reflecting modern concepts as proven by operations, would suffice to win the war and which could then be reduced for peacetime commitments. This may sound fanciful, but it was put into effect at a time when the situation looked good: the armistice with Russia was in effect in December 1917 and Italy had been defeated at Caporetto. The bulk of the Austro-Hungarian Army was then on, or going to, the Italian front.

Reorganization of the infantry divisions and their brigades was completed in the Spring and early Summer of 1918. By 15 June 1918 all GbBrig had disappeared, and the numbering of brigades in infantry divisions had reverted to the system used in 1914 whereby the numbers of the brigades had a direct reference to their division: once again 2 ID had 3 and 4 IBrig.

Reorganization of the cavalry divisions was to have taken place in the late Summer and early Autumn of 1918 but was not complete when the war ended. This would have resulted in each cavalry division having two cavalry brigades numbered in sequence: thus 1 KD would have had 1 and 2 KBrig. In fact only 9 KD had its two brigades (17 and 18 KBrig), each of two regiments, when the collapse came. The changes in infantry, cavalry and artillery are shown in Chapter 5. The whole programme was ambitious and radical, and one wonders whether the difficulties of carrying it through to the final details contributed to efficiency.

In compiling the Appendices to this Chapter the following conventions have been adopted:

  1. Entries are abbreviated in accordance with Appendix A to Chapter 2.


  2. References to formations and units of the k.k. Landwehr are given in the form used after the Decree of 1 May 1917: see Appendix A to Chapter 2 page 2-A-3, and Appendix A to Chapter 5 Note 13. Thus LIR 1 is shown throughout as SchR l.


  3. A number in brackets after an abbreviated title shows the number of sub-units with that unit. Thus IR 94(3) means three battalions of IR 94. And I/IR94 (3) means three companies of the first battalion of IR 94. Similarly DR 5(2), or FKR 6(4), means two squadrons of DR 5, or four batteries of FKR 6.


  4. The abbreviation 'unm.' (ie unmittlebar) placed after a formation title indicates that the unit etc following it was under the direct control of that formation. For example: III Kps unm. Art: 6 FABrig, means that 6 FABrig was under the direct control of III KpsKmdo as corps artillery at that time, and not as would be usual, under 6 IDKmdo.


  5. The abbreviation 'verst.' (ie verstärke) before a formation or unit title means that that formation was at that time reinforced or strengthened by units etc not normally part of its composition. Thus verst. d.115 ID means that at the date given d.115 ID had been strengthened by other units, for a particular operation.


It must be remembered that details in the Appendices are based on the published orders of battle. The reader should be able to add to them from the items in his collection of military mail.

App. A: Superior Headquarters and miscellaneous formations6-A-1 to 12
App. B: Armeen6-B-1 to 9
App. C: Korps6-C-1 to 17
App. D: ID, SchD, HID, Poln Legion, KD, rtSchD and HKD6-D-1 to 40
App. E: IBrig, SchBrig , HIBrig, LstIBrig; HaBrig; GbBrig; KBrig, LstHusBrig; other Lst formations6-E-1 to 78
App. F: Artillery Brigades6-F-1 to 23
App. G: Infantry units6-G-1 to 54
App. H: Cavalry units6-H-1 to 12
App. J: Artillery units6-J-1 to 58
App. K: StSch, FrwSch etc6-K-1 to 4

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Last updated 18 Nov 2000