Orders of Battle
(08.1914)
47. Infanterie-Brigade: Infanterie-Regt. 139 | Infanterie-Regt. 179
48. Infanterie-Brigade: Infanterie-Regt. 106 | Infanterie-Regt. 107
Ulanen-Regt. 18
24. Feldartillerie-Brigade: Feldartillerie-Regt. 77 | Feldartillerie-Regt. 78
1. Pionier-Bataillon 22 (attached from XIX.AK) | Divisions-Brückentrain 24
Sanitäts-Kompanie XIX/1
(01.1916)
89. Infanterie-Brigade: Infanterie-Regt. 133 | Infanterie-Regt. 139 | Infanterie-Regt. 179
1. & 4. Esk. / Husaren-Regt. 19
24. Feldartillerie-Brigade: Feldartillerie-Regt. 77 | Feldartillerie-Regt. 78
1. Komp. / Pionier-Bataillon 22 | Minenwerfer-Kompanie 24 | Div. Brückentrain 24
Sanitäts-Kompanie XIX/1
(06.1917)
89. Infanterie-Brigade: Infanterie-Regt. 133 | Infanterie-Regt. 139 | Infanterie-Regt. 179
1. Esk. / Husaren-Regt. 19
ArKo 24: Feldartillerie-Regt. 77 (plus attached units)
Pionier-Bataillon 22: 2. & 5. Komp. / Pionier-Bataillon 22 | Minenwerfer-Kompanie 24 | Scheinwerfer-Zug 22
Div. Ferna. 24
Sanitäts-Kompanie 47
(21.02.1918)
89. Infanterie-Brigade: Infanterie-Regt. 133 | Infanterie-Regt. 139 | Infanterie-Regt. 179 | MG-Scharfschützen-Abteilung 51
1. Esk. / Husaren-Regt. 19
ArKo 24: Feldartillerie-Regt. 77 | Fußartillerie-Bataillon 96
Pionier-Bataillon 22: 2. & 5. Komp. / Pionier-Bataillon 22 | Minenwerfer-Kompanie 24 | Handscheinwerfer-Trupp 134
Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 24: Divisions-Fernsprech-Abteilung 24 | Divisions-Funker-Abteilung 93 (probably)
Commanders
23.09.1911-04.05.1916 - Genlt. Hans Krug von Nidda (Gen. der. Kav. as of 28.08.1914)
05.05.1916-26.01.1919 - Genmaj. Rudolf Hammer (Genlt. as of 17.06.1918)
History
The division was formally created in 1867 from the former Saxon 2. Infanterie-Division, and fought as part of XII.AK in the war of 1870-71 at St. Privat, Beaumont and Sedan. In 1899 it became part of the newly formed XIX.AK, having been based from the outset at Leipzig where the new corps HQ was established.
The division was mobilised with the rest of XIX.AK as part of 3. Armee in 1914, crossed the Maas alongside XII.AK and fought in the Battle of the Marne west of Vitry-le-François in September. On 3 October it was temporarily split in two, with a ‘half division’ based on 48. Infanterie-Brigade remaining in the Champagne east of Reims while the rest of XIX.AK marched north to join 6. Armee. The corps stormed Lille on 12 October, and established a defensive front east of Armentières on which they fought the British to a standstill during the First Battle of Ypres. The remaining units of 24.ID reached Lille on 22 October and were pitched straight into the fighting, which continued to rage into early November. That Christmas three of its four infantry regiments (the exception being IR 179) fraternised with the enemy.
The composition of 24.ID changed radically on 5 March 1915, when the renumbered 48. Infanterie-Brigade was donated to the new 58.ID and IR 133 transferred from 40.ID to 24.ID. The boundary between the two divisions of XIX.AK now lay on the Lys, with 24.ID occupying the southern half of the corps front. During that year elements from both divisions were ‘borrowed’ piecemeal to provide reserves further south, and took part in all the major actions in Artois. The corps finally left the Armentières front at the end of July 1916, and committed in its entirety to the Battle of the Somme. After a horrific ordeal north of Pozières in August, 24.ID held the relatively quiet La Bassée sector in September alongside its sister division. Withdrawn at the beginning of October, the corps endured a second month-long tour on the Somme astride the Albert-Bapaume road (with 24.ID on the right along the Ancre) and withstood the fresh horror of tank attacks. Early in November the corps was relieved, and took over the Wytschaetebogen south of Ypres as Gruppe Wytschaete. In the northern half of the Wytschaete salient, 24.ID was so mauled by the preparatory bombardment for the Battle of Messines that it was withdrawn in the first days of June 1917 - thereby narrowly escaping wholesale slaughter when a series of gigantic mine explosions preceded the British attack on the 7th of that month. The division was hurriedly returned to the front to stem the British breakthrough and remained in Flanders (mainly with Gruppe Wytschaete) until late October, when it suffered horrific losses defending Gheluvelt during the Second Battle of Passchendaele.
Transferred to a relatively quiet sector near Arras to rebuild, 24.ID was withdrawn in mid-February 1918 for retraining in mobile warfare with 17. Armee. Initially following up in reserve, the division was committed to the fighting east of Bapaume on the third day of the Kaiserschlacht. Driving forward in the teeth of intense resistance the Saxons took Irles on 25 March, but ultimately became bogged down south of Hébuterne and suffered grievous losses. It remained on this front until late July, beating off numerous determined counterattacks, before moving south to hold a new sector on the Avre with 18. Armee. Here it successfully withstood the extreme southern end of the Amiens offensive on 8 August. Over the next few days it conducted a steady and disciplined fighting retreat under exceptionally difficult circumstance, earning the respect of both sides. Withdrawn on the 26th, it was rushed to the front on the Ailette Canal three days later to assist the beleaguered 19.ED. Screening the subsequent withdrawal of 17. Armee to the Siegfriedstellung, 24.ID enjoyed a brief rest before being transferred to 2. Armee on 1 October and deployed behind 241.ID in the vicinity of Bohain (northeast of St. Quentin). Both divisions were severely mauled in subsequent defensive fighting against overwhelming Anglo-American forces spearheaded by tanks. The remnants of 24.ID were finally withdrawn in late October, and the shattered division was rebuilding behind the front when the armistice came into force.