Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/992

 870 GERMAN EMPIRE

they remain until they liave reached the age of 45, that is for G years. The Landsturm is a purely home defence force. The first * ban ' consists of all those between the ages of 17 and 39 who for one reason or another have received no military training. The second ' ban ' contains all the men, whether trained or untrained, between 39 and 45.

Well educated young men are admitted into the German army as volunteers, serving for one year onl}-, but paying all their expenses. These supply almost all the Reserve and Landwehr officers.

There are now about 1,100 reservists per battalion available, a consider- able proportion of whom are taken to form Reserve Troops on mobilisation. There are, therefore, a large number of Reserve Troops intermediate between the First Line and the Landwehr. The balance of the reservists will join the depots, and will be available for making good the losses in the field. The depot units would be augmented by the annual contingent of recruits, and if necessary by other young men whose ' Wehrpflicht ' has commenced.

The Ersatz (lit, compensatory) reserve is composed of the young men of 20 who are fit for service, but are in excess of the numbers required for the annual contingent of recruits. They are liable to, and a certain number receive, 3 trainings of 10, 6 and 4 weeks, respectively. The primary object of this reserve is to supply the waste of war ; for which purpose the men would be called to the depots on mobilisation, and their training com- pleted. But a certain proportion of the ordinary (fully trained) reservists will also be available for this purpose, and the depot, or Ersatz, battalions will apparently be formed at first of about one-third fully trained, and two- thirds partially trained, reservists. On the other hand a large number of Ersatz reservists are now trained in special (non-combatant) duties, though they can of course be called to the depots if required.

Two regiments of infantry (6 battalions) form a brigade, two brigades a division, and two divisions an army corps. Ten divisions, liowever, have each 3 brigades. The intended employment of the reserve troops in war has not been divulged, but it seems possible that most of the 2-brigade divisions will be augmented by a reserve brigade, and that all army corps will take the field with six brigades (36 battalions), the artillery being pro- portionately increased by reserve regiments. To each infantry division is attached in war an artillery brigade (12 batteries) and a regiment of cavalry (4 squadrons) : to each army corps 4 batteries of howitzers ; also a battalion of rifles and a pioneer (engineer) battalion. All field and horse artillery batteries have 6 guns. The war strength of a complete division, of tAvo brigades, without reserve units, is about 14,000 combatants, and of an army corps of two divisions, about 30,000. The strength of a 3-brigade division Avould be about 21,000, and of an army corps of 6 brigades about 43,000 combatants. There are altogether 23 army corps in the army of the German Empire,

There is only one permanent cavalry division, that of the guard, but in war at least eight divisions would be formed from the line regiments. The normal strength of a cavalry division is 3 brigades of 2 regiments each, Avith'.2 (or possibly 3) batteries of horse artillery. In all 24 squadrons and 12 (or 18) guns.

The kingdom of Prussia, together with Baden and Hesse, is divided into 16 military districts, each of which furnishes a complete army corps, and 2 (or 3) Landwehr divisions, as well as its proportion of cavalry, garrison artillery, &c. There is also the Prussian Guard Corps, diawn from the whole kingdom. Saxony furnishes 2 army corps (Xllth and XlXth) ; Wiirttemberg one army corps (Xlllth) ; the Reichsland (Alsace and