10th Hanover Engineer Battalion in World War One (Western Front)

[Guest]

Hi, I am trying to research the movements of the 10th Hanover Engineer Battalion in World War One (Western Front). I contacted the German Military archives but they reported back that the 10th Hanover archives were destroyed in WWII. I'm struggling to understand who the 10th Hanover were linked with, as I don't understand the structural hierarchy of the German forces. Were they part of German Second Division, as they were based in Hanover. I can't find any reference to the 10th that helps. Can anyone help me understand where they were attached to and then positioned on the Western Front? 

 

Edited 28 May , 2020 by Guest

[Glenn J]

Alan,

 

unfortunately this is pretty much a hopeless case. In line with other extant peacetime Pionier-Bataillone, PB 10 formed a second battalion staff and additional companies at mobilisation. Consequently in August 1914 we have I./PB 10 which was directly under X. Armee-Korps and II./PB 10 under command X. Reserve-Korps. The companies were split amongst various infantry divisions:

 

1. Komp.: 19. Infanterie-Division

2. & 3. Komp.: 20. Infanterie-Division

4. Komp.: 2. Garde-Reserve-Division

1. & 2. Reserve-Komp.: 19. Reserve-Division

1. Ersatz (replacement) Komp.: 37th mixed replacement brigade, 10. Ersatz-Division.

 

To compound problems, no post-war battalion history was written and many additional war time formations were created from the original cadres.

 

As an aside, the 2. Division was not stationed in Hanover but in Insterburg in East Prussia. Their attached pionier component at mobilisation were the 2nd and 3rd companies of Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 1.

 

Regards

Glenn