A-H Field Artillery Organization 1917/18

By Christian Frech

At the beginning of WW 1 the Austrian doctrine was to provide a sizeable quantity of artillery to the army corps, which could use it to concentrate fire before their front.

The course of the war made evident that this doctrine was wrong. It seemed to be more useful to provide numerous howitzers and field-guns down to divisional level. Different kinds of howitzers, field guns, anti-aircraft-guns and mortars would make a useful mix in the hand of the divisional commander to meet all the demands for fighting a modern materiel battle.

Industrial efforts on the one side and the victory after the 12th battle of Isonzo on the other released enough material for doing so. In the middle of 1918 the re-organization of the whole artillery branch was nearly finished including the organization plan for the post war period.

A very important experience was that the lack of high-trajectory guns increased as trench warfare developed. Consequently the change from field guns and cannons to field howitzers, mortars and mine-throwers was one of the most obvious developments of WW 1. If we compare the total of howitzer-batteries in the A-H field artillery from 1914 to 1918 we recognize an almost 6 fold increase from 120 to 679 while the number of field-gun-batteries increased from just 365 to 584 which is less then double.

1. Divisional artillery:

1.1.           Infantry divisions:

In common every infantry division should have a field arty brigade (FAB = Feldartillieriebrigade) with the same number.

The brigade was built from:

2 field arty regiments (FAR = Feldartillerieregimenter)

1 heavy field arty regiment (sFAR = schweres Feldartillierieregiment) 

1 mountain arty battalion (GebAA= Gebirgsartillierie-Abteilung).

The first FAR was numbered like the division/FAB, the second one with a number increased by 100. For example the 58th infantry division had the 58. FAB consisting of the FAR 58 and FAR 158, the sFAR 58 and the GebAA 58.  

The two FARs were organised differently. Both had 3 field-howitzer and 2 field-gun batteries each. The first regiment had in addition one anti-aircraft battery (Flak) with 4 guns as number six battery and the second regiment had in addition a mine-thrower battery with 4 light and 4 medium mine-throwers as number six battery.  

The sFAR had 5 batteries with 15 cm field-howitzers and one battery with 10.4 cm cannons.  

The GebAA had 2 batteries of mountain-guns and one battery with mountain-howitzers which were used to accompany the infantry battalions on the battlefield and which could be utilized as anti-tank-guns.

All in all the infantry division had 100 guns of different types and in addition four medium and four light mine-throwers:  

36 field-howitzers

24 field-guns

20 heavy field-howitzers

  8 mountain-guns

  4 mountain-howitzers

  4 10.5 cannons

  4 anti-aircraft-guns

When we take a look into the tactical organisation of the troops in Italy on June 15th 1918 we will recognize that reality was often different. Most of the assault divisions throughout the front were reinforced by one, two or three FABs from other divisions, which were stripped of arty in consequence. The FABs were used as a tactical reserve by the corps and army commands to build points of main effort. For example: The 6th FAB form the 6th ID was attached to the 18th ID while 2nd, 21st and 28th FAB were taken away from their parent organisation to reinforce the 6th ID.

1.2.           Cavalry divisions:

During the years from 1914 to 1917 the cavalry divisions had just one mounted arty battalion (= “reitende Artilleriedivision”) with 3 field-gun-batteries each. Because of the inreasing lack of horses in 1916/17 the cavalry divisions were reorganized as infantry divisions in 1917. Therefore it seemed appropriate to give them more artillery. Consequently the “reitende Artilleriedivisionen” received 3 more batteries each and were renamed as “K”-Feldartillerieregimenter. In the middle of 1918 a heavy arty regiment with 2 batteries was added and a “K-Feldartilleriebrigade” (“K”-field-arty-brigade) built out of these two types of regiments. This had been implemented in 9 of the 12 divisions by the autumn of 1918.

Therefore the cavalry division should have a “K” field arty brigade (KFAB = “K”-Feldartilleriebrigade) which was built from:

1 “K” field arty regiment (KFAR = “K”-Feldartillerieregiment)

            with 2 field-gun-batteries and 3 (later 4) field-howitzer-batteries

1 “K” heavy field arty regiment (sKFAR = schweres “K”-Feldartillerieregiment)

            with one 10.4 cm canon-battery and one 15 cm howitzer-battery

 

Table: Development of A-H Field Artillery from 1914 - 1918

 

VIII/1914

V/1916

VI/1917

VI/1918

post war organisation

 

Quantity

Batteries

Guns

Quantity

Batteries

Guns

Quantity

Batteries

Guns

Quantity

Batteries

Guns

Quantity

Batteries

Guns

Total of all Regiments/Divisions/Batterys

 

485

2610

 

804

4018

 

1050

5362

 

1351

6916

 

1578

7908

Field Artillery Regiments

77

393

2178

189

724

3594

214

856

4442

224

1162

6160

236

1380

7116

Field Artillery Divisions und Battalions

41

92

432

11

38

152

10

194

920

66

189

756

66

198

792

Feldkanonenregimenter

50

253

1518

57

261

1642

65

258

1530

 

k.u.k. Feldkanonenregimenter

42

222

1332

40

194

 

42

168

1008

 

k.k. Feldkanonendivisionen/regimenter

8

16

96

8

31

 

12

48

288

 

k.u. Honvéd-Feldkanonenregimenter

8

31

186

9

36

 

11

42

234

 

k.u.k. reitende Artilleriedivisionen

9

27

108

9

32

128

9

 

 

 

k.u. Honvéd- reitende Artillieriedivision

1

3

12

2

6

24

2

 

 

disbanded and reorganized as the new "Feldartillierregiment"

Feldkanonenbatterien der Polenlegion

 

 

 

 

4

24

disbanded

between autumn 1917 and spring 1918

Feldhaubitzregimenter

14

54

324

56

209

1182

64

 

 

 

k.u.k. Feldhaubitzregimenter

14

54

324

39

146

 

41

 

 

 

k.k. Feldhaubitzdivisionen/regimenter

8

16

96

8

31

 

12

 

 

 

k.u. Honvéd-Feldhaubitzregimenter

 

 

 

9

32

 

11

 

 

 

Feldhaubitzbatterien der Polenlegion

 

 

 

 

2

8

disbanded

 

k.(u.)k. Gebirgsartillerieregimenter

10

74

296

28

142

568

32

 

 

14

123

492

14

126

504

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mountain-gun-batteries:

86

344

 

84

336

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mountain-howitzer-batteries:

37

148

 

42

168

k.u. Honvéd-Gebirgsartilleriedivisionen

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

194

920

reorganized/renamed together with 18 disbanded regiments

Dalmatiner Gebirgskanonendivision

1

2

8

disbanded

 

 

 

reorganized/renamed together with 18 disbanded regiments

schwere Feldartillerieregimenter

 

 

 

48

112

386

53

174

566

66

234

882

66

456

1824

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.4 cm cannon-batteries:

76

272

 

76

304

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 cm howitzer-batteries:

158

610

 

380

1520

k.u.k. schwere Feldartillierieregimenter

 

 

 

32

86

 

32

 

 

reorganized and renamed as "schwere Artilliereregimenter"

k.k. schwere Feldartillierieregimenter

 

 

 

8

14

 

11

 

 

reorganized and renamed as "schwere Artilliereregimenter"

k.u. Honvéd- schwere Feldartillierieregimenter

 

 

 

8

12

 

10

 

 

reorganized and renamed as "schwere Artilliereregimenter"

k.u.k. schwere Haubitzdivisionen

14

28

112

reorganized in regiments above

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

improvised Formations

3

12

48

 

36

240

disbanded

 

 

 

 

 

 

Landsturm-Feldkanonenregimenter

3

12

48

disbanded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positions-, Flak- usw. Batterien

 

 

 

 

36

240

 disbanded

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feldartillerierregimenter (from 1918)

reorganized out of disbanded units and renamed end of 1917

 

 

132

779

4702

132

792

4884

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 field-gun-batteries:

264

1584

 

264

1584

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

field-howitzer-batteries:

396

2376

 

396

2376

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

anti-aircraft-batteries:

53

214

 

66

396

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mine-thrower-batteries:

66

528

 

66

528

"K"-Feldartillierieregimenter (from 1918)

reorganized out of "reitende Artilleriedivisionen" end of 1917

 

 

12

57

342

12

73

432

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 field-gun-batteries:

24

144

 

24

144

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

field-howitzer-batteries:

33

198

 

48

288

schwere "K"-Feldartillierieregimenter (End 1918)

 

 

12

26

244

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.4 cm cannon-batteries:

12

48

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 cm howitzer-batteries:

14

196

Gebirgsartillierieabteilungen (battalions) from 1918

reorganized out of disbanded "Gebirgsartillierregimenter" end of 1917

 

 

66

189

756

66

198

792

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mountain-gun-batteries:

134

536

 

132

528

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mountain-howitzer-batteries:

55

220

 

66

264

 

b) Heavy artillery

The heavy artillery remained as a reserve of the higher commands and was organized in 11 mobile and 3 coastal heavy arty regiments (schwere Artillerieregimenter). The mobile regiments were built from 44 battalions and 176 batteries as follows:

48 batteries with 2 30.5 cm mortars (motorized)

48 batteries with 4 15 cm howitzers (horse-drawn)

24 batteries with 4 15 cm guns (motorized)

24 batteries with 4 15 cm howitzers (motorized)

16 batteries with 4 10.4 cm guns (horse-drawn)

  8 batteries with 2 38 cm howitzers (motorized)

  8 batteries with 2 24 cm guns (motorized)

During wartime the regiments had in addition 154 anti-aircraft-batteries and 50 mine-thrower batteries attached. The remaining batteries of 35 cm guns and 42 cm howitzers were detached for coastal defense purposes.

Table: Austro-Hungarian Mobile Heavy Artillery from 1914 to 1918

 

VIII/1914

VI/1916

VI/1917

VI/1918

post war org

Mobile batteries of heavy artillery

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

42 cm Haubitzbatterien (howitzers)

 -

 -

 -

 -

6

6

8

8

 -

 -

38 cm Haubitzbatterien (howitzers)

 -

 -

 -

 -

2

2

7

7

8

16

35 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

 -

 -

1

1

1

1

 -

 -

34 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

 -

 -

17

34

 -

 -

 -

 -

30.5 cm Mörserbatterien (mortars)

12

24

21

42

29

58

36

72

48

96

24 cm Mörserbatterien (mortars)

12

48

9

36

8

30

3

12

 -

 -

24 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

 -

 -

1

1

2

2

8

16

21 cm Mörserbatterien (mortars)

 -

 -

 -

 -

11

11

2

2

 -

 -

15 cm Mörserbatterien (mortars)

 -

 -

17

68

26

100

 -

 -

 -

 -

15 cm Haubitzbatterien (howitzers)

32

128

36

144

36

158

17

68

72

288

15 cm weittragende Haubitzbatterien (howitzers)

 -

 -

2

4

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

18 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

3

12

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

15 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

10

40

 -

 -

 -

 -

24

96

15 cm russische Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

4

16

 -

 -

 -

 -

 

 

12 bis 15 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

 -

 -

24

78

20

80

 -

 -

12 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

20

80

8

32

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

10.4 cm Kanonenbatterien (guns)

 -

 -

13

26

 -

 -

5

20

16

64

Flakanonenbatterien (anti-aircraft)

 -

 -

 -

 -

8

8

154

299

 -

 -

Positionsbatterien

 -

 -

 -

 -

62

248

48

192

 -

 -

Minenwerferbatterien (mine-throwers)

 -

 -

 -

 -

16

 

50

 

 -

 -

Total:

76

280

123

420

247

735

353

763

176

576

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table: Austro-Hungarian Mobile Heavy Artillery from 1914 to 1918

 

VIII/1914

VI/1916

VI/1917

VI/1918

post war org

Mobile batteries of heavy artillery

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

batteries

guns

42 cm howitzer-batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

6

6

8

8

 -

 -

38 cm howitzer-batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

2

2

7

7

8

16

35 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

1

1

1

1

 -

 -

34 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

17

34

 -

 -

 -

 -

30.5 cm mortar batteries

12

24

21

42

29

58

36

72

48

96

24 cm mortar batteries

12

48

9

36

8

30

3

12

 -

 -

24 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

1

1

2

2

8

16

21 cm mortar batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

11

11

2

2

 -

 -

15 cm mortar batteries

 -

 -

17

68

26

100

 -

 -

 -

 -

15 cm howitzer-batteries

32

128

36

144

36

158

17

68

72

288

15 cm long-range howitzer-batteries

 -

 -

2

4

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

18 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

3

12

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

15 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

10

40

 -

 -

 -

 -

24

96

15 cm Russian cannon batteries

 -

 -

4

16

 -

 -

 -

 -

 

 

12 up to 15 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

24

78

20

80

 -

 -

12 cm cannon batteries

20

80

8

32

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

10.4 cm cannon batteries

 -

 -

13

26

 -

 -

5

20

16

64

anti-aircraft batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

8

8

154

299

 -

 -

position batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

62

248

48

192

 -

 -

mine-thrower batteries

 -

 -

 -

 -

16

 

50

 

 -

 -

Total:

76

280

123

420

247

735

353

763

176

576

 

c) Arty Reconnaissance

Arty recon was a very important aide to firing. It was executed by artillery observers, balloon and aircraft-spotting. Their results often were too inaccurate and so in the summer of 1917 the sound ranging platoons, which achieved good results, were increased to company strength and multiplied in number so that by spring 1918 every arty brigade had its own sound ranging company, which provided satisfying results.

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