Reservist mobilization

Discussions on all aspects of the First World War not covered in the other sections. Hosted by Terry Duncan.
Post Reply
User avatar
Wehrmacht
Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Oct 2002, 13:33
Location: Italy

Reservist mobilization

#1

Post by Wehrmacht » 27 Jun 2003, 15:55

I just want to know some details about mobilization of reservist in the various country.

In many sources we can find gross statistics about the total of mobilized men, but is possible to know some details, regarding maybe the date and number of called by each age cohort? Or simply have a clue about the timing and extensions of such calling.

In Italy for example, the age classes called were from 1874 to 1900, although the last class that effectively fight was the mighty '99, because the boy of the 1900 called in 1918 were in the training depots at the armistice.
Too bad, I have not data split between classes, I can only say that Italy mobilized some 6,000,000 men, 50% of the able bodied males.

W.

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#2

Post by Peter H » 28 Jun 2003, 03:32

I only have German data on the call up of 'classes' each year.Pre war conscription was at 20 years of age,so those born in 1900 were called the '1920 class' etc.


Yr Males18yrs War Deaths 'Surplus'

1914 670,000 241,000 429,000
1915 674,000 434,000 240,000
1916 688,000 340,000 348,000
1917 693,000 282,000 411,000
1918 699,000 380,000 319,000
1919 711,000


This is a record of deaths per each yearly intake of conscripts.'Surplus' means not dead,but would include wounded,captured,sick etc.

A lot of the volunteers accepted in 1914 were around 18 years of age,while the '1914' and '1915' classes were called up in September 1914 and April 1915 respectively.

The '1916' class(men born in 1896) were called up in late 1915,while the '1917' class(men born in 1897) were conscripted in the first half of 1916.

The '1918' class(men born in 1898) was called up in the second half of 1916,the '1919' class (men born in 1899) in 1917,the '1920' class(born 1900) in the spring of 1918.The recruits from this latter class were called into service some 2 and a half years before they were normally due and mostly still 17 when they joined the Army.

'Boy' soldiers 1918.
Image
http://www.geocities.com/~worldwar1/chi ... hild06.jpg


User avatar
Wehrmacht
Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Oct 2002, 13:33
Location: Italy

#3

Post by Wehrmacht » 30 Jun 2003, 09:29

Moulded, It seems that you are my mentor! Thank you for your always accurate informations.

Some points:

1) I don't see data for the classes from 1913 ('93) and down. But I think a large part of those older men were also drafted.

2) The 1920 class was, like Italy, the last class called. But they were thrown in the battle or, like Italy, only trained?


Thank again

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#4

Post by Peter H » 01 Jul 2003, 05:09

Pre war being in a German age class didn't necessarily mean you were conscripted--the average call up was 52% of each class,but even this varied year to year.For example of the 1892 class,called up in 1912,only 240,000 men were called up,whereas in 1913(the 1893 class) 304,000 were required.Those not called up were transferred direct to the untrained Ersatz Reserve,a source of manpower not active in peacetime,but a wartime recruit reserve.

As service was normally 2 years(but 3 years for cavalry and horse artillery) and the release date from service was in September(after the final summer manouevre),the 1892 class due to leave service in September 1914,was retained as war commenced in August 1914.

Thus in August 1914 the following could be infered:

Regular army(infantry)--1892 & 1893 classes.

Reserve ---1888,1889,1890,1891 classes.

Landwehr/Landsturm--men between 27 and 44,covering the approriate classes,surprisingly even going back to the 1870 class if you were 44 in 1914.

Ersatz--all untrained men from the 1882-93 classes(the 50% or so that were never intially recruited),men between 20-32 years of age.

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#5

Post by Peter H » 01 Jul 2003, 05:14

Wehrmacht :) ,
The 1920 class did enter combat in 1918,from the summer onwards of that year.

Image
American chaplain with German 'boy' POW
http://www.geocities.com/~worldwar1/chi ... zenier.jpg

User avatar
Wehrmacht
Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Oct 2002, 13:33
Location: Italy

#6

Post by Wehrmacht » 01 Jul 2003, 09:35

Dear Moulded,

I know that not all the pepole in a given age class were recruited and served.

In WW2 Germany a similar system existed, each man was assigned to a given category based on age and training level.

But while the war begin to deplete the manpower of Germany I think that all of them, both trained or untrained (ersatz), were deployed on the first line.

So, we can put the 1900 the youngest class called, the oldest class employed as a whole (that mean not individuals but all the jahrgang official called to colors) which was? The absolute limit is 1870 for Landwehr men in 1914, I wonder if they were employed.

Anyone has information about the other countries? Especially Russia? I know that in the napoleonic wars, the Russian Empire drafted men issuing an ukaz (act). This act specified that the calling was of 1 man every X, instead of age class. So with a given ukaz you can have 1 man every 103 or so.
Logically, the medieval-like system of serfdom, was reflected also in the army, where the recruit were mere slave.

W.

User avatar
dead-cat
Member
Posts: 435
Joined: 04 Mar 2003, 23:06
Location: Mainz, Germany

#7

Post by dead-cat » 01 Jul 2003, 09:45

i saw that picture before, in the book "the first world war" by janusz pikalkiewicz (sp). there the description says, "serbian soldiers resting", or something like that.

Post Reply

Return to “First World War”